Hawk Talk highlights: Rice’s future, Harvin’s return
Oct 8, 2013, 5:06 PM | Updated: 5:16 pm
By 710Sports.com staff
Highlights from the latest edition of “Hawk Talk” with Danny O’Neil:
Paul Martin asked about the likelihood that the Seahawks cut receiver Sidney Rice this offseason. Rice’s contract is scheduled to count $9.7 million against Seattle’s salary cap next season.
Danny O’Neil: With all due respect, Paul, there are 11 games and the playoffs left before that question is even considered. How much can change between now and then? But yes, right now, I would think that a player who has one catch in three of the team’s five games, and who’s scheduled to count more than $8 million against next year’s salary cap is unlikely to be back on the current deal.
Paul Martin asked whether the Seahawks regret trading guard John Moffitt to Denver given the current state of their offensive line, which has played without three starters due to injuries the last two games.
Danny O’Neil: I don’t think so: Here’s why. The team made the decision that Moffitt wasn’t the fit for what Tom Cable wants on the line. Moffitt isn’t a tackle. For better or worse, Seattle decided that James Carpenter and J.R. Sweezy were superior.
Kb asked whether Sunday’s loss to the Colts was a “good” loss for Seattle.
Danny O’Neil: I don’t think there’s such a thing as a good loss. I don’t think this team lacked focus or needs to be humbled. This is a very motivated group that doesn’t need to be given something additional to play for. That said, I don’t think that it was a bad loss. It’s not going to cost them anything.
PersonnelQ asked how Bruce Irvin fared in coverage against Indianapolis. That game marked his return from a suspension and his regular-season debut as a linebacker.
Danny O’Neil: I thought Bruce Irvin played a great game. I was particularly impressed with his ability to read and react in the run game.
PersonnelQ asked whether left tackle Paul McQuistan will be benched once Russell Okung returns or replace James Carpenter at left guard and whether the right-tackle job is up for grabs with Breno Giacomini injured.
Danny O’Neil: All really good questions. First, no guarantee that Okung comes back. Everyone hopes he does, and there’s certainly a chance, but no guarantee in that regard. If he does, yes, I still expect Carpenter to remain at left guard, though that will be a competition. I don’t think Michael Bowie will supplant Giacomini. Not this year at least.
Easilyamused asked if wide receiver Percy Harvin could make his debut in Seattle’s Thursday night game against Arizona in Week 7. Harvin is nine weeks removed from hip surgery and is eligible to begin practicing as soon as next week.
Danny O’Neil: I don’t think so. This team has not hurried anyone back from injury. It usually takes two weeks of practice before a guy who has been injured is back. And Harvin is a player the team made a long-term investment in who had hip surgery, and he’s going to play in a game three days after he’s eligible to just begin practicing.
