August 6, 2024 • 35 mins
Gregg Bell and Christopher Kidd get the show rolling with news of the Texas Rangers beating the Houston Astros, and now the Mariners have a 1.5 game lead and will take on the Chicago White Sox, arguably the worst team in baseball. The Seahawks are nearing in on their 1st preseason game against the Los Angeles Chargers. Mike Macdonald spoke to the media yesterday and gave an update on Geno Smith who returned to practice on Monday, plus his thoughts on the fighting amongst teammates. Gregg and Christopher also look at the running back room, as it's clear KWIII, and Zach Charbonnet are the one, two punch but who will be the 3rd running back?
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
When ask if the thirty three year old Pro Bowl
quarterback had any restrictions. This is what coach Mike McDonald
said yesterday.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Far as I know, I think he's rolling Roland.
Speaker 1 (00:12):
I'm starting to learn some of Mike McDonald's coach speak.
Roland means he should be full go. But that doesn't
answer whether Gino Smith's gonna play on Saturday against the Chargers.
He may not have anyway before the injury, and now
the fact that he's coming back from an injury first
practice in almost a week yesterday, I'm not sure he's
going to practice or excuse me, play on Saturday in
(00:33):
Los Angeles. That would mean Sam Howe, who was the
quarterback for the four days that Gino Smith was missing.
The defensive end Draymond Jonesman's his eighth practice in a
row with a hamstring injury injury yesterday. Starting linebacker Jerome
Baker has miss Friday, Saturday, and now Sunday with his
own hamstring issue. At rusher Daryl Taylor, he's missed the
(00:53):
last three practice. His injured starting right tackle Abe Lucas.
He remains out in definitely and hasn't been on the
field since January falling off season knee surgery, so there's
three starters injured here before the first preseason game, the
twelfth practice of campus. I said, it's this afternoon here
in Renton. It'll be all my coverage at the Newstribute
dot com, where you'll have to see. If you go
(01:14):
right there now, you'll see a story on mctel, the
nose tackle from Lake's High School to Cuminata, went to
the University of West Florida Division two. He's third training
camp with the Seahawks and his best chap chance yet
to be on an NFL roster to begin a regular
season Chris. Theyly have two true nose tackles on this
ninety man roster Jonathan Hankins they signed in the off
(01:36):
season from Dallas, and Matt Gotel because Cam Young, the
draft picked last year, is on the Physical unable to
Perform list and hasn't practiced all summer, so it's a
real opportunity to stop the run for a run stopper
in mac gtell at three hundred and forty five pounds.
The Rangers, leading the American League West, excusing the Mariners
(01:57):
leading American League West, got increased last night thanks to
the Rangers. Marin's not lead one and a half games
lead on Houston because the Rangers beat the trash Cans
last night while Seattle had the night off. The Detroit
Tigers are in town to begin a three game series
at the Yard and Soto. Tonight, Luis Castillo starts seeking
his tenth win of the season six forty first pitch
(02:17):
on Root Sports TV, and again at eleven o'clock we'll
talk to Man Mariners beat writer Daniel Kramer at MLB
dot com, like we do on every Tuesday. The agent
for free agent center Connor Williams in the NFL is
doing his job. Drew Rosenhaus went on a radio show
in South Florida yesterday saying he expects a deal between Williams,
Miami's starting center the last two seasons, and the Seahawks
(02:38):
within seventy two hours. Then the agent leaked that Williams
was visiting Baltimore yesterday. He's trying to get all as
suitors he can to drive up Williams's price.
Speaker 3 (02:48):
That's what an agent should do. That's how he gets paid.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
Williams, of course, had an ACL tear in December, that's
not even nine months ago, and that's why he's a
free agent salary cap. Casually in my Miami, he's on a
tour now of free agent stops to try to show
everybody he's ready, healthy to play. The question for the Seahawks,
of course, is how much do you want to pay
a veteran starter who's coming off at acl tair When
can he play when of your medical staff think he's
(03:13):
going to play. It's an interesting situation at center. We
thought coming into the training camp that Oliver with Timmy
would be the starting center with a chance to be
a finally a year over year starter at that position
after ten years of revolving doors.
Speaker 3 (03:28):
And then yesterday Nick Harris was.
Speaker 1 (03:30):
The starting center for the first time, the former All
Pack twelve center for the Washington Huskies. He was on
the starting offense, and so I asked Mike McDonald after
the practice about the center situation. The coach said, quote,
it's open, So we'll see what Connor Williams decides and
how much Nick Harris plays over Oli with Timmy here
in training camp. Alsoere in the NFL, the Brandon Ayuk
(03:53):
trade talk out of San Francisco's heating up. His agent's
doing the same thing. Seeking to drive up his wide
receiver's price a new contract with another team that potentially
could trade with San Francisco. Do you see, Chris, the
Giants and the Lions are having joint practices this week.
Speaker 4 (04:08):
Oh yeah, I saw the news of young rookie mister Neighbors.
He's showing that he's not afraid of nobody's slapping Duke Well,
I guess he didn't slap them, but you know, a
nice little helmet tap and that resulted in hands being thrown.
And yeah, this is this is what I'm expecting. When
the Seahawks take on the Titan. Someone DK's gonna mush somebody.
Maybe it might be Quandary, it might be Jamal, but
(04:30):
I feel it's gonna get physical, trash talking, all of it.
It should be a blast. I know, Greg, you're gonna
enjoy being out there in the hot sun, but it
should be fun and competitive for sure.
Speaker 1 (04:40):
Yeah, joint practice in the NFL in a fight shocker.
There should be a lot of those next week in Nashville.
Like you said, I'll be there from Tuesday and Wednesday
when the Seahawks and Titans have joined practices in Nashville.
I'll be broadcasting from the field. The way it works,
as I've been told, is that the practices will actually
started seven forty five Seattle time in the morning and
be done right about when our show begins at ten
(05:03):
am Pacific time. That's on Wednesday and Thursday. In The
Seahawks practice with themselves on Friday, and then they play
the Titans on Saturday in Nashville in the second preseason game.
Out all of that on the Neewstribune dot com and
right here on ninety three point three KJERFM next week
from Tennessee. In baseball, the Chicago White Sox remember them.
(05:24):
The last time the Mariners played them, they were up
to thirteen fourteen losses in a row. Now it's twenty one.
They lost their twenty first consecutive game last night. You
think the Mariners troubles are bad, that tis the nineteen
eighty eight Baltimore Orioles for the longest losing streak in
America League history. The Major League record is twenty three
straight ls by the nineteen sixty one Philadelphia Athletics. The
(05:46):
White Sox play again at Oakland tonight. In college football,
the USA Today preseason Coaches Poll is out Georgia is
number one, Ohio State is number two, Oregon is number three.
Then there's three more SECS teams Alabama shooting me Texas, Alabama,
and Mississippi in the top six. Washington got the most
(06:06):
votes of all teams outside the top twenty five, so
I guess theoretically they're twenty sixth in the preseason poll,
but Big ten in SEC dominating the top six, including
new Big ten newcomer Oregon at number three. At the
Olympics in Paris, one hundred meters gold medalist Noah Lliles
the United States, the first American to win the one
hundred and track in twenty years, has reached the semifinals
(06:29):
of the two hundred meters this quest for double gold.
The US men's basketball team begins knockout round play this
afternoon against Brazil in Paris. They've been out lieled France
away from the main thrust of the Olympics the entire
time until today, so they're back in Paris and they
played Brazil. I think it's a twelve to thirty start
if I'm not mistaken this afternoon, Seattle time. Lots going
(06:53):
on at Seahawks training camp yesterday, including more fights. I
don't know if you saw this or it probably wasn't.
It wasn't in the video portion of practice yesterday. We're
limited on what we can show video wise, but about
midway through the practice, while that was on the air,
about fifty yards in front of me, Kenneth Walker was
running a sweep play to the left sideline. It was
(07:15):
a sideline where the offensive players were standing that weren't
on the field, and Rieke Wollan was the press corner
for run support. We've talked about woman in the fact
that he went from a twenty twenty two rookie Pro
Bowl or two benched last year at corner, mainly because
of his physicality and lack of tackling well. When we
talked to him last week, Wolan talked about how he
(07:38):
spent the off season in weightlifting more than he ever had.
