3. Youth Movement – A lot of the new additions to the roster are youngsters, something that should give the team some high energy and excitement. There are still some veterans around, Lawyer Milloy for one, but it's possible Seattle’s starting safeties could be rookies in Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor. I am positively drooling at that thought.
4. Coaching – Pete Carroll has refused to turn the Seahawks into USC North. By cutting LenDale White before training camp and trading Laurence Jackson to Detroit despite Seattle drafting him in the first round, Carroll sent the message that he wasn’t messing around. Although he has a reputation as a player’s coach, training camp was seriously professional and work time was for work. Although I was seriously skeptical, I have been swayed by coach Carroll.
The Bad:
1. Changes – There is good and bad with everything, and while the changes are refreshing, you have to wonder why Kelly Jennings is still starting while Josh Wilson has been traded. How many players that were cut will turn out to be players, and how many that were kept will turn out to be training camp heroes?
2. O-line – The position is a still a jigsaw puzzle and will be missing some serious pieces if first round pick Russell Okung and veteran free agent Ben Hamilton’s injuries carry over into the season.
3. Youth – This could turn ugly if the team comes out of the gate and promptly falls flat on their faces. The vim and vigor will be replaced with dejection and humiliation if Seattle hits the bye in week 5 at a 1-4 record.
4. Coaching – O-line guru Alex Gibbs retired this week, taking everyone by complete surprise. I was very happy with his hiring because I worried that Carroll would be too egotistical to go outside his assistant coaches from USC. Gibbs was an NFL assistant with many years of experience and a history of top offensive lines. His retirement at the brink of the season casts a lot of doubts on a very big problem area for the Seahawks.
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