Suspensions to two defenders will test Hawks' depth

Suspensions to two defenders will test Hawks' depth
By CLARE FARNSWORTH
P-I REPORTER

Josh Wilson, come on down.

Craig Terrill and Red Bryant, you, too.

With nickel back Jordan Babineaux and starting defensive tackle Rocky Bernard receiving one-game suspensions Saturday from the NFL for violating league policies, the Seahawks will have to put the depth they've talked about all summer to the test in Sunday's regular-season opener against the Bills in Buffalo.

Wilson, a second-round draft choice last year, was probably the most improved player on the team during training camp practices and the preseason games. And stepping into Babineaux's role as the nickel back is nothing new, because Wilson played the spot for two weeks while Babineaux was out with a knee injury.

"Josh is really a good inside cover guy," coach Mike Holmgren said. "As your nickel back, who moves inside and works in there on the two-way go guys, that's a strength of his. Maybe even more than being outside.

"He can play outside, but I think that's really where he earns his money -- inside."

That's also where Terrill earns his -- inside on the D-line. A sixth-round draft choice in 2004, Terrill has been Bernard's backup and regularly replaces the team's most experienced defensive tackle in the rotation preferred by the coaches.

Bryant, this year's fourth-round draft choice, now figures even more prominently into the rotation. He made his preseason debut in Friday night's finale against the Oakland Raiders after being sidelined for four weeks after an arthroscopic knee procedure to repair cartilage damage.

"Red is a big strong guy, but he's a little behind," Holmgren said. "We have try-hard guys in there, but Red has to come through."

As does Terrill, who started the only two games of his career at the end of last season when Bernard was being rested for the playoffs. Terrill had a career-best 25 tackles last season, but his most memorable game came in 2006 when he collected three sacks against the Raiders.

Terrill will have to refrain from lugging around the amplifiers he uses in his off-field life as a singer/songwriter/guitarist. He missed a day of practice last week after tweaking his back doing just that.

"(Quarterback Matt) Hasselbeck said he tried to pick up an amp," Holmgren cracked at the time. "So I told him I've never been more disappointed in a player in my whole life."

In the locker room after Friday night's game, Terrill countered: "He's turned me into an acoustic-only guy. No more amps for a while."

All joking aside, the efforts of Terrill and Bryant in the opener will be vital, because the Bills like to pound away at the middle of opposing defenses with power back Marshawn Lynch running behind a XXXL interior line.

Lynch broke a lot of tackles as a rookie last season while running for 1,115 yards and rarely was stopped on first contact.

Brandon Mebane and Howard Green will man the other defensive tackle spot, and the team will continue to slide first-round draft choice Lawrence Jackson from right end to one of the tackle spots in the nickel defense.

The Seahawks knew the suspensions for Bernard and Babineaux were coming.

Bernard's one-game suspension for violating the personal-conduct policy stems from his April arrest on investigation of domestic violence.

Like Bernard, Babineaux will miss the opener and can't practice with the team until Sept. 8. But he was fined a second game check. Babineaux appealed his suspension for violating the substance-abuse policy.

The club is not allowed to comment on the suspensions, and Babineaux's agent, John Rickert, declined to elaborate.

The Seahawks conducted investigations into each situation, and it is unlikely that additional disciplinary action will be taken against either player.

Because of the suspensions, the Seahawks had to make only 20 roster moves Saturday to reach the limit of 53 players. Bernard and Babineaux do not count against the roster while suspended -- a situation that allowed the team to carry two kickers (veteran Olindo Mare and rookie Brandon Coutu) and an extra defensive end (both Jason Babin and Baraka Atkins).

What happens at those spots are decisions for another day. For now, the task is getting Wilson, Terrill and Bryant ready to step in for more experienced players against the Bills.

HAWK TALK: Former Washington State wide receiver Michael Bumpus was among eight players signed to the practice squad. The other are: safety Jamar Adams,defensive tackle Kevin Brown, cornerback Marquis Floyd, offensive tackleSamuel Gutekunst, guard Pat Murray, tight end Joe Newton and tackleKyle Williams. A ninth member will be added later.




http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/football/377270_hawk01.html

TGHAWKSFAN#1 wrote:

Suspensions to two defenders will test Hawks' depth
By CLARE FARNSWORTH
P-I REPORTER

Josh Wilson, come on down.

Craig Terrill and Red Bryant, you, too.