He's a former college wide receiver, a six four to
one ninety guyer never did much of weightlifting. Wollan said
he gained five pounds of muscle through weightlifting with the
intent of being a better tackler and more physical. So
every single time Chris that there's an opportunity for Wolan
to show some physicality in this camp he's doing it,
(07:58):
and when the starting running back was coming right at
him in full pads, he took full advantage of that
opportunity and went right at Kenneth Walker, hit him pretty hard,
didn't bring him to the grounds. Not supposed to be
full tackled to the ground, so instead he grabbed Walker's
face mask. You can imagine how that went over with
the running back. He wasn't real thrilled about that, so
he went back at Woolan. Wolan went back at him,
(08:19):
jumping on top of him, and then all of a sudden,
they're rolling on the ground like they were mud wrestling
on dry grass, right in the middle of the sideline
where all the offensive players were. So it was Woolen
against Walker in the entire offense about forty some guys,
and then that got heated. Before the whistles and everything,
people finally started interceding. This was two days after At
(08:43):
the FanFest practice at Woman Field on Saturday, the third
team defense and the third team offense went head to
head in full tackling. First time I'd seen full tackling
in a Seahawks preseason and probably a generation. But it
was threes against threes, and I think I described this
yesterday about how d Scretch kind of passed and was
running toward the Goalin and Marquis Blair, the safety, trying
(09:04):
to get a stick with the Seahawks in the second
go around. He just picked him up and supplexed him
to the ground, just threw him straight down to the ground,
and that started a whole fight too. The point is
Mike McDonald wants it this way and he doesn't exactly
step in. He lets him go and if they bringing
guys to the ground and pushing and shoving, he lets
(09:27):
all of that goes kind of like hockey fights where
lineesmen just stand around waiting for somebody to go to
the ground to go to the ice before they step in.
They just stand around and watch. And McDonald seems to
want it that way. So we asked McDonald about it afterwards,
and this is what if you got it ready, Chris.
This is what he said about the fighting and how
he's not exactly discouraging it.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
I love the competitor, I love the spirit all that
we need to take care of one another. If we're
getting a scrap here or there, that's understandable, but we've
got to make sure everybody's healthy and we're taken care
of another at the same time.
Speaker 3 (10:00):
So what's that tell you, guys?
Speaker 4 (10:02):
To your point, he's okay with it, but we also
got to protect our guys. And there is a I
think this is a practice maybe two days ago with
the Steelers Pittsburgh Steelers. Two players are going at it
and the camera is on both players and in the
background you see Mike Tomlin with this sinister grin and
he's just like, yeah, he's loving it because he wants
(10:23):
the guys to compete, fighting for job. They understanding what's
at stake, and you can transfer that energy towards the
team you're gonna play when it comes to the preseason.
So I think in regards to Mike McDonald, he has
that same maybe not he's not smiling obviously and excited
that players are fighting, but it's the will and want
to compete and beat out the next guy for a
(10:44):
spot on this roster, because that's what you want. You
want fifty three guys that are gonna go out there,
laid on the line and compete, and those camp battles
between one another that can easily be squashed. I'm sure
Ken and Reek made up after practice or maybe even
right after the fight. So these are just little things
that coaches use his ammunition to build for Hey, I
(11:04):
need you to have that same energy against the Titans
when we play them against the Charge when we play
them our first preseason game. So it's good to see,
but obviously the biggest concern is, Hey, you don't want
guys getting hurt out there because they're fighting. Luckily, there's
no injuries reported, so that's a good that's a good thing.
But I think all coaches kind of have a little Yeah,
I love I love seeing it, but we also got
(11:24):
to protect our guys. It's a yin and yang thing,
I think there.
Speaker 1 (11:29):
He definitely is trying to install instill a toughness in
this team, especially on defense.
Speaker 3 (11:34):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (11:35):
To your point, after Woolan and Walker scrapped yesterday, when
they were walking back to the huddle, Woolan continued yelling
at him and yelling at Walker in yelling at the
offensive players all along the sideline. No doubt he basically
is saying, fight smart, keep your helmet on, don't open
your hand and hit a helmet with the break of hand.
Speaker 4 (11:53):
That just sounds dangerous. Fight smart. No one's thinking of
fighting smart. When someone tackles you and grabs face mask,
I didn't you lose all consciousness.
Speaker 1 (12:04):
That's what taking care of each other. That's the message
that got that I took from it is he's not
exactly discouraged in the fighting. McDonald also yesterday made the
point of this is really the last week of through
training camp, meaning day after day against each other, with
the monotony and the slog and the grinding against each
(12:24):
other for going on the twelfth practice today and then
once the games start, Chris, it's because you know, it
comes into this rhythm of almost the regular season like
practices where they have game, they have a travel day,
they have a game, they have a day off after
the game and film review, and then they come back
out on a light practice presumably the first practice after
(12:44):
the game on Monday. Then they'll have another practice Tuesday,
and in this case they're heading to Nashville on Tuesday night,
and then too heavy duty practices and assumably full pads
on Wednesday, Thursday, ramp it down again on Friday, play
on Saturdays, off on Sunday, and so it goes. And
then another preseason game the following Saturday against Cleveland here
in Seattle to end the three regular preseason games August
(13:07):
twenty fourth, and then you're at Kats. You go from
ninety to fifty three right after that Cleveland game with
cuts are due on August twenty seventh. So McDonald's point
is this is the last true US against US week
of training camp before we get into something of a
game mode. And he said it's no time to wait, basically,
and that if you want to make an impression, this
(13:31):
is the time. This is the last week to do
it if you haven't done it already. We'll talk about
a couple guys who are making impressions here later in
the show. But mag McDonald is he is not shy
about adding urgency, both publicly and privately, and you can
bet when he mentions it in his press conference he's
already talked to the players about it. Just putting a
(13:52):
Timmy on notice that the center position is an open competition.
Yesterday is one example. Talking about the fighting and not
exactly he's not exactly he's not quite condoning it, but
he's not quite condemning it either. And I think all
of that it's interesting to see how he is leadership wise.
I've talked about that in the past as well. But yeah,
(14:14):
he wants a more physical training camp, and he's got one.
It's as physical as I've seen here in twenty years,
and the pushing and shoving is just part of it.
Four nine four to five one on the tell of Him,
we'll do text line. Your impressions of Mike McDonald from
somewhat afar. I know it's reliant on what you see
on your videos, hear him say, and the words you
read them say. But what is your impression of the
(14:36):
young coach? Is he exactly what this team needs? Is well,
we'll find out once the games get real. But what
do you think of him when you see Mike McDonald
the youngest coach in the NFL age thirty seven? What
are your first impressions of been? What words come to mind?
Speaker 3 (14:50):
Text? Four?
Speaker 1 (14:50):
Nine, four or five one? On the Tell of Him?
We'll do text line. We'll read back your text at
eleven thirty. Coming up next. One of those other situations
that Mike McDonald wasn't afraid to talk about com petition yesterday.
It's at running back the top tour settled, but they
need more than two this year. An undrafted rookie is
making a surprise push. That's next on ninety three point
three KJRFM from Seahawks training.
Speaker 5 (15:11):
Camp live from the R and R Foundation Specialist Broadcast Studio.
Now back to the Great Bell Show with Christopher Kidd
on your home for the Huskies and the Kruken Sports
Radio ninety three point three KJR FM.
Speaker 3 (15:33):
Hi, welcome back, Thanks for listening.
Speaker 1 (15:35):
Greg Bellow, the News Tribune and Christopher Kidd with you
every weekday on ninety three point three KGr from ten
am to noon. I'm again at the Virginia Mason Athletics
Center Seahawks training camp, the twelfth practice this afternoon at
one pm. Cloudy Long Lake, Washington. This morning, cool summer fog.
You get the tractor and the drag in the field
(15:55):
and pretty quiet here. About three and a half hours
before or two and a half hours now before training
camp practice starts. We talked last segment about the fighting
that's gone on. It does not a lot of brawls,
but there it is chippy and it's as physical as
I've seen it in a generation. Here in training camps.
The threes have gone against the threes and tackling to
(16:16):
the ground that happens Saturday at Woomenfield and the FanFest practice.
Another question for the four nine four to five one
telenamwore new tech sign when was game time it's totally ten.
What do you think of the fighting and are you
in favor of that? You think that's all extracurriculars that
are not doing anything toward helping this team get to
where it needs to be this season. Do you see
what Mike McDonald's trying to do and allowing some of
(16:39):
this stuff to push the line and become heated at
four nine four five one on the telenowrede Tex sign.
We're already getting your feedback on your first impressions of
Mike McDonald as a first time head coach at any
level at the age thirty seven. Just turned thirty seven
this offseason. But keep in mind he has never been
a head coach at any level, not in high school
where he started in Georgia when he was still at
(16:59):
the University Georgie, was an undergrad teaching or coaching at
a high school in Athens, Georgia, not at college where
he was a graduate assistant first at the University of Georgia,
and not in the NFL where he was a decade
in the Baltimore Ravens organization under John Harbaugh versus a
position coach, then the last two years as a defensive coordinator,
(17:21):
and then one year of course at Michigan three years ago.
