Injuries Will Have a Big Impact on Roster

As with all NFL teams, the Seahawks have some players nursing injuries and not participating in the May and June mini-camps. For established players like Darrell Jackson or Michael Boulware it is no big deal. However, for players like Joe Huckaba or Gibran Hamdan it can be devastating. Not only do these guys not get a chance to show coaches what they have, but they also need to show the team they can stay healthy. Joe Heckuba, Gibran Hamdan and Joe Tafoya all figure to make a return to the field in time for training camp (Hamdan is questionable). Even though missing the camps in June may seem like not much of a big deal, it can put these guys on the fringe of our roster at a big disadvantage in their battles against other players trying to make the team. Another part of making the team is a lot like making friends. Players develop camaraderie with each other and the coaches. The more time someone can spend on the field and be involved, the more they become part of the team.

Let's take a look at some of these guys in a little more depth:
DE Joe Tafoya - As an incumbent, he would have a big advantage over free agents Kemp Rasmussen and Chris Cooper. However, with Joe Tafoya and Bryce Fisher both out with injuries at DE, the new guys are getting a lot more reps with the 1st and 2nd team. After Bryce Fisher and Darryl Tapp, we only have 2 healthy DEs that have a legitimate chance to make the team. If Tafoya was healthy, the new guys would get much less of a chance to impress coaches as well as the valuable experience learning and getting better. Joe Huckaba is in an even worse position than Tafoya.

QB Gibran Hamdan - Right now, Hamdan is doing things like throwing from his knees while his ankle heals and keeping his upper body in shape. He is getting some valuable time in camp just being around the team and learning all he can from Jim Zorn and Matt Hasselbeck. However, he has shown an inability to stay healthy, even for an entire NFL Europe season. David Greene on the other hand made a record 52 straight starts in college. Durability is important at the QB position. Greene was also at all the Seahawks practices last year and all the games. This type of experience is often overlooked. All of the Seahawks WRs have caught passes from Greene in practice. Greene has also been in all the team meetings and watched film every week with Hasselbeck, Wallace and Zorn. This type of understudy training is what made Carson Palmer so prepared once he took over in Cincinnati.

WR Skyler Fulton - He is another guy that has had injury problems throughout his pro career. He had an amazing season in Europe and does not have a major injury (tweaked hamstring). We will probably see him on the field next week. He obviously has great chemistry with Hamdan, but not with the QBs that are likely to make the team. Ben Obomanu has been practicing with Seneca Wallace and even some with Matt Hasselbeck. Fulton might have had those opportunities had he not been injured this week. Obomanu is clearly in the lead for what could be the last WR spot on the team and it will be difficult for Fulton to catch up; especially considering Obomanu is a more prototypical NFL WR, has more speed, can possibly make an impact in the return game, and is a high character, intelligent guy. Someone to think about here is D.J. Hackett. When he came in last season after all the injuries to our WRs, Matt Hasselbeck was much more comfortable throwing the ball to him because they had worked together in camp. Peter Warrick, on the other hand, was slowed in his ability to make as much of a contribution due to his injury.

For a lot of these players, making the team is an uphill battle. Having an injury makes it that much harder. Hamdan and Fulton need to do a lot to impress coaches if they want a spot on the team and their injuries are preventing them from getting that chance. Joe Tafoya has given up his lead on the new guys with his injury and is providing them with opportunities to do exactly that. We have already seen Bannister and Urban cut because of injuries. Both played well when healthy, but durability is very important in the NFL.