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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Just as many new faces for Seahawks in 2011

Seahawks coach Pete Carroll stakes future on youth. (Associated Press)
Tim Booth Associated Press

RENTON, Wash. – In just two seasons, Pete Carroll has redefined NFL shelf life, at least when it comes to the Seattle Seahawks.

When Seattle takes the field on Sunday for its season opener at San Francisco, the Seahawks will feature only 10 players on the active roster who were playing for Seattle just two seasons ago.

Seattle’s roster shuffle has included another 24 new additions since the Seahawks won a division title in Carroll’s first season back in the NFL.

“If you got here last year you’re used to it – if you got here last year and are still here. You kind of get used to it,” said Seahawks receiver Mike Williams, one of the additions who came on board in Carroll’s first season. “The guys that come in and make an impact, they stick. I can’t speak on anybody’s situation and why things work out the way they do but you’re just fortunate you’re one of the guys to make it and then you circle the wagons around the guys that are here and move forward.”

It’s no secret that Carroll and general manager John Schneider inherited an aging roster that needed an influx of youth and size. Their overhaul has taken less than two full seasons to create an opening-day roster that features just one player – defensive end Raheem Brock – born in the 1970s.

Among Seattle’s expected starting lineup is a 22-year-old offensive lineman, 22- and 23-year-old starting safeties and eight players in their first, second or third years in the league.

Youth typically means growing pains. Throw in unfamiliarity with another 24 new additions to the roster just from the end of last season and undoubtedly 2011 could be a struggle for a team in transition.

Most of Seattle’s changes this offseason came on the offensive side. There were the big-name additions of quarterback Tarvaris Jackson, offensive lineman Robert Gallery, wide receiver Sidney Rice and tight end Zach Miller, but also the drafting of offensive linemen James Carpenter and John Moffitt.

Plus there was the addition of Tom Cable as the new offensive line coach in charge of Seattle’s run game, and Darrell Bevell as the Seahawks offensive coordinator.

Even with a division title, the status quo is not the way the Seahawks are operating. If all of Carroll’s options are healthy enough to play Sunday, Seattle’s offense could have just two players who started the season opener a year ago.

This offseason saw Seattle part with two of its captains from a year ago, Matt Hasselbeck and Lofa Tatupu, and decide not to bring back veteran safety Lawyer Milloy, or three of Seattle’s starting offensive linemen from a season ago.

Between Hasselbeck, Tatupu and Milloy alone, the Seahawks lost a combined 33 years of NFL experience.

But Carroll said he’s done having to sell his philosophy and believes the “buy-in” has already taken place and that now it’s on this roster to carry it forward.