One season as Jim Harbaugh's defensive coordinator at Michigan. But
he's never been a head coach, and you can see
he's learning and figuring out the communication with his players
and the leadership, and he holds a hard line. I
will say that I told you the story about players
who tried to duck inside of the facility right after
a practice without signing autographs for fans, and how he
(17:44):
angrily got those ten guys right back outside and directed
him sternly to go along the fence to sign autographs.
He's that kind of guy, and he said on Saturday,
we're not going to go around things, We're gonna go
through them. And that's the way he is, that's his mentality,
and the players have definitely taken notice of that. Four nine,
four to five one on a telenim, we'll do text
(18:05):
line your impressions of Mike McDonald so far that you've
seen and you're feeling about the physicality and yes, some fights,
which happens at most training camps, but has happened in
the last two practices of this one. McDonald has been
really open with, hey, this guy needs to get better,
or Byron Murphy needs to lose weight so we can
get through a whole practice like he said in May
(18:27):
during the OTA season, or the center position is wide open.
That's what he said yesterday. But over with Timmy was
not starting and watching Nick Harris take some first team
reps for the first time in practice, and Connor Williams
is still out there as someone the Seahorks are interested
in signing as a free agent. When Connor Williams visited here,
Mike McDonald's very open and saying the former second round
(18:50):
pick who started four years at left guard for Dallas
would be a center if he was here. He started
at center in Miami the last two years, so he's
he is not afraid to publicly mention and ratchet up
the urgency. He did the same thing at running back yesterday.
The top two, of course, was settled, with Kenneth Walker
the lead back, Zach Sharbonay coming back again as the
second back. Third down pass Walker pass receiver as well,
(19:14):
but then you start getting uddied after that. Kenny McIntosh
barely played last year after injuries, and then by the
time he got back healthy, he was just out of
the mix. The rookie seventh round pick from Georgia last year,
and then his three undrafted rookies, and that's the roster
right now at running back six total, three or undrafted rookies.
One's Kenny McIntosh remains unproven entering his second NFL season.
(19:36):
Really is this season and a half in the league
for all he missed last year. And so yesterday George Hollani,
is an undrafted rookie from Boise State, was doing eleven
on eleven running play an inside run and Neamiah Pritchett,
the defensive back, the cornerback draft pick out from Auburn
(19:57):
in Alabama, got in the hole, which this is a
mistake for Hallane, who just absolutely mac trucked him, ran over.
Pritchett patched it went right onto his back as Hallani
kept running toward the goal line. And after practice we
asked about Hallane and he's been getting some reps, a
little bit with the ones, some pass catching and a
little bit here and there spelling Charbonnet and Walker on
(20:21):
running plays, and McDonald was open and saying, quote, he's
pushing Kenny of Hallani from Boise State, pushing Kenny McIntosh
for that third running back spot. They're gonna need three
or four, Chris, at least, and they go through running
backs all the time, and they have a habit of
having to sign guys off the street in November December,
(20:43):
I think Julius Jones, and they are going to need
running backs more than the two the top two they have,
and George Hallne from Boise State is one of the
ones who's in the mix to do the third running
back situation, depending on how Kenny McIntosh does. Now, McIntosh
answered yesterday, the last scrimmage play, the actually last play
(21:04):
of the entire practice, was a swing pass from Geno
Smith out in the left flat and McIntosh beat the
rookie linebacker Tyrese Knight to the edge and ran up
the left side on an uncontested for a touchdown. And
that's how practice ended. But it's interesting, Chris to hear
McDonald talk how he had just said, yeah, he's pushing
(21:26):
Kenny or yeah, the center spot's wide open. Pete Carroll
was much less direct than that, he'd be a little
opaque and vague about how positions were coming on. But
it's all of the competition in directness that Mike McDonald has.
Speaker 4 (21:39):
You'd love to see it. I am curious to see
what role Kenney will play, just because he is. He
can do kick returning, can do punt return and he
can also be your third down running back or I said, yeah,
he could be in this scenario depending on how they
use Zach Charbonney. But you also mentioned George and how
he is coming on and figuring the this is you're
(22:02):
gonna need some running backs, as you mentioned, You're gonna
need guys that can come in because unfortunately, someone's gonna.
Speaker 3 (22:07):
Get banged up.
Speaker 4 (22:08):
That's just the nature of this game. It might not
be severe, but you could see a player going down
for a week and you need who's gonna step up.
Whether it's for Zach, whether it's for Ken. You're gonna
need someone and it could be Kenny McIntosh, or it
could be George, maybe Kobe Lewis or I don't know
if you've seen anything from k Kyrie Robinson.
Speaker 3 (22:25):
But let's just signed a couple of days ago.
Speaker 4 (22:29):
So yeah, these guys are all gonna have an opportunity,
and they get their first stab at it the first
preseason game this weekend where they can really especially for George,
who is somewhat having I would think a strong performance
and if that continues, then I think he could definitely
maybe even challenge Kenny for the that third spot as
a running back. And I know Kenny wants it because
(22:49):
he didn't even play last season, all right, so this
guy is really hungry for an opportunity in Kenny McIntosh.
And again, I think he could also play a role
in the punt return game. I don't know if they've
had him doing that at all, so I haven't Well,
that's that's not a good son. I imagine it's probably
d Escorts for punt returned. I know D Williams and
then east saut Winston is another guy for punt return,
(23:10):
and then I would imagine for kick return it's going
to be Laviska Chanolt and then D as well as
D Williams, so you have both the Crey.
Speaker 3 (23:18):
Brown has been returning kickoffs in training camp and practices.
Speaker 4 (23:22):
That makes sense. Trey is I think he's pretty explosive.
I don't know how shifty he is in comparison to
the other guys I mentioned, But dang if I would
love if Kenny can get a shot back there. But
I guess as you've been watching practice for the last
eleven of them, you haven't seen him back there. So
he's gonna have to really nail home that he can
pass proteck, that he can run through the gaps and
he can explode. So in the running game, that is
(23:44):
in the third running back.
Speaker 1 (23:45):
Forth running back spots, they typically keep usually four or so.
Depend on special teams, right they hold on, He's not
gonna make the team unless he shows on special teams
during preseason games. I know most of you run to
your refrigerator, check your phones once the kicking you to
come on the field, But that's where those guys Halani
and the undrafted rookies make their mark. I mean, that's
(24:06):
how Jermaine Kurse got on the team back in the day,
Doug Baldwin was on special teams as an undrafted rookie.
That's where Halani will make the team, regardless of what
he's doing at running back. And that's where you would
think Kenny McIntosh could have a place, and we'll have
to see where he does it win the preseason games.
But there's of special teams enough kick return kickoff return
(24:26):
in particularly, they're still trying to figure that out. Whether
they want a masher run guy who can run through
tackles like Chenault at two hundred and twenty five pounds,
whether they want a shifty d Eskridge type. I happen
to think d eskridge place on this roster is in danger.
He's been a third at most third string wide receiver
in the offense. He's going to really have to show
(24:48):
something in a kick return game. In these new kickoff
rules and the new kickoff formations. It's it's going to
be interesting to see who can make the team and
emerge as a kickoff returner because that could be his
main p roll. Who every win's that job, and how
he makes the team. So if you haven't heard or
seen it, and maybe you did last week in some
of the preseason action in the Hall of Fame game,
but the kickoff is so brand new, they're trying to
(25:11):
figure out the blocking schemes, how to block it, what runners,
what type of runners. And that all starts on Saturday
for the Seahawks when they played the Chargers in their
first preseason game coming up next. From training camp at
the Virginia Mason Athletics Center. I'm going to continue with
what I've seen, some injury situation, other trends. I've seen
the quarterback play. I've been asked time and again. I
(25:33):
was asking in this morning on a podcast about the
quarterback situation. I'll describe that now that Gino Smith is back.
Lots more to get to. From the Virginia Mason Athletic
Center at Seahawks training camp on ninety three point three KJRFM. Hi,
(25:54):
welcome back, Thanks for listening on a Tuesday morning across
the Pacific Northwest or wherever listening on the iHeartRadio app.
Greg Bubble, the News Tribune and Christopher Kidd ninety three
point through KJRFM from Seahawks training camp at the Virginia
Mason Athletics Center. I'm right off the edge of the
practice field, which is empty except for a couple of
birds pecking up the empty grass right now, a couple
(26:16):
hours before training camp starts practice number twelve at one pm,
a couple hours from now. I've told you about the
physicality and it s yes, some fighting going on four
nine four five one and a tough I'm we do
text alignments. Game time. It's Telly time. We'll readback at
eleven thirty your text on your opinions of that and
your opinions of Mike McDonald as well other things I noticed.
