Green Eases Into Work Holmgren Would Like Explosive Back Ready For Thursday Game With 49Ers

In their journey to convert to Mike Holmgren’s West Coast offense, the Seattle Seahawks, figuratively anyway, are stalled somewhere east of Dubuque.

The offense, as Holmgren described it Saturday night, was pitiful in a 24-10 loss to Buffalo.

But since even the best preseason games are forgettable, the Seahawks were ready to write this one off Monday at their Eastern Washington University training camp.

With only two days to prepare for Thursday night’s encounter with the 49ers, the offense received a boost when Ahman Green, the swift second-year halfback from Nebraska, participated in his first practices.

Green has been sidelined since pulling a quad muscle in a workout at home two weeks ago. His presence should eventually add a breakaway dimension to the offense.

“I’m just easing my way back into it,” Green said after Monday afternoon’s practice. “Pulled or strained quads and hamstrings are something you can’t go back with right away. You have to keep icing and stretching.

“I’m taking my baby steps first, before I start running real fast out there. It’s day to day. If I feel ready to go, I’ll go. I’ve played with worse injuries than this. If I had to, I could go.”

Holmgren’s expectations were more accelrated.

“I just hope that leg has healed up sufficiently,” the coach and general manager said. “He was moving pretty well. I’m planning right now to play him in the game.”

Today’s practices are the last prior to the 49ers’ game, other than a brief Wednesday morning walk-through.

Green says he’s a little lighter than his 213-pound playing weight, and “in the shape I want to be in.”

It’s tough, he said, staying behind in Cheney, watching on TV with the other walking wounded.

“That’s only the second time in my career that I’ve had to sit home and watch my team play,” he said. “The first was was my sophomore year at Nebraska, when we lost to Texas in the Big 12 championships. That was hard to watch.”

So was this, but for reasons other than the obvious.

“I didn’t watch the whole game here,” Green confessed. “I wasn’t helping my team out, either with special teams or running the ball. I felt bad.”

Green’s role in Dennis Erickson’s offense a year ago was limited. His reputation as a fumbler had something to do with it, but his potential remains impressive. He showed some brilliance as a rookie, logging 6.0 yards a carry.

He carried only 35 times in 16 games, however.

Was he disappointed?

“No,” he said. “I know how things work out. I played behind a great back in Ricky (Watters).”

The transition to Holmgren’s offense is a challenge.

“From the run offense at Nebraska, to the mix of pass and run last year - it’s nothing like the lingo we got now,” Green said.

Picking up the lingo is a continuing process.

“Our on-going project is to eliminate mistakes,” Holmgren said. “We can do some things structurally on offense to help. We’re going to try and do that this week.”

The first offense had its moments Saturday night, particularly through the air. Jon Kitna hit on 6 of 8 passes for 63 yards.

“We had some pretty good positions on the field and didn’t come away with points,” Holmgren said. `Part of Monday morning’s practice was devoted to correcting Saturday night’s mistkaes.

“It’s tedious,” Holmgren said, “but things you have to to do.”

Joey, look what Freeman took

Asked about where the club stood Monday with holdout receiver Joey Galloway, Holmgren said tersely, “I don’t know. He’s not here.”

Antonio Freeman’s deal with Green Bay should send a message to Galloway and his agent, Eric Metz. Freeman got a $10 million signing bonus - the highest ever for a receiver- in his 7-year, $42 million deal. Galloway is holding out for a reported $12 million bonus and the same $42 million/seven seasons. Freeman had better numbers last year - nearly 400 more yards than Galloway, four more TDs and 19 more catches.

Notes

Kitna got fairly high marks for his work Saturday night. “Jon did a nice job, for the first game,” Holmgren said. “After looking at the film I thought he made one decision that I talked to him about, but all in all he did fine.” … As promised, Anthony Simmons was the middle linebacker with the first unit Monday after playing well against the Bills. … Middle linebacker DeShone Myles tried to practice, but his injured knee limited him. … Right tackle Howard Ballard’s knee bothered him in the Buffalo game, “So we kind of took it easy with him today (at practice),” Holmgren said. … That’s early-week business as usual with Ballard’s tender knee.

Holmgren urged reporters not to read too much into rookie quarterback Brock Huard taking snaps with the second unit. Instead of playing behind backup QB Glenn Foley, Huard was sharing time with him. “We juggle a lot of people around in practice,” the coach said. “We’ll do that, based on game performance, at any position.” … Holmgren would like to see a little less free-lancing by the defense. “We have some real good players on defense,” he said. “Once they learn to play the defense, and not free-lance, then I think we’ll be pretty solid over there.” … Kerry Joseph has attracted notice. “He’s making a real run at a starting position,” Holmgren said of the third-year free safety, whose introduction to the league came as a free-agent quarterback at Cincinnati. “He is everything you would like a player to be in training camp,” Holmgren said. “He practices hard and lets the chips fall.”