Mike Williams: ‘It feels a little awkward’

By Liz Mathews

Big Mike Williams was back on the field today and the Seahawks wide receiver spoke to the media
after the team’s afternoon walk-through.

Although fresh off signing a new contract at the end of the 2010 season, Williams said that training camp feels like an interview all over again.

And everyone is starting on the same page.

“We’re going to win new guys over,” said Williams of the revamped coaching staff. “Different personalities, a lot different than coach (Jeremy) Bates — with all respect to coach Bates — it’s just a different approach with coach (Darrell) Bevell and his staff. With the young group we have, they like this group better I can already tell.

“We’ll all learn it. We’ll make mistakes together and then minimize those mistakes as much as we can. But everyone is learning and that’s the exciting part.”

Having spent time in Oakland with the Raiders, Williams is familiar with free agent acquisition offensive guard Robert Gallery, and spoke of the “toughness” he would bring to the team. And as for the news of wide receiver Sidney Rice having agreed to terms with the Seahawks, said Williams: “when you get a talent like Sidney Rice, it makes everything easier.”

But with the free agents unable to fully practice with the squad until next Thursday, the veterans and rookies will have to compete on the field without them, hoping to secure a coveted final roster spot.

And it feels a little awkward.

“I haven’t really been in this setting for so long, missing the offseason,” Williams explained. “So getting back out here you’re maybe a little more tired than you think you are just because the cameras on, you’ve got a coach yelling at you, and now you’ve got to move at a different pace than maybe what you’re used to when you’re working out at home or wherever guys work out.”

“Me,” he continued, “I’m just trying to come in here and just get better every day, keep working. Tonight’s the first time we’ll have a real install. We’ll move forward. We’ll get the big-name guys and new guys tomorrow and we’ll embrace them and move forward.”

Notes

The Seahawks announced Thursday evening after practice that the team has signed seven of their nine draft choices from the 2011 NFL Draft. Only first-round tackle James Carpenter and third-round guard John Moffitt have yet to be signed.

Free agent fullback Michael Robinson has also re-signed with the Seahawks, as reported earlier Thursday morning. According to ESPN.com, the Seahawks have also reached a one-year agreement with defensive tackle Junior Siavii.

As for defensive tackle Brandon Mebane, the two sides remain active in negotiations. Mebane is tweeting throughout the process, so follow him on Twitter @mebane92.

The Seahawks are scheduled for a single practice Friday morning at 9am, with the sessions open to the public to commence on Saturday morning.