(26:39):
I posted on my Twitter ex whatever the kids call
it now account at g Bell Seattle the picture yesterday
coming off the field of Gino Smith to return to
practice after missing for of them with me and hip issues,
talking to fans and signing autographs, and one young boy
asked him how many touchdown passes are you gonna throw
(27:00):
this week? He said, how about fifty? Jee, Smith said,
and the kid kind of nodded, and I happened to
laugh and Smith was laughing as well. Also on my
Twitter account at g Bill Seattle, Cam Chancellor was here
yesterday and I walked I passed him in the parking
lot with his wife and his young son and of
(27:23):
course one of the best to ever do it. It
appeared Mike McDonald was meeting him for the first time
after practice as Stafford Seahawks. Stafford took him over to
Cam Chancellor and introduced the new Seahawks coach to him
and after practice, McDonald said he looking at at Cam
Chancellor in person. There's a picture of him on my
Twitter page at g Bell Seattle. He's the one in
(27:44):
all black standing to the left of McDonald in the picture.
He said he cannot believe that that guy was a safety.
Speaker 3 (27:51):
He said.
Speaker 1 (27:52):
McDonald's quote of Cam Chanceller quote, you see him in
person and it's like, I can't believe this guy played safety.
It's incredible. And that's just part of it made camp
Chancellor so great a size and his instincts on the field,
his intelligence. He's a former college quarterback. I don't know
if you knew that, Chris. He was quarterback when he
first got to Virginia Tech and then they converted him
(28:12):
to safety. Pretty good move that was. And yeah, in person,
he still looks like he could play, by the way,
but in person, Mike McDonald was blown away.
Speaker 3 (28:22):
Yesterday.
Speaker 1 (28:23):
Oya Mawoy was out here too. He's the guy in
the yellow cap in the picture at Gee Bell Seattle.
Gary Gilliam, a former offensive tackle for the Seahawks, was
out here yesterday. I've seen Cliff Averell out here a
couple times, as he often has been over the years.
In Seahawks camp.
Speaker 3 (28:39):
Also yesterday, Jackson Smith and Jigba.
Speaker 1 (28:42):
Had a press conference after practice and he was asked
about Geno Smith. And on my Twitter accoun oft ge
Bell Seattle, you'll find the quotes of Jackson Smith and
Jigba talking about Geno Smith and the fact that I
thought it was interesting that he said he and Geno
Smith worked out together in the offseason and threw passes
and ran routes, and he did it in Texas. He
(29:04):
said Smith came to his home area in Texas. Jackson
Smith and jigb is from the Dallas Fort Worth area,
and that Smith came to Texas to work out with him.
And I think that speaks a lot for a second
year receiver who did not reach his full potential last year.
I mean, we did not see the Ohio State Jackson
Smith and Jigba last year. He spent a lot of
(29:24):
the season Chris As having the fewest yards on target
passed the line of scrimmage in the league. It was
like two or three yards bubble screen palooza and quick
hitcher outs that Shane Waldron had Jackson Smith and Jigbit
doing as a rookie. That's not how Ryan Grubs using
him already in training camp. I can see. I think
(29:46):
he by mid season is going to be known around
here as vertical Smith and Jigbu and you're going to
see the Ohio State Rose Bull three hundred and forty
seven yards is next to the last season in college
version of Smith and Jigbuit in this offense with Rn
and Grub. Of course, we've talked about it, Chris many times.
All Grub wants to do offensively, all the tools he
(30:06):
has and how he can unleash him depends on that
offensive line. And yesterday Grub excuse me, Mike McDonald's saying
that the center positions now open with old timmy not
exactly guaranteed to be the starter anymore. That's sixty percent
of the offensive line. There's a current question. On August sixth,
one month plus two days before the season gets real.
(30:29):
Right guard not settled. Anthony Bradford has the job at
the moment. Right tackle not settled. They don't know when
Abe Lucas is coming off the injured list and actually
getting on the practice field for the first time since
January and knee surgery in the offseason, and now center
not settled. Their current center might not even be on
the roster right now. He might be in Baltimore, Maryland
visiting the Ravens and Connor Williams. So that's sixty percent
(30:52):
of line. The left guard, Lake and Thomlinson, if we've
mentioned thirty two years old, is on a one year deal,
and then Charles Cross at left tackle before first round
pick from a couple of years ago. He's the only
sure thing on the line. It's going to be here
starting next year. So the questions on the most important line,
important position on the offense that'll make the whole thing
(31:14):
work remain two weeks in the training camp and when
I asked about the Seahawks offense and what Ryan greg
wants to do, the first and last thing I say
is the offensive line. And I don't want to say
we're nowhere closer. The Seahawks are nowhere closer than they
were at the started trading camp, but they certainly aren't
settled and they have a long way to go to
deciding that. And Chris, that's what these preseason games will
(31:36):
help settle.
Speaker 4 (31:37):
Yes, I would say maybe Mike McDonald's just giving everybody
a shot in the garden to the offensive line and
Maybe he's not trying to show his hand. Maybe he
wants they want to think that, oh, it's not settled
yet and Oulu will be the starter, but it's open
because he just wants everyone to feel that you have
(31:57):
a shot to take this spot, whether it be Nick
Hers or if they're going to bring in what was
his name that they keep talking about.
Speaker 3 (32:04):
Free agent center for Miami last year.
Speaker 1 (32:07):
But it's a little more than toxic far Chris, because
I mean Nick Harris was the starting center yesterday for
the first time.
Speaker 3 (32:12):
Yeah that and there was Yeah.
Speaker 4 (32:15):
So I guess it's a little interesting and intriguing to
hear what happens. And I guess the biggest thing is
we'll see I guess the final preseason game that'll be
the real real deal.
Speaker 3 (32:28):
How who's on the offensive line.
Speaker 4 (32:30):
I would imagine they'll be DK Lockett and Jackson Smith.
You know who's gonna play the fourth receivers, It's still
gonna be Jake. Does Cody White jump into it? Does
the young make the next step? What about laviscus laviscus
excuse me? Does he find his role on this team?
So that's gonna be I think the last.
Speaker 1 (32:51):
Five wide receivers and none of them were named sex
wide receivers and none of them were named Esk.
Speaker 4 (32:56):
Well, based on what you said, no, I'm.
Speaker 3 (32:57):
Just saying that's that underlines my point.
Speaker 4 (33:00):
Well, I've only seen what a handful of practices and
D didn't really pop when I was out there, So
I would say, don't don't listen to my context on
D s Bridge. But I would say he's probably in
the mix. I just haven't seen it or heard from.
So that's kind of where I'm at with it. In
the offensive line, I would assume it'll be Charles Cross
(33:20):
guessing Laken Thomlinson I left guard unless yeah, and then
I guess the center position is kind of it could
be Nick, it could be Olu and then right guard.
I would imagine that's open between Christian and Anthony Bradford.
Speaker 1 (33:34):
Who's gonna be surprised that I haven't seen Christian Haynes
take one snap as a starter yet. I talked to
him yesterday. We'll air that interview this week in ninety
three point three KJRFM, But he has yet to be
a first team even one rep in.
Speaker 3 (33:45):
The spring or summer.
Speaker 4 (33:46):
And then obviously you understand with right tackle with Abraham Lucas.
Signs are pointed that he should be good for week one,
but for right now, George Fan will likely hold that spot.
So yeah, you know, the center position and right guard
are shaky and that's maybe a concern. By the same time,
it could be Mike McDonald just not trying to play
his hand and surprise, EFY won with a strong offensive line,
better than last year, and we go and this ye,
(34:07):
how's go from there?
Speaker 3 (34:09):
You know?
Speaker 1 (34:09):
I the signs to me for Abe Lucas are who knows.
They've said the right things about him being ready for
the opener, but I don't see any evidence of that.
And he's done some straight line pushing a conditioning sled.
I've seen that, and he's in the training room working
with that training staff and they said he can do
straight line running, but nothing football and cutting wise.
Speaker 3 (34:31):
At least that was as of last week.
Speaker 1 (34:35):
This is not the year to miss the entire training
camp when you're trying to install a brand new offense.
So we're gonna see where it ends up. But Mike
McDonald has said it is a slower return than they expected.
They thought that Lucas's recovery would be done by now,
and it's not and knee has taken a long time
to come back. Pete Carroll called that knee equal chronic
issue last year and well, the jury's still out on
(34:56):
whether the surgery fixed it or not because he hasn't
been tested having done anything, hasn't been in cleats since
the surgery. So we'll see the month until the first
game where they are with Abelucas at right tackle, we're
gonna shift gears coming up. The baseball team is still
in first place in this town. The Mariners leave the
American League West by a game and a half entering
(35:17):
their series that begins tonight at the Yard and Soto
against the Detroit Tigers. Luis Castilla is on the mound
and Daniel Kramer is on the horn with us. Coming
up next our weekly visit with the Mariners beat writer
from MLB dot Com. That and more from Seahawks training
camp at the Virginia Mason Athletics Center live on ninety
three point three KJRFM.
