Seahawks on Tapp
KIRKLAND, Wash. – Darryl Tapp will celebrate his 23rd birthday on Sept. 13, but he’s hoping that his greatest present will come four days earlier.
On Sept. 9, when the Seattle Seahawks open the 2007 regular season, Tapp hopes to be in the starting lineup. Based on what has been going on at practice this week, that appears to be a likely scenario.
The second-year defensive end from Virginia Tech has worked primarily with the No. 1 defense this week – although that doesn’t necessarily mean Tapp has been promoted yet.
“We’re just looking at that,” defensive coordinator John Marshall said Tuesday afternoon. “We’re just rolling some guys around and seeing how they work with other people and how they fit.”
Marshall did admit that Tapp is giving 2006 starter Bryce Fisher some serious competition this preseason.
“There are some jobs out there that are definitely open,” Marshall said. “There’s some real good competition out there.”
Whatever his role, Tapp has come a long way since being part of a three-man rotation along with Fisher and Grant Wistrom last season. Tapp played in all 16 games in 2006 but did not make any starts and finished with just three sacks. He said recently that he often felt like the rookie he was, so he spent most of the summer developing new pass-rush moves and rounding out his game.
“He’s a lot better,” middle linebacker Lofa Tatupu said. “That says a lot, considering how far ahead of the other rookies he was coming in.
“He’s got gifts of speed and hands. He’s just so natural with it. He’s working on playing the run a little bit, but for smaller guys that’s harder.”
Notes
Among the invitees attending morning practice was former Seahawks wide receiver Steve Largent. … Fullback Leonard Weaver had a rough morning practice, fumbling a handoff exchange on one play before getting stuffed on a short-yardage play a few minutes later. … Wide receiver Nate Burleson also struggled. He dropped one pass and had two others knocked out of his hands. … Team president Tim Ruskell acknowledged that he has been dissatisfied with the play of third-string QB David Greene.