Seahawks scramble to reshuffle offense
Lineup for home opener is unclear after injuries
By CLARE FARNSWORTH
P-I REPORTER
RENTON -- The Seahawks' emphasis has turned from the wheels falling off in their season-opening loss to the Buffalo Bills to their offense coming apart at the damaged hinges.
The latest loss is right guard Rob Sims, whose season came to an end Wednesday when he was placed on injured reserve after tearing a pectoral muscle against the Bills.
The Seahawks also lost wide receiver Nate Burleson for the season and running back Maurice Morris for at least two games with knee injuries in their 34-10 loss to the Bills.
They entered the game without the injured foursome of leading receiver Bobby Engram, flanker Deion Branch, right guard Sean Locklear and wide receiver Ben Obomanu.
The situation at wide receiver is so desperate that the just-signed duo of Billy McMullen and Samie Parker will play in Sunday's home opener against the San Francisco 49ers.
"I don't know if I've ever been in a situation where this many people are hurt with injuries that there's nothing you can do about them," left guard Mike Wahle said after practice.
Wahle is in his 11th NFL season and with his third team.
"So it's definitely been bizarre from that standpoint," he said. "But it's just football."
When the Seahawks returned to football Wednesday, Floyd "Pork Chop" Womack stepped in for Sims and Julius Jones was replacing Morris, while Ray Willis continued to sub for Locklear.
Last week, coach Mike Holmgren tried to keep the fact that backup quarterback Seneca Wallace was getting reps at wide receiver under wraps. But Wednesday, Holmgren talked openly about using Wallace, and Wallace then worked with the receivers from the start of practice until he was held out at the end because of a tight hamstring.
"This is actually the first time," Wallace said of only catching passes in practice rather than throwing some and catching some. "For the first day, it went pretty well."
Holmgren did say that Logan Payne probably will start but couldn't say if it would be at split end, flanker or in the slot -- if the Seahawks open in a three-receiver set, as they did against the Bills. Courtney Taylor started at flanker last week, but Holmgren said Taylor needs to have a good week of practice to remain there after a disappointing showing against the Bills.
With Engram and Branch not expected back until after the Week 4 bye, that leaves McMullen and Parker to pick up some of the slack, along with Wallace and possibly practice-squad receiver Michael Bumpus -- who has been told the decision whether to sign him to the active roster will be determined by how he looks in practice.
Wednesday, the coaches mixed and matched the available receivers in their various personnel groupings. Payne, for example, lined up at split end, flanker and in the slot.
Of the new receivers, McMullen has an advantage because he played in a West Coast offense with the Philadelphia Eagles (2003-05) and Minnesota Vikings (2006). He had 45 receptions for 601 yards and three touchdowns before sitting out the 2007 season.
"All the terminology is pretty much the same," McMullen said. "It helps out a lot. You hear a play in the huddle, and there is no second-guessing."
Parker is smaller (5 feet 11 inches, 185 pounds) and faster than McMullen (6 feet 4, 215) but does not have the background in an offense similar to Holmgren's hybrid of the West Coast. Parker caught 110 passes for 1,529 yards and seven touchdowns in four seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, who drafted him out of Oregon in 2004.
"For Samie, everything is new," Holmgren said. "It'll be a little harder for him."
What roles will they fill against the 49ers? That, too, will be determined by what they show during practice.
"That's going to be the unanswered question probably going into the game, actually," Holmgren said. "We'll have four receivers healthy. How we'll play them, and how much they play, and what situations we use them in, it depends on how much they can absorb.
"It also depends on how well Logan and Courtney practice this week. It depends on a lot of stuff."
FOCUS ON: JUSTIN FORSETT
The Seahawks took a calculated risk with Justin Forsett, and it didn't work.
The rookie running back -- and fan favorite after compiling 261 all-purpose yards in the second preseason game -- was claimed off waivers Wednesday by the Indianapolis Colts. The Seahawks released Forsett on Tuesday but were hoping to sign him to their practice squad.
Forsett emerged from the locker room just after practice had started and was greeted by a round of applause from the other running backs who had been anticipating his return. But Forsett, who was wearing a Cal T-shirt rather than pads and a helmet, quickly offered: "No. I'm gone."
He then exchanged handshakes and hugs with Julius Jones, Leonard Weaver, T.J. Duckett and fellow rookie Owen Schmitt before heading back to the locker room to pack up his belongings.
Forsett and wide receiver Jordan Kent were released to open roster spots for the return of defensive tackle Rocky Bernard and defensive back Jordan Babineaux from one-game suspensions for violating league policies. Kent was signed to the practice squad Wednesday.
Asked about the moves, coach Mike Holmgren said: "The only thing I'd say is the preseason is the preseason. I'm not telling you anything you don't know. It's difficult. And then, sometimes when you release a player, it's because of a logjam at a position. ... Both those players are young players with an upside. But right now, we're trying to do some things that help right now."
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Subject: Seahawks scramble to reshuffle offense 
Thu Sep 11, 2008 8:20 am