When ask if the thirty three year old Pro Bowl
quarterback had any restrictions. This is what coach Mike McDonald
said yesterday.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Far as I know, I think he's rolling Roland.
Speaker 1 (00:12):
I'm starting to learn some of Mike McDonald's coach speak.
Roland means he should be full go. But that doesn't
answer whether Gino Smith's gonna play on Saturday against the Chargers.
He may not have anyway before the injury, and now
the fact that he's coming back from an injury first
practice in almost a week yesterday, I'm not sure he's
going to practice or excuse me, play on Saturday in
(00:33):
Los Angeles. That would mean Sam Howe, who was the
quarterback for the four days that Gino Smith was missing.
The defensive end Draymond Jonesman's his eighth practice in a
row with a hamstring injury injury yesterday. Starting linebacker Jerome
Baker has miss Friday, Saturday, and now Sunday with his
own hamstring issue. At rusher Daryl Taylor, he's missed the
(00:53):
last three practice. His injured starting right tackle Abe Lucas.
He remains out in definitely and hasn't been on the
field since January falling off season knee surgery, so there's
three starters injured here before the first preseason game, the
twelfth practice of campus. I said, it's this afternoon here
in Renton. It'll be all my coverage at the Newstribute
dot com, where you'll have to see. If you go
(01:14):
right there now, you'll see a story on mctel, the
nose tackle from Lake's High School to Cuminata, went to
the University of West Florida Division two. He's third training
camp with the Seahawks and his best chap chance yet
to be on an NFL roster to begin a regular
season Chris. Theyly have two true nose tackles on this
ninety man roster Jonathan Hankins they signed in the off
(01:36):
season from Dallas, and Matt Gotel because Cam Young, the
draft picked last year, is on the Physical unable to
Perform list and hasn't practiced all summer, so it's a
real opportunity to stop the run for a run stopper
in mac gtell at three hundred and forty five pounds.
The Rangers, leading the American League West, excusing the Mariners
(01:57):
leading American League West, got increased last night thanks to
the Rangers. Marin's not lead one and a half games
lead on Houston because the Rangers beat the trash Cans
last night while Seattle had the night off. The Detroit
Tigers are in town to begin a three game series
at the Yard and Soto. Tonight, Luis Castillo starts seeking
his tenth win of the season six forty first pitch
(02:17):
on Root Sports TV, and again at eleven o'clock we'll
talk to Man Mariners beat writer Daniel Kramer at MLB
dot com, like we do on every Tuesday. The agent
for free agent center Connor Williams in the NFL is
doing his job. Drew Rosenhaus went on a radio show
in South Florida yesterday saying he expects a deal between Williams,
Miami's starting center the last two seasons, and the Seahawks
(02:38):
within seventy two hours. Then the agent leaked that Williams
was visiting Baltimore yesterday. He's trying to get all as
suitors he can to drive up Williams's price.
Speaker 3 (02:48):
That's what an agent should do. That's how he gets paid.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
Williams, of course, had an ACL tear in December, that's
not even nine months ago, and that's why he's a
free agent salary cap. Casually in my Miami, he's on a
tour now of free agent stops to try to show
everybody he's ready, healthy to play. The question for the Seahawks,
of course, is how much do you want to pay
a veteran starter who's coming off at acl tair When
can he play when of your medical staff think he's
(03:13):
going to play. It's an interesting situation at center. We
thought coming into the training camp that Oliver with Timmy
would be the starting center with a chance to be
a finally a year over year starter at that position
after ten years of revolving doors.
Speaker 3 (03:28):
And then yesterday Nick Harris was.
Speaker 1 (03:30):
The starting center for the first time, the former All
Pack twelve center for the Washington Huskies. He was on
the starting offense, and so I asked Mike McDonald after
the practice about the center situation. The coach said, quote,
it's open, So we'll see what Connor Williams decides and
how much Nick Harris plays over Oli with Timmy here
in training camp. Alsoere in the NFL, the Brandon Ayuk
(03:53):
trade talk out of San Francisco's heating up. His agent's
doing the same thing. Seeking to drive up his wide
receiver's price a new contract with another team that potentially
could trade with San Francisco. Do you see, Chris, the
Giants and the Lions are having joint practices this week.
Speaker 4 (04:08):
Oh yeah, I saw the news of young rookie mister Neighbors.
He's showing that he's not afraid of nobody's slapping Duke Well,
I guess he didn't slap them, but you know, a
nice little helmet tap and that resulted in hands being thrown.
And yeah, this is this is what I'm expecting. When
the Seahawks take on the Titan. Someone DK's gonna mush somebody.
Maybe it might be Quandary, it might be Jamal, but
(04:30):
I feel it's gonna get physical, trash talking, all of it.
It should be a blast. I know, Greg, you're gonna
enjoy being out there in the hot sun, but it
should be fun and competitive for sure.
Speaker 1 (04:40):
Yeah, joint practice in the NFL in a fight shocker.
There should be a lot of those next week in Nashville.
Like you said, I'll be there from Tuesday and Wednesday
when the Seahawks and Titans have joined practices in Nashville.
I'll be broadcasting from the field. The way it works,
as I've been told, is that the practices will actually
started seven forty five Seattle time in the morning and
be done right about when our show begins at ten
(05:03):
am Pacific time. That's on Wednesday and Thursday. In The
Seahawks practice with themselves on Friday, and then they play
the Titans on Saturday in Nashville in the second preseason game.
Out all of that on the Neewstribune dot com and
right here on ninety three point three KJERFM next week
from Tennessee. In baseball, the Chicago White Sox remember them.
(05:24):
The last time the Mariners played them, they were up
to thirteen fourteen losses in a row. Now it's twenty one.
They lost their twenty first consecutive game last night. You
think the Mariners troubles are bad, that tis the nineteen
eighty eight Baltimore Orioles for the longest losing streak in
America League history. The Major League record is twenty three
straight ls by the nineteen sixty one Philadelphia Athletics. The
(05:46):
White Sox play again at Oakland tonight. In college football,
the USA Today preseason Coaches Poll is out Georgia is
number one, Ohio State is number two, Oregon is number three.
Then there's three more SECS teams Alabama shooting me Texas, Alabama,
and Mississippi in the top six. Washington got the most
(06:06):
votes of all teams outside the top twenty five, so
I guess theoretically they're twenty sixth in the preseason poll,
but Big ten in SEC dominating the top six, including
new Big ten newcomer Oregon at number three. At the
Olympics in Paris, one hundred meters gold medalist Noah Lliles
the United States, the first American to win the one
hundred and track in twenty years, has reached the semifinals
(06:29):
of the two hundred meters this quest for double gold.
The US men's basketball team begins knockout round play this
afternoon against Brazil in Paris. They've been out lieled France
away from the main thrust of the Olympics the entire
time until today, so they're back in Paris and they
played Brazil. I think it's a twelve to thirty start
if I'm not mistaken this afternoon, Seattle time. Lots going
(06:53):
on at Seahawks training camp yesterday, including more fights. I
don't know if you saw this or it probably wasn't.
It wasn't in the video portion of practice yesterday. We're
limited on what we can show video wise, but about
midway through the practice, while that was on the air,
about fifty yards in front of me, Kenneth Walker was
running a sweep play to the left sideline. It was
(07:15):
a sideline where the offensive players were standing that weren't
on the field, and Rieke Wollan was the press corner
for run support. We've talked about woman in the fact
that he went from a twenty twenty two rookie Pro
Bowl or two benched last year at corner, mainly because
of his physicality and lack of tackling well. When we
talked to him last week, Wolan talked about how he
(07:38):
spent the off season in weightlifting more than he ever had.
