Replacement officials made the right call Monday night

By Dave Brown | dave@nflen.com

When it comes to football, there have been many controversial calls, both past and present. What I saw during the Monday night football game between the Seattle Seahawks and Green Bay Packers made me sick, and it wasn't the officials as much as it was the horrible and sensationalistic coverage of ESPN, looking to create it's own story line.

The Evidence and the Seahawks: Can the Seattle Seahawks win the NFC West?

Welcome our new Seattle Seahawks writer!

Cole Hagedorn the Seahawks and how they could possibly take the NFC West.

Seahawks fans, enjoy!

The Evidence and the Seahawks: Can the Seattle Seahawks win the NFC West?

Four UDFAs to Watch: NFCW

By Kent Lee Platte

Image Source

Continuing around the league with our Four UDFAs to Watch series, we now have a chance to concentrate on a division with arguably one of the best Wide Receivers in the league yet has four teams that have struggled to find a solid passing game.  It is fitting, then, that this year's Undrafted class would be dominated by pass catchers, with three Wide Receivers and a Tight End standing out in camp or having a solid chance to make the roster.  With a division that has been thin at those positions in recent years, it suddenly has the opportunity to be overflowing with talent that was overlooked by the league.  Without further ado, here are four Undrafted Rookie receiving options in the NFCW with a good chance to make the final roster on their respective teams.

Antwaan Randle El to retire after nine seasons

by Ryan Ebert

Veteran wide receiver Antwaan Randal El decides to retire as his brother said in an email.  He was a quarterback at Indiana University before being drafted in the second round by Pittsburgh and moving to wide receiver.  In his nine years he has racked up 370 receptions  for 4,467 yards and 15 touchdowns.  He averaged 22.3 yards on 79 kick returns with a touchdown and 8.2 yards on 311 punt returns with 5 touchdowns.

Pittsburgh did utilize his passing skills from time to time.  Randle El in his career threw 16-18 for 170 yards and 4 of his 6 touchdowns came with the Steelers.  In the playoffs he completed one of three passes with a 43 yard touchdow strike to Hines Ward in the Steelers Super Bowl XL win over the Seattle Seahawks.  He became the only WR to throw a touchdown pass in the Super Bowl when that happened.

After that Super Bowl Randle El signed a $31 million contract for 7 years with the Washington Redskins.  Randle-El started 48 of 63 games catching 186 passes for 2,202 yards and 8 of his career 15 touchdowns.

The Redskins released him in 2010, and he returned to the Steelers one more time.  After last year's lockout the team terminated his contract.

On November 4, 2011 he worked out with the Detroit Lions, but did not get signed has been out of football since.

Jackson to get first-team reps in training camp

by Ryan Ebert

When training camp comes around Seattle's Tarvaris Jackson will reportedly have the first-team reps. Matt Flynn, who signed a $19.5 million contract this offseason doesn't grant Flynn the starting job. Pete Carroll said, "On the field, he ain't carrying around any money in his pocket."

It will still be a three-way quarterback competition between Tarvaris Jackson, Matt Flynn, and rookie Russell Wilson in training camp. Carroll still needs to see something from Flynn if he is to be the starting quarterback.

"(Flynn) hasn't wowed anybody in all the offseason program," Clayton said (via Rotoworld). "And because of that, when they start training camp, Tarvaris Jackson will be taking the first snap. ... It's still gonna be a three-way competition. Because of that, Flynn's going to have to pick things up and wow everybody or at least take control of it during camp. He's not done it yet."

While $10 million guaranteed is usually starer money Flynn will have to step up big time for Carroll and the Seahawks.

Seattle's Clemons holding out till he gets extension

by Ryan Ebert

Seattle Seahawks DE Chris Clemens has put up 100 tackles and 22 sacks in two seasons as a hybrid LB/DE in Pete Carroll's defense. He has a $4 million base salary for one season left on his contract, and is looking for an extension. Clemons has been skipping out of the team's offseason program including the mandatory minicamps, and forfeiting a $100,000 workout bonus in his contract.

The DE was offered a three-year extension worth $18 million, but Clemons turned it down and may remain in his hometown of Atlanta until he gets his extension.

While there is a source that says they did not get a formal rejection, it did say that they are continuing to negotiate.

"What I can share with you guys is that we've had dialogue with Chris and his agent," Schneider said. "It's all been positive. You know, he elected not to come to the camp, that's his prerogative. He's got a year left on his contract, he's very talented, he's a very important part of what we're doing. And we'll try to do what's in the best interest of the organization. I think the fans recognize that he's an important part of what we do on defense, and the 12th Man has really helped his game, too, in terms of being filled out at the stadium and allowing him to jump off the ball.

"Obviously we'd like to extend a number of different guys. We have several unrestricted free agents coming up that we'd like to start working on and he's a priority."

Clemons may have the leverage here since the Seahawks have been putting an emphasis on improving the pass rush this offseason. Seattle have invested in Jason Jones and first-rounder Bruce Irvin in hopes of improving the sack total 33 from last year. While $6 million per season to a player who has not played at this level before may be a reasonable offer, but it wouldn't be surprising to see if Seattle brings that number up to $7 million, which is what they are paying Red Bryant at the other end position.

First round pick Carpenter to miss 2012?

by Ryan Ebert

Seattle's first-round pick of 2011 from Alabama, James Carpenter, has a "decent chance" not to play in 2012 due to a knee injury he had in November.

Carpenter started nine games for the Seahawks last year (the first at left guard and the rest at right tackle) before suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament in a one-on-one pass rush drill and had to be put on injured-reserve.

Seahawks general manager John Schneider said at the NFL Combine that Carpenter "had a long road ahead of him" for his recovery. In April he said that it was "overly optimistic" to expect Carpenter to be ready for training camp when it opens in late July.

Schneider made sure he had backup for his offensive line and for Carpenter and resigned Breno Giacomini, who replaced Carpenter after he got hurt, to a two-year deal worth $6 million in February and signed a versatile Paul McQuisitan to a two-year deal $4 million contract in March. They also signed former Bears left tackle Frank Omiyale for one year for $1.225 million and former Rams first-round pick Alex Barron has been in the Seahawks rookie minicamp on a tryout basis.

With the depth at tackle the team could place Carpenter at left guard which Schneider hinted to in February.

Hawthorne to New Orleans

by Ryan Ebert

Seahawks loses linebacker David Hawthorne to the Saints after Hawthorne signs a 5-year contract with New Orleans.  Terms of the contract were not disclosed.  Last year Hawthorne put up 115 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, and picked off 3 passes returning 1 for a touchdown.  The 26 year old linebacker undrafted out of TCU will join newly signed Curtis Lofton who came over from Atlanta in the Saints linebacker corps who will most likely be losing Jonathan Vilma because of suspension, year left on contract and other reasons.  Hawthorne led the Seahawks defense to be the ninth best defense in the league allowing 332.2 yards per game, and the team was 11th in pass defense with 219.9 pass yards per game allowed and was 15th in rush defense with 112.3 yards per game allowed.

Seattle Seahawks get Flynn

Featured Article:  

Seahawks get their man

Matt Flynn was to decide soon on where he would go, and the Miami Dolphins and Seattle Seahawks were the two teams in contention for his services. Sure, the title tells you he went to the Seahawks, but for how much? Read it for all the details.

Marshawn Lynch signs four year deal

Seattle Seahawks RB Marshawn Lynch signed a four-year, $31 million contract with $18 million guaranteed Sunday night, according to a league source, avoiding the franchise tag less than 24 hours before the deadline. It was believed the Seahawks were going to use the tag on Lynch if they couldn't get the deal done.