Hawks like having two kickers

Hawks like having two kickers
FRANK HUGHES; frank.hughes@thenewstribune.com
Published: September 18th, 2008 12:30 AM

RENTON – Seattle coach Mike Holmgren finally admitted Wednesday what he has been dancing around for almost three weeks: the Seahawks are going to keep two kickers on their roster.

The Seahawks have had so many injuries and have been forced to make numerous roster moves to juggle injured and healthy players, yet they continue to keep rookie Brandon Coutu, a seventh-round draft choice, as well as starter Olindo Mare, even when rationale would seem to dictate the Seahawks part ways with one.

However, in the wake of signing wide receiver Koren Robinson, trading for receiver Keary Colbert and releasing defensive end Jason Babin, Holmgren said the team plans to keep the present and the future kicker on the roster at the same time.

“My feeling is, we have a veteran kicker who is very good, and then we have a good young kicker with a bright future,” Holmgren said. “It gets a little dicey when you have roster moves to make, but the fact that we have another young kicker is no reflection on Olindo. He’s doing fine. He’s kicking the ball well.”

Holmgren likes Mare because he can kick deep into the end zone on kickoffs, forcing opponents to start at their own 20. Seahawks general manager Tim Ruskell likes Coutu because Ruskell believes the former Georgia kicker has a bright future in the league – and because Mare has been prone to injury in recent seasons.

Coutu said he deduced he was on the active roster when he did not get a call in late August telling him he was cut. He has been inactive, but practicing alongside Mare allows him to learn and improve his kicking without any pressure.

“When someone says they are going to draft you and take a chance on you, they were the first ones to do that, so I want to be here,” Coutu said. “I want to play. Everyone wants to play. Being on the sideline, I want to get in there and help any way I can. At the same time, I understand – and I look at it as the long run.”

Mare, who signed a two-year, $3.5 million contract and has made all four field-goal attempts this season, said he is not threatened by the presence of Coutu, and what that means for his future.

“I look at it this way: Whether Brandon is here or whether 10 guys are here, I am not going to change my approach,” Mare said.“I am always going to do the same thing anyway. And once you get to be established, you know that if you don’t do your job, they are going to bring somebody else in anyway, whether they are here or on the street.

“There is always a list somewhere.”




http://www.thenewstribune.com/sports/seahawks/story/485547.html