He's a former college wide receiver, a six four to
one ninety guyer never did much of weightlifting. Wollan said
he gained five pounds of muscle through weightlifting with the
intent of being a better tackler and more physical. So
every single time Chris that there's an opportunity for Wolan
to show some physicality in this camp he's doing it,
(07:58):
and when the starting running back was coming right at
him in full pads, he took full advantage of that
opportunity and went right at Kenneth Walker, hit him pretty hard,
didn't bring him to the grounds. Not supposed to be
full tackled to the ground, so instead he grabbed Walker's
face mask. You can imagine how that went over with
the running back. He wasn't real thrilled about that, so
he went back at Woolan. Wolan went back at him,
(08:19):
jumping on top of him, and then all of a sudden,
they're rolling on the ground like they were mud wrestling
on dry grass, right in the middle of the sideline
where all the offensive players were. So it was Woolen
against Walker in the entire offense about forty some guys,
and then that got heated. Before the whistles and everything,
people finally started interceding. This was two days after At
(08:43):
the FanFest practice at Woman Field on Saturday, the third
team defense and the third team offense went head to
head in full tackling. First time I'd seen full tackling
in a Seahawks preseason and probably a generation. But it
was threes against threes, and I think I described this
yesterday about how d Scretch kind of passed and was
running toward the Goalin and Marquis Blair, the safety, trying
(09:04):
to get a stick with the Seahawks in the second
go around. He just picked him up and supplexed him
to the ground, just threw him straight down to the ground,
and that started a whole fight too. The point is
Mike McDonald wants it this way and he doesn't exactly
step in. He lets him go and if they bringing
guys to the ground and pushing and shoving, he lets
(09:27):
all of that goes kind of like hockey fights where
lineesmen just stand around waiting for somebody to go to
the ground to go to the ice before they step in.
They just stand around and watch. And McDonald seems to
want it that way. So we asked McDonald about it afterwards,
and this is what if you got it ready, Chris.
This is what he said about the fighting and how
he's not exactly discouraging it.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
I love the competitor, I love the spirit all that
we need to take care of one another. If we're
getting a scrap here or there, that's understandable, but we've
got to make sure everybody's healthy and we're taken care
of another at the same time.
Speaker 3 (10:00):
So what's that tell you, guys?
Speaker 4 (10:02):
To your point, he's okay with it, but we also
got to protect our guys. And there is a I
think this is a practice maybe two days ago with
the Steelers Pittsburgh Steelers. Two players are going at it
and the camera is on both players and in the
background you see Mike Tomlin with this sinister grin and
he's just like, yeah, he's loving it because he wants
(10:23):
the guys to compete, fighting for job. They understanding what's
at stake, and you can transfer that energy towards the
team you're gonna play when it comes to the preseason.
So I think in regards to Mike McDonald, he has
that same maybe not he's not smiling obviously and excited
that players are fighting, but it's the will and want
to compete and beat out the next guy for a
(10:44):
spot on this roster, because that's what you want. You
want fifty three guys that are gonna go out there,
laid on the line and compete, and those camp battles
between one another that can easily be squashed. I'm sure
Ken and Reek made up after practice or maybe even
right after the fight. So these are just little things
that coaches use his ammunition to build for Hey, I
(11:04):
need you to have that same energy against the Titans
when we play them against the Charge when we play
them our first preseason game. So it's good to see,
but obviously the biggest concern is, Hey, you don't want
guys getting hurt out there because they're fighting. Luckily, there's
no injuries reported, so that's a good that's a good thing.
But I think all coaches kind of have a little Yeah,
I love I love seeing it, but we also got
(11:24):
to protect our guys. It's a yin and yang thing,
I think there.
Speaker 1 (11:29):
He definitely is trying to install instill a toughness in
this team, especially on defense.
Speaker 3 (11:34):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (11:35):
To your point, after Woolan and Walker scrapped yesterday, when
they were walking back to the huddle, Woolan continued yelling
at him and yelling at Walker in yelling at the
offensive players all along the sideline. No doubt he basically
is saying, fight smart, keep your helmet on, don't open
your hand and hit a helmet with the break of hand.
Speaker 4 (11:53):
That just sounds dangerous. Fight smart. No one's thinking of
fighting smart. When someone tackles you and grabs face mask,
I didn't you lose all consciousness.
Speaker 1 (12:04):
That's what taking care of each other. That's the message
that got that I took from it is he's not
exactly discouraged in the fighting. McDonald also yesterday made the
point of this is really the last week of through
training camp, meaning day after day against each other, with
the monotony and the slog and the grinding against each
(12:24):
other for going on the twelfth practice today and then
once the games start, Chris, it's because you know, it
comes into this rhythm of almost the regular season like
practices where they have game, they have a travel day,
they have a game, they have a day off after
the game and film review, and then they come back
out on a light practice presumably the first practice after
(12:44):
the game on Monday. Then they'll have another practice Tuesday,
and in this case they're heading to Nashville on Tuesday night,
and then too heavy duty practices and assumably full pads
on Wednesday, Thursday, ramp it down again on Friday, play
on Saturdays, off on Sunday, and so it goes. And
then another preseason game the following Saturday against Cleveland here
in Seattle to end the three regular preseason games August
(13:07):
twenty fourth, and then you're at Kats. You go from
ninety to fifty three right after that Cleveland game with
cuts are due on August twenty seventh. So McDonald's point
is this is the last true US against US week
of training camp before we get into something of a
game mode. And he said it's no time to wait, basically,
and that if you want to make an impression, this
(13:31):
is the time. This is the last week to do
it if you haven't done it already. We'll talk about
a couple guys who are making impressions here later in
the show. But mag McDonald is he is not shy
about adding urgency, both publicly and privately, and you can
bet when he mentions it in his press conference he's
already talked to the players about it. Just putting a
(13:52):
Timmy on notice that the center position is an open competition.
Yesterday is one example. Talking about the fighting and not
exactly he's not exactly he's not quite condoning it, but
he's not quite condemning it either. And I think all
of that it's interesting to see how he is leadership wise.
I've talked about that in the past as well. But yeah,
(14:14):
he wants a more physical training camp, and he's got one.
It's as physical as I've seen here in twenty years,
and the pushing and shoving is just part of it.
Four nine four to five one on the tell of Him,
we'll do text line. Your impressions of Mike McDonald from
somewhat afar. I know it's reliant on what you see
on your videos, hear him say, and the words you
read them say. But what is your impression of the
(14:36):
young coach? Is he exactly what this team needs? Is well,
we'll find out once the games get real. But what
do you think of him when you see Mike McDonald
the youngest coach in the NFL age thirty seven? What
are your first impressions of been? What words come to mind?
Speaker 3 (14:50):
Text? Four?
Speaker 1 (14:50):
Nine, four or five one? On the Tell of Him?
We'll do text line. We'll read back your text at
eleven thirty. Coming up next. One of those other situations
that Mike McDonald wasn't afraid to talk about com petition yesterday.
It's at running back the top tour settled, but they
need more than two this year. An undrafted rookie is
making a surprise push. That's next on ninety three point
three KJRFM from Seahawks training.
Speaker 5 (15:11):
Camp live from the R and R Foundation Specialist Broadcast Studio.
Now back to the Great Bell Show with Christopher Kidd
on your home for the Huskies and the Kruken Sports
Radio ninety three point three KJR FM.
Speaker 3 (15:33):
Hi, welcome back, Thanks for listening.
Speaker 1 (15:35):
Greg Bellow, the News Tribune and Christopher Kidd with you
every weekday on ninety three point three KGr from ten
am to noon. I'm again at the Virginia Mason Athletics
Center Seahawks training camp, the twelfth practice this afternoon at
one pm. Cloudy Long Lake, Washington. This morning, cool summer fog.
You get the tractor and the drag in the field
(15:55):
and pretty quiet here. About three and a half hours
before or two and a half hours now before training
camp practice starts. We talked last segment about the fighting
that's gone on. It does not a lot of brawls,
but there it is chippy and it's as physical as
I've seen it in a generation. Here in training camps.
The threes have gone against the threes and tackling to
(16:16):
the ground that happens Saturday at Woomenfield and the FanFest practice.
Another question for the four nine four to five one
telenamwore new tech sign when was game time it's totally ten.
What do you think of the fighting and are you
in favor of that? You think that's all extracurriculars that
are not doing anything toward helping this team get to
where it needs to be this season. Do you see
what Mike McDonald's trying to do and allowing some of
(16:39):
this stuff to push the line and become heated at
four nine four five one on the telenowrede Tex sign.
We're already getting your feedback on your first impressions of
Mike McDonald as a first time head coach at any
level at the age thirty seven. Just turned thirty seven
this offseason. But keep in mind he has never been
a head coach at any level, not in high school
where he started in Georgia when he was still at
(16:59):
the University Georgie, was an undergrad teaching or coaching at
a high school in Athens, Georgia, not at college where
he was a graduate assistant first at the University of Georgia,
and not in the NFL where he was a decade
in the Baltimore Ravens organization under John Harbaugh versus a
position coach, then the last two years as a defensive coordinator,
(17:21):
and then one year of course at Michigan three years ago.
One season as Jim Harbaugh's defensive coordinator at Michigan. But
he's never been a head coach, and you can see
he's learning and figuring out the communication with his players
and the leadership, and he holds a hard line. I
will say that I told you the story about players
who tried to duck inside of the facility right after
a practice without signing autographs for fans, and how he
(17:44):
angrily got those ten guys right back outside and directed
him sternly to go along the fence to sign autographs.
