Not feeling cornered

Even though Kelly Jennings graduated from Miami with degrees in finance and business management, the Seattle Seahawks rookie still has a lot of learning to do.

Since the fact of being a professional football player has sunk in, Jennings is trying to get used to his new team and the new system, and said the biggest challenge playing in the pros has been to learn everything there is to learn about the game.

“Knowledge and knowing the ins and outs of the game like some of these vets know, that’s the biggest transition,” he said of coming out of college.

When the cornerback was selected in the first round of this year’s draft by Seattle, there was talk that he had a chance to be a starter.

“I let that sink in and knew that I would really have to work hard and try to learn everything so I can be the best that I can be,” Jennings said.

Ahead of Jennings, however, is Kelly Herndon, a returning cornerback from last year’s Hawks. Herndon set a Super Bowl record last season with a 76-yard interception return against Pittsburgh in Super Bowl XL.

Herndon is used to competing for positions in his five-year NFL career, being signed and then released from several teams, but he’s usually not the one protecting the starting role.

“(Herndon) has a knowledge of the defense,” Jennings said of what separates the two. “He knows where to be, it seems, and at what times.

“I’m still second-guessing: Should I go here, should I go there?”

But Herndon said he doesn’t view this battle any different than other battle he has encountered and that he doesn’t view it as a competition.

“We both go out there and we play hard,” Herndon said. “We go out there trying to compete trying to make the whole team better – not just ourselves, but offense and everybody.

“We know it’s not going to be our decision. We just try to make each other better.”

Even though they’re battling out on the field, Jennings still looks to Herndon for help on certain plays, the rookie said. Herndon said he continues to learn from his fellow teammates.

“I try and learn a lot from everybody,” Herndon said. “If I see something I like in a game, I’m going to try and incorporate it into my game.”

Herndon said that no matter what position he played, he would have to compete for a spot.

“I just have to be consistent and continue to make plays,” Herndon said of holding down starting cornerback. “I need to let them know I want to be on the field all the time and help my team win, and they know what kind of drive I have to win.”

But while Herndon is ahead of Jennings on the starting spot, Jennings knows that to compete with the veteran, he needs to obtain the knowledge of the league and continue to learn.

“I just go out and get a little bit better than I was yesterday or the day before,” he said. “I just try and learn something. If it’s just one thing, I learn something new everyday.

“If I can get that part down I can develop to be a better player.”

Notes

Seattle coach Mike Holmgren called a huddle about an hour early after Wednesday morning’s practice, but instead of sending the team to the locker room or back onto the field, Holmgren made a deal. The Hawks would choose four coaches and Holmgren would choose one and if the coaches could catch three out of five punts, the players would get an hour added onto their curfew.

Gabe Lindstrom punted to the coaches and kicked the first ball into the wind which was carried over offensive line coach Bill Laveroni’s head. Holmgren called a re-do and had the receivers and Lindstrom trade positions so the ball was against the wind. The second attempt went through Laveroni’s arms.

Linebackers coach Zerick Rollins was up second and with the ball in the air he backpedaled a little too far and the ball fell short just off his hands.

Jim Zorn, quarterbacks coach, made the first successful catch for the coaches, barely moving to catch the ball, followed by a catch from defensive backs coach Teryl Austin.

The deciding catch was on special teams coach Bob Casullo’s shoulders. The players on the sideline started chanting “Bob, Bob, Bob …” when Lindstrom hurdled the ball over the coach’s head. Casullo turned his back to the kicker and took off for the ball, catching it with his chest, followed by cheers from the Hawks.

“Jerramy Stevens returned to the practice field today after undergoing surgery on his left knee in April.

“That’s the best part of the day, just being back on the field and feel like I’m part of the team and just interacting with the guys,” Stevens said in a press conference. “That’s what I was missing the most.”

Stevens said his injury happened in the first playoff game against Washington.

“It wasn’t real bad, but it got progressively worse through the off-season,” he said. “It just made more sense to take care of it as soon as we found out what it was and pinpointed it.”

The tight end said that he felt good today and the practice ended while he was ahead.

“Left guard Floyd Womack could miss a week of practice after straining his right hamstring during practice.

Backup center Chris Spencer will likely start in Womack’s spot in Saturday’s preseason game.