No Harvin, no change in plan for Seahawks
RENTON – Seahawks receivers coach Kippy Brown offered a simple answer when asked how Seattle intended to replace the potential output lost by the absence of Percy Harvin: They’ll play the matchups.
“First of all, we’re not going to change what our philosophy is,” Brown said. “And having been in this league a long time, every game is different, every opponent is different. They have their strengths and weaknesses. And when you game plan, you go and attack that.
“That may involve getting a receiver in a certain area, or it may involve the running game. So when you game plan, if you have a player you want to get the ball to, you figure out how to do it. And we have some very talented players on this team.”
Harvin is expected to have surgery today in New York to repair a partially torn labrum that could keep him out of Seattle’s lineup for the next four months.
Pete Carroll was not made available to reporters after practice on Wednesday. However, in an interview with the league’s TV network, the Seattle coach said the team has to wait until after Harvin’s surgery to get a more accurate read on how long he’ll be out.
“Percy does have a chance to get back,” Carroll said. “And we’ll find that out after the procedure. We’ll know what took place, and then they’ll make a guess on how long that will take him.”
Brown acknowledged that the Seahawks have been working on different ways during the offseason to take advantage of Harvin’s skill set. However, those plays will not be tossed out into the trash – players like Golden Tate, Doug Baldwin and Jermaine Kearse offer the ability to still carry out some of the many ways Harvin can attack a defense.
“I would assume that we are very similar players,” Tate said, when asked how he could fill the production lost by Harvin’s absence. “So the things that they have – they intended on him to do – I’ll be more than happy to do that. I want to get the ball anyway that I can, and I want to try and make a play.
“I feel like I am really similar to Percy (Harvin). I feel that at any moment, I could make a big play – to boost us or give us a go-ahead score. Whatever they need. I’m excited to get the opportunity to get more reps and help this offense.”
Tate also will be in the mix to replace Harvin as Seattle’s kick returner.
While Tate, Baldwin and Sidney Rice all will be expected to help fill the void, the receiver who stands the most to gain is Kearse.
“Jermaine Kearse is having a hell of a camp,” Brown said. “He’s quick. He’s a great route runner. He’s very disciplined. He’s a guy who learns well.”
So Kearse has a chance to be a playmaker in Seattle’s offense?
“I don’t have any doubt,” Brown said.
“I’m feeling real good,” added Kearse. “We have a great defense that I get to go against every day. Constantly competing against them just evolves my game every day.”
So while Harvin remains out, the expectation for the Seahawks is the offense that averaged 33 points a contest in the second half of the season will keep purring.
Injury updates
Seattle’s training room is filling up with the completion of Day 6 of training camp on Wednesday. The Seahawks had 18 players not practice, including six players on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list in WR Harvin (hip), DE Greg Scruggs (knee), DE Chris Clemons (knee), CB Tharold Simon (foot), TE Zach Miller (foot) and RB Robert Turbin (foot). LB Korey Toomer (hip) remains on the non-football injury list.