Good place to start
KIRKLAND, Wash. – Try as they may, Seneca Wallace and Maurice Morris have little to prove tonight.
D.D. Lewis, Niko Koutouvides and Jordan Babineaux feel the same way.
In fact, almost all of the players who will suit up for the Seattle Seahawks in tonight’s preseason finale against Oakland have absolutely no chance of playing their way into, or out of, a starting spot.
Wallace can throw for three scores and run for another, but he won’t beat out Matt Hasselbeck as Seahawks starting quarterback. Morris can gain 100 rushing yards and put up a Shaun Alexander-like three touchdowns, but he won’t beat out the NFL’s most valuable player.
Lewis and Koutouvides will remain behind Pro Bowl linebackers – Julian Peterson and Lofa Tatupu, respectively – regardless of what they do. Babineaux won’t supplant starting safeties Ken Hamlin and Michael Boulware.
So, barring injury, the only player on the field for tonight’s game who could realistically play his way into the starting lineup is rookie cornerback Kelly Jennings.
The first-round pick out of the University of Miami has yet to bump veteran Kelly Herndon as the starter, even though most expect that to happen at some point this season.
Jennings, whom teammates have dubbed “Slim” because of his slight stature (5-foot-11, 178 pounds), has one final chance to win that starting job for the Sept. 10 opener at Detroit.
“I just look at it as another chance to get better,” Jennings said of tonight’s game while shrugging off the importance of winning the starting job. “I can work on my technique and make sure I know the defense. So it’s another chance for me to keep getting better.”
Jennings has been up and down throughout training camp, and his performances in preseason games have not been enough to win the starting job outright. Herndon has also struggled at times in games, but he has impressed the coaches during camp practices.
So for now, the veteran remains atop the depth chart as the final preseason game approaches.
“If I worry about all of that,” Jennings said, “it will affect me. All I need to do is keep getting better.”
While starting spots aren’t exactly there for the taking, plenty of players will battle for a spot on the team. A few key backup spots are also up for grabs. Among them:
Defensive tackle: The team has all four of its defensive tackles back from the NFC Championship team, plus free-agent addition Russell Davis and versatile veteran Chris Cooper, who can also play end. The question is whether the team can keep five tackles or if someone like dependable third-year player Craig Terrill might be on the bubble.
Safety: Thanks to the season-ending injury to veteran Mike Green, there are a lot of question marks behind Hamlin and Boulware. Babineaux moved to safety from cornerback, while youngsters Oliver Celestin and Etric Pruitt have spent most of their careers on NFL practice squads.
Defensive end: Rookie Darryl Tapp has shown enough at camp to earn the top reserve spot behind starters Bryce Fisher and Grant Wistrom. But the fourth roster spot is up for grabs, with Cooper, Joe Tafoya and Kemp Rasmussen all in the picture.
Tight end: Injuries have ravaged this position, but they’ve also created some opportunities. Neither Jerramy Stevens nor Itula Mili will play tonight, so Will Heller, Matt Murphy and new acquisition Leonard Stephens will get their chances to show what they can do. If Itula Mili (knee) can’t play in the Sept. 10 game, one of those guys may well be the opening-day starter.
Running back: The versatility of Leonard Weaver makes him valuable on the roster, but who does that knock out? Alexander and Mack Strong are locks. Weaver, Maurice Morris and Josh Scobey were on the team last season. Then there’s rookie fullback David Kirtman, who could land on the practice squad.
Tonight’s game should have plenty of intrigue. Just don’t expect too many starting jobs to be won or lost.
The only guy with anything on the line is the first-round draft pick, and coach Mike Holmgren said there’s only one thing he needs to see out of him.
“Kelly just needs to play,” Holmgren said of Jennings. “He’s a good cover man, and he’s a courageous guy for not being a big man.
“He just has to play. He’s fine.”
Notes
Holmgren said the starters will probably play only one quarter tonight. … Quarterback David Greene could see some playing time in the first half, only because the coaches would like to get an extended look at him. He’s the third-string quarterback behind Hasselbeck and Wallace. … Defensive tackle Marcus Tubbs (Achilles) and wide receiver Darrell Jackson (knee) have yet to practice this summer and won’t play tonight. But Holmgren is holding out hope that both players will practice next week and be available for the Sept. 10 opener at Detroit. … Left tackle Walter Jones (shoulder) will sit out tonight’s game as a precaution. Tom Ashworth is expected to start in his place. … Final cuts are due Saturday, when the Seahawks must cut 22 players to get down to 53.