He's that kind of guy, and he said on Saturday,
we're not going to go around things, We're gonna go
through them. And that's the way he is, that's his mentality,
and the players have definitely taken notice of that. Four nine,
four to five one on a telenim, we'll do text
(18:05):
line your impressions of Mike McDonald so far that you've
seen and you're feeling about the physicality and yes, some fights,
which happens at most training camps, but has happened in
the last two practices of this one. McDonald has been
really open with, hey, this guy needs to get better,
or Byron Murphy needs to lose weight so we can
get through a whole practice like he said in May
(18:27):
during the OTA season, or the center position is wide open.
That's what he said yesterday. But over with Timmy was
not starting and watching Nick Harris take some first team
reps for the first time in practice, and Connor Williams
is still out there as someone the Seahorks are interested
in signing as a free agent. When Connor Williams visited here,
Mike McDonald's very open and saying the former second round
(18:50):
pick who started four years at left guard for Dallas
would be a center if he was here. He started
at center in Miami the last two years, so he's
he is not afraid to publicly mention and ratchet up
the urgency. He did the same thing at running back yesterday.
The top two, of course, was settled, with Kenneth Walker
the lead back, Zach Sharbonay coming back again as the
second back. Third down pass Walker pass receiver as well,
(19:14):
but then you start getting uddied after that. Kenny McIntosh
barely played last year after injuries, and then by the
time he got back healthy, he was just out of
the mix. The rookie seventh round pick from Georgia last year,
and then his three undrafted rookies, and that's the roster
right now at running back six total, three or undrafted rookies.
One's Kenny McIntosh remains unproven entering his second NFL season.
(19:36):
Really is this season and a half in the league
for all he missed last year. And so yesterday George Hollani,
is an undrafted rookie from Boise State, was doing eleven
on eleven running play an inside run and Neamiah Pritchett,
the defensive back, the cornerback draft pick out from Auburn
(19:57):
in Alabama, got in the hole, which this is a
mistake for Hallane, who just absolutely mac trucked him, ran over.
Pritchett patched it went right onto his back as Hallani
kept running toward the goal line. And after practice we
asked about Hallane and he's been getting some reps, a
little bit with the ones, some pass catching and a
little bit here and there spelling Charbonnet and Walker on
(20:21):
running plays, and McDonald was open and saying, quote, he's
pushing Kenny of Hallani from Boise State, pushing Kenny McIntosh
for that third running back spot. They're gonna need three
or four, Chris, at least, and they go through running
backs all the time, and they have a habit of
having to sign guys off the street in November December,
(20:43):
I think Julius Jones, and they are going to need
running backs more than the two the top two they have,
and George Hallne from Boise State is one of the
ones who's in the mix to do the third running
back situation, depending on how Kenny McIntosh does. Now, McIntosh
answered yesterday, the last scrimmage play, the actually last play
(21:04):
of the entire practice, was a swing pass from Geno
Smith out in the left flat and McIntosh beat the
rookie linebacker Tyrese Knight to the edge and ran up
the left side on an uncontested for a touchdown. And
that's how practice ended. But it's interesting, Chris to hear
McDonald talk how he had just said, yeah, he's pushing
(21:26):
Kenny or yeah, the center spot's wide open. Pete Carroll
was much less direct than that, he'd be a little
opaque and vague about how positions were coming on. But
it's all of the competition in directness that Mike McDonald has.
Speaker 4 (21:39):
You'd love to see it. I am curious to see
what role Kenney will play, just because he is. He
can do kick returning, can do punt return and he
can also be your third down running back or I said, yeah,
he could be in this scenario depending on how they
use Zach Charbonney. But you also mentioned George and how
he is coming on and figuring the this is you're
(22:02):
gonna need some running backs, as you mentioned, You're gonna
need guys that can come in because unfortunately, someone's gonna.
Speaker 3 (22:07):
Get banged up.
Speaker 4 (22:08):
That's just the nature of this game. It might not
be severe, but you could see a player going down
for a week and you need who's gonna step up.
Whether it's for Zach, whether it's for Ken. You're gonna
need someone and it could be Kenny McIntosh, or it
could be George, maybe Kobe Lewis or I don't know
if you've seen anything from k Kyrie Robinson.
Speaker 3 (22:25):
But let's just signed a couple of days ago.
Speaker 4 (22:29):
So yeah, these guys are all gonna have an opportunity,
and they get their first stab at it the first
preseason game this weekend where they can really especially for George,
who is somewhat having I would think a strong performance
and if that continues, then I think he could definitely
maybe even challenge Kenny for the that third spot as
a running back. And I know Kenny wants it because
(22:49):
he didn't even play last season, all right, so this
guy is really hungry for an opportunity in Kenny McIntosh.
And again, I think he could also play a role
in the punt return game. I don't know if they've
had him doing that at all, so I haven't Well,
that's that's not a good son. I imagine it's probably
d Escorts for punt returned. I know D Williams and
then east saut Winston is another guy for punt return,
(23:10):
and then I would imagine for kick return it's going
to be Laviska Chanolt and then D as well as
D Williams, so you have both the Crey.
Speaker 3 (23:18):
Brown has been returning kickoffs in training camp and practices.
Speaker 4 (23:22):
That makes sense. Trey is I think he's pretty explosive.
I don't know how shifty he is in comparison to
the other guys I mentioned, But dang if I would
love if Kenny can get a shot back there. But
I guess as you've been watching practice for the last
eleven of them, you haven't seen him back there. So
he's gonna have to really nail home that he can
pass proteck, that he can run through the gaps and
he can explode. So in the running game, that is
(23:44):
in the third running back.
Speaker 1 (23:45):
Forth running back spots, they typically keep usually four or so.
Depend on special teams, right they hold on, He's not
gonna make the team unless he shows on special teams
during preseason games. I know most of you run to
your refrigerator, check your phones once the kicking you to
come on the field, But that's where those guys Halani
and the undrafted rookies make their mark. I mean, that's
(24:06):
how Jermaine Kurse got on the team back in the day,
Doug Baldwin was on special teams as an undrafted rookie.
That's where Halani will make the team, regardless of what
he's doing at running back. And that's where you would
think Kenny McIntosh could have a place, and we'll have
to see where he does it win the preseason games.
But there's of special teams enough kick return kickoff return
(24:26):
in particularly, they're still trying to figure that out. Whether
they want a masher run guy who can run through
tackles like Chenault at two hundred and twenty five pounds,
whether they want a shifty d Eskridge type. I happen
to think d eskridge place on this roster is in danger.
He's been a third at most third string wide receiver
in the offense. He's going to really have to show
(24:48):
something in a kick return game. In these new kickoff
rules and the new kickoff formations. It's it's going to
be interesting to see who can make the team and
emerge as a kickoff returner because that could be his
main p roll. Who every win's that job, and how
he makes the team. So if you haven't heard or
seen it, and maybe you did last week in some
of the preseason action in the Hall of Fame game,
but the kickoff is so brand new, they're trying to
(25:11):
figure out the blocking schemes, how to block it, what runners,
what type of runners. And that all starts on Saturday
for the Seahawks when they played the Chargers in their
first preseason game coming up next. From training camp at
the Virginia Mason Athletics Center. I'm going to continue with
what I've seen, some injury situation, other trends. I've seen
the quarterback play. I've been asked time and again. I
(25:33):
was asking in this morning on a podcast about the
quarterback situation. I'll describe that now that Gino Smith is back.
Lots more to get to. From the Virginia Mason Athletic
Center at Seahawks training camp on ninety three point three KJRFM. Hi,
(25:54):
welcome back, Thanks for listening on a Tuesday morning across
the Pacific Northwest or wherever listening on the iHeartRadio app.
Greg Bubble, the News Tribune and Christopher Kidd ninety three
point through KJRFM from Seahawks training camp at the Virginia
Mason Athletics Center. I'm right off the edge of the
practice field, which is empty except for a couple of
birds pecking up the empty grass right now, a couple
(26:16):
hours before training camp starts practice number twelve at one pm,
a couple hours from now. I've told you about the
physicality and it s yes, some fighting going on four
nine four five one and a tough I'm we do
text alignments. Game time. It's Telly time. We'll readback at
eleven thirty your text on your opinions of that and
your opinions of Mike McDonald as well other things I noticed.
