Thanks, Alexander the Late

KIRKLAND, Wash. – Life without Shaun Alexander was pretty good for at least two of the Seattle Seahawks.

Now that the final minicamp has wrapped up, Maurice Morris and Kerry Carter wonder whether it will get this good again.

“It’s been fun,” Carter said. “It’s always good when you’re in there with the (first team).”

Thanks to a contract dispute that led Alexander to skip both minicamps, Morris and Carter have spent most of the spring alternating as the Seahawks’ starting running back. The time has been invaluable for a pair of runners who combined for just 34 carries last season.

But it hasn’t been enough for anyone to believe that Alexander is expendable.

“They understand that they have some big shoes to fill, when you take a look at what Shaun’s done the past four years,” running backs coach Stump Mitchell said. “They got a chance to be in there with the first group, and they got a chance to show that they know the plays. Pretty much, that’s all they got a chance to do – to tell you the truth. We have not gotten into the pads this year, and we have not played an opponent yet.”

Before Morris and Carter worked with the No. 1 offense this spring, Mitchell had confidence that both were capable of carrying the offensive load.

“I coach them every day, so my feelings about them are probably better than anyone’s feelings on the team,” Mitchell said. “I miss Shaun tremendously, but I think those guys will pick up the slack until he returns.”

While Alexander has had at least 1,000 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns in each of the past four seasons, his backups have had little opportunity to show what they can do. Morris 100 carries for 518 yards and no touchdowns in three NFL seasons. Carter has seven carries for 13 yards as a pro.

The minicamps didn’t give them any official carries, but Morris and Carter got some rare repetitions with the starting offense.

“It’s more reps, but that’s good,” Morris said. “Just in case anything happens, you’re always ready to go.”

The Seahawks expect Alexander to play in 2005, yet it is still unknown whether he will miss part – or all – of training camp. The 27-year-old running back has yet to sign his $6.323 million contract tender because he’s seeking a long-term deal. Alexander has spoken to Mitchell and head coach Mike Holmgren this spring but refused their appeals to attend the voluntary minicamp that recently concluded.

By missing part of training camp, Alexander would follow in the footsteps of another Seahawks franchise player of the recent past. Walter Jones skipped the past three training camps in contract disputes, yet had Pro Bowl seasons each year.

“Walter pulling it off is totally different than Shaun pulling it off,” Mitchell said. “Walter, for the most part, is delivering the blows, as opposed to Shaun taking the blows from a lot of people. Walter might have to take on two people, three at most. But Shaun is going to be hit by three, four, five, sometimes seven people on a play. It’s a totally different situation.”

Whatever happens with Alexander, Seattle has to prepare for the worst. That means getting Morris and/or Carter ready to be the regular-season starter, just in case.

“The one thing we cannot do is lose a game because the running back position is not producing,” Mitchell said. “That’s not going to happen. They’re going to bust their (rear), and I’m going to bust my (rear) to make sure it doesn’t happen.”