With nickel back Jordan Babineaux and starting defensive tackle Rocky Bernard receiving one-game suspensions Saturday from the NFL for violating league policies, the Seahawks will have to put the depth they've talked about all summer to the test in Sunday's regular-season opener against the Bills in Buffalo.

Wilson, a second-round draft choice last year, was probably the most improved player on the team during training camp practices and the preseason games. And stepping into Babineaux's role as the nickel back is nothing new, because Wilson played the spot for two weeks while Babineaux was out with a knee injury.

"Josh is really a good inside cover guy," coach Mike Holmgren said. "As your nickel back, who moves inside and works in there on the two-way go guys, that's a strength of his. Maybe even more than being outside.

"He can play outside, but I think that's really where he earns his money -- inside."

That's also where Terrill earns his -- inside on the D-line. A sixth-round draft choice in 2004, Terrill has been Bernard's backup and regularly replaces the team's most experienced defensive tackle in the rotation preferred by the coaches.

Bryant, this year's fourth-round draft choice, now figures even more prominently into the rotation. He made his preseason debut in Friday night's finale against the Oakland Raiders after being sidelined for four weeks after an arthroscopic knee procedure to repair cartilage damage.

"Red is a big strong guy, but he's a little behind," Holmgren said. "We have try-hard guys in there, but Red has to come through."

As does Terrill, who started the only two games of his career at the end of last season when Bernard was being rested for the playoffs. Terrill had a career-best 25 tackles last season, but his most memorable game came in 2006 when he collected three sacks against the Raiders.

Terrill will have to refrain from lugging around the amplifiers he uses in his off-field life as a singer/songwriter/guitarist. He missed a day of practice last week after tweaking his back doing just that.

"(Quarterback Matt) Hasselbeck said he tried to pick up an amp," Holmgren cracked at the time. "So I told him I've never been more disappointed in a player in my whole life."

In the locker room after Friday night's game, Terrill countered: "He's turned me into an acoustic-only guy. No more amps for a while."

All joking aside, the efforts of Terrill and Bryant in the opener will be vital, because the Bills like to pound away at the middle of opposing defenses with power back Marshawn Lynch running behind a XXXL interior line.

Lynch broke a lot of tackles as a rookie last season while running for 1,115 yards and rarely was stopped on first contact.

Brandon Mebane and Howard Green will man the other defensive tackle spot, and the team will continue to slide first-round draft choice Lawrence Jackson from right end to one of the tackle spots in the nickel defense.

The Seahawks knew the suspensions for Bernard and Babineaux were coming.

Bernard's one-game suspension for violating the personal-conduct policy stems from his April arrest on investigation of domestic violence.

Like Bernard, Babineaux will miss the opener and can't practice with the team until Sept. 8. But he was fined a second game check. Babineaux appealed his suspension for violating the substance-abuse policy.

The club is not allowed to comment on the suspensions, and Babineaux's agent, John Rickert, declined to elaborate.

The Seahawks conducted investigations into each situation, and it is unlikely that additional disciplinary action will be taken against either player.

Because of the suspensions, the Seahawks had to make only 20 roster moves Saturday to reach the limit of 53 players. Bernard and Babineaux do not count against the roster while suspended -- a situation that allowed the team to carry two kickers (veteran Olindo Mare and rookie Brandon Coutu) and an extra defensive end (both Jason Babin and Baraka Atkins).

What happens at those spots are decisions for another day. For now, the task is getting Wilson, Terrill and Bryant ready to step in for more experienced players against the Bills.

HAWK TALK: Former Washington State wide receiver Michael Bumpus was among eight players signed to the practice squad. The other are: safety Jamar Adams,defensive tackle Kevin Brown, cornerback Marquis Floyd, offensive tackleSamuel Gutekunst, guard Pat Murray, tight end Joe Newton and tackleKyle Williams. A ninth member will be added later.




http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/football/377270_hawk01.html

I WAS PRETTY SHOCKED TO HEAR ABOUT THESE TWO SUSPENSIONS , I KNEW BERNARD HAD AN INCIDENT BUT I NEVER KNEW ABOUT JORDAN, OH WELL WE WILL HAVE TO PLAY AT LEAST ONE GAME WITH OUT THEM, I GUESS THAT IS WHAT DEPTH IS FOR, I HOPE IT DOESN'T HURT US TOO MUCH.