(26:39):
I posted on my Twitter ex whatever the kids call
it now account at g Bell Seattle the picture yesterday
coming off the field of Gino Smith to return to
practice after missing for of them with me and hip issues,
talking to fans and signing autographs, and one young boy
asked him how many touchdown passes are you gonna throw
(27:00):
this week? He said, how about fifty? Jee, Smith said,
and the kid kind of nodded, and I happened to
laugh and Smith was laughing as well. Also on my
Twitter account at g Bill Seattle, Cam Chancellor was here
yesterday and I walked I passed him in the parking
lot with his wife and his young son and of
(27:23):
course one of the best to ever do it. It
appeared Mike McDonald was meeting him for the first time
after practice as Stafford Seahawks. Stafford took him over to
Cam Chancellor and introduced the new Seahawks coach to him
and after practice, McDonald said he looking at at Cam
Chancellor in person. There's a picture of him on my
Twitter page at g Bell Seattle. He's the one in
(27:44):
all black standing to the left of McDonald in the picture.
He said he cannot believe that that guy was a safety.
Speaker 3 (27:51):
He said.
Speaker 1 (27:52):
McDonald's quote of Cam Chanceller quote, you see him in
person and it's like, I can't believe this guy played safety.
It's incredible. And that's just part of it made camp
Chancellor so great a size and his instincts on the field,
his intelligence. He's a former college quarterback. I don't know
if you knew that, Chris. He was quarterback when he
first got to Virginia Tech and then they converted him
(28:12):
to safety. Pretty good move that was. And yeah, in person,
he still looks like he could play, by the way,
but in person, Mike McDonald was blown away.
Speaker 3 (28:22):
Yesterday.
Speaker 1 (28:23):
Oya Mawoy was out here too. He's the guy in
the yellow cap in the picture at Gee Bell Seattle.
Gary Gilliam, a former offensive tackle for the Seahawks, was
out here yesterday. I've seen Cliff Averell out here a
couple times, as he often has been over the years.
In Seahawks camp.
Speaker 3 (28:39):
Also yesterday, Jackson Smith and Jigba.
Speaker 1 (28:42):
Had a press conference after practice and he was asked
about Geno Smith. And on my Twitter accoun oft ge
Bell Seattle, you'll find the quotes of Jackson Smith and
Jigba talking about Geno Smith and the fact that I
thought it was interesting that he said he and Geno
Smith worked out together in the offseason and threw passes
and ran routes, and he did it in Texas. He
(29:04):
said Smith came to his home area in Texas. Jackson
Smith and jigb is from the Dallas Fort Worth area,
and that Smith came to Texas to work out with him.
And I think that speaks a lot for a second
year receiver who did not reach his full potential last year.
I mean, we did not see the Ohio State Jackson
Smith and Jigba last year. He spent a lot of
(29:24):
the season Chris As having the fewest yards on target
passed the line of scrimmage in the league. It was
like two or three yards bubble screen palooza and quick
hitcher outs that Shane Waldron had Jackson Smith and Jigbit
doing as a rookie. That's not how Ryan Grubs using
him already in training camp. I can see. I think
(29:46):
he by mid season is going to be known around
here as vertical Smith and Jigbu and you're going to
see the Ohio State Rose Bull three hundred and forty
seven yards is next to the last season in college
version of Smith and Jigbuit in this offense with Rn
and Grub. Of course, we've talked about it, Chris many times.
All Grub wants to do offensively, all the tools he
(30:06):
has and how he can unleash him depends on that
offensive line. And yesterday Grub excuse me, Mike McDonald's saying
that the center positions now open with old timmy not
exactly guaranteed to be the starter anymore. That's sixty percent
of the offensive line. There's a current question. On August sixth,
one month plus two days before the season gets real.
(30:29):
Right guard not settled. Anthony Bradford has the job at
the moment. Right tackle not settled. They don't know when
Abe Lucas is coming off the injured list and actually
getting on the practice field for the first time since
January and knee surgery in the offseason, and now center
not settled. Their current center might not even be on
the roster right now. He might be in Baltimore, Maryland
visiting the Ravens and Connor Williams. So that's sixty percent
(30:52):
of line. The left guard, Lake and Thomlinson, if we've
mentioned thirty two years old, is on a one year deal,
and then Charles Cross at left tackle before first round
pick from a couple of years ago. He's the only
sure thing on the line. It's going to be here
starting next year. So the questions on the most important line,
important position on the offense that'll make the whole thing
(31:14):
work remain two weeks in the training camp and when
I asked about the Seahawks offense and what Ryan greg
wants to do, the first and last thing I say
is the offensive line. And I don't want to say
we're nowhere closer. The Seahawks are nowhere closer than they
were at the started trading camp, but they certainly aren't
settled and they have a long way to go to
deciding that. And Chris, that's what these preseason games will
(31:36):
help settle.
Speaker 4 (31:37):
Yes, I would say maybe Mike McDonald's just giving everybody
a shot in the garden to the offensive line and
Maybe he's not trying to show his hand. Maybe he
wants they want to think that, oh, it's not settled
yet and Oulu will be the starter, but it's open
because he just wants everyone to feel that you have
(31:57):
a shot to take this spot, whether it be Nick
Hers or if they're going to bring in what was
his name that they keep talking about.
Speaker 3 (32:04):
Free agent center for Miami last year.
Speaker 1 (32:07):
But it's a little more than toxic far Chris, because
I mean Nick Harris was the starting center yesterday for
the first time.
Speaker 3 (32:12):
Yeah that and there was Yeah.
Speaker 4 (32:15):
So I guess it's a little interesting and intriguing to
hear what happens. And I guess the biggest thing is
we'll see I guess the final preseason game that'll be
the real real deal.
Speaker 3 (32:28):
How who's on the offensive line.
Speaker 4 (32:30):
I would imagine they'll be DK Lockett and Jackson Smith.
You know who's gonna play the fourth receivers, It's still
gonna be Jake. Does Cody White jump into it? Does
the young make the next step? What about laviscus laviscus
excuse me? Does he find his role on this team?
So that's gonna be I think the last.
Speaker 1 (32:51):
Five wide receivers and none of them were named sex
wide receivers and none of them were named Esk.
Speaker 4 (32:56):
Well, based on what you said, no, I'm.
Speaker 3 (32:57):
Just saying that's that underlines my point.
Speaker 4 (33:00):
Well, I've only seen what a handful of practices and
D didn't really pop when I was out there, So
I would say, don't don't listen to my context on
D s Bridge. But I would say he's probably in
the mix. I just haven't seen it or heard from.
So that's kind of where I'm at with it. In
the offensive line, I would assume it'll be Charles Cross
(33:20):
guessing Laken Thomlinson I left guard unless yeah, and then
I guess the center position is kind of it could
be Nick, it could be Olu and then right guard.
I would imagine that's open between Christian and Anthony Bradford.
Speaker 1 (33:34):
Who's gonna be surprised that I haven't seen Christian Haynes
take one snap as a starter yet. I talked to
him yesterday. We'll air that interview this week in ninety
three point three KJRFM, But he has yet to be
a first team even one rep in.
Speaker 3 (33:45):
The spring or summer.
Speaker 4 (33:46):
And then obviously you understand with right tackle with Abraham Lucas.
Signs are pointed that he should be good for week one,
but for right now, George Fan will likely hold that spot.
So yeah, you know, the center position and right guard
are shaky and that's maybe a concern. By the same time,
it could be Mike McDonald just not trying to play
his hand and surprise, EFY won with a strong offensive line,
better than last year, and we go and this ye,
(34:07):
how's go from there?
Speaker 3 (34:09):
You know?
Speaker 1 (34:09):
I the signs to me for Abe Lucas are who knows.
They've said the right things about him being ready for
the opener, but I don't see any evidence of that.
And he's done some straight line pushing a conditioning sled.
I've seen that, and he's in the training room working
with that training staff and they said he can do
straight line running, but nothing football and cutting wise.
Speaker 3 (34:31):
At least that was as of last week.
Speaker 1 (34:35):
This is not the year to miss the entire training
camp when you're trying to install a brand new offense.
So we're gonna see where it ends up. But Mike
McDonald has said it is a slower return than they expected.
They thought that Lucas's recovery would be done by now,
and it's not and knee has taken a long time
to come back. Pete Carroll called that knee equal chronic
issue last year and well, the jury's still out on
(34:56):
whether the surgery fixed it or not because he hasn't
been tested having done anything, hasn't been in cleats since
the surgery. So we'll see the month until the first
game where they are with Abelucas at right tackle, we're
gonna shift gears coming up. The baseball team is still
in first place in this town. The Mariners leave the
American League West by a game and a half entering
(35:17):
their series that begins tonight at the Yard and Soto
against the Detroit Tigers. Luis Castilla is on the mound
and Daniel Kramer is on the horn with us. Coming
up next our weekly visit with the Mariners beat writer
from MLB dot Com. That and more from Seahawks training
camp at the Virginia Mason Athletics Center live on ninety
three point three KJRFM.
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