Is this the fastest Seahawks team like Carroll says? Huard is buying that
Jun 10, 2022, 1:10 PM
John Schneider and Pete Carroll watch Seahawks practice on June 8, 2022. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
(AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
After the Seahawks wrapped up their three-day minicamp, head coach Pete Carroll made quite the declaration about his current roster.
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“I’m gonna tell, you this might be the fastest team we’ve ever had,” he said Thursday. “This team can fly, and I want that to be a strength that shows up because we’re all there, and we’re all we’re all running fast all summer time. So I told every position I wanted them at their fastest, strongest weight. I don’t care about the big numbers.”
That’s a pretty big statement from Carroll, especially considering that he’s been with the franchise since 2010.
Carroll may be just trying to hype up the Seahawks’ roster, but former NFL quarterback Brock Huard thinks Carroll’s assessment is spot on.
“I would agree with that,” Huard told Seattle Sports 710 AM’s Mike Salk Show on Friday. “Certainly right up there.”
Huard said that Carroll’s statement is even more telling considering a few of the fastest guys on the team didn’t practice this week, such as receiver Dee Eskridge and rookie running back Ken Walker III. Additionally, star wideout DK Metcalf didn’t report to minicamp as he seeks a new long-term contract extension.
“But save for the (big guys) at D-tackle — Al Woods and Poona (Ford) — I don’t think there’s anybody on this roster that can’t run,” Huard said.
Even the current offensive line can move well, Huard added.
“We heard the news yesterday that (right guard) Gabe Jackson had knee surgery, so you put Phil Haynes with (rookie tackles) Abe Lucas and Charles Cross and (new center) Austin Blythe, that offensive line can all move much better than any group that Pete has ever had here in (his entire tenure) in Seattle,” he said.
Both sides of the ball should be faster in 2022 than even just a year ago.
“You add (Noah Fant) to the tight end room and that dude can run, I mentioned the wide receivers and the running backs, the (secondary) can all go, you put Cody Barton and Jordyn Brooks (at linebacker),” Huard said. “You lose some mass and some size, but you add some speed.”
Huard said that this roster won’t be the biggest or strongest Carroll has had, but definitely the fastest like Carroll is saying. Additionally, Huard thinks the Seahawks needed to go that route with their roster because of the state of the league and the NFC West.
“Welcome to the NFL,” he said. “And welcome to defending your division, defending the Arizona Cardinals in space, defending the Rams in space, heck, even defending both the run and the pass and the play-action and George Kittle and company down in San Francisco. You’ve got to be able to run, and this group can.”
Listen to the full second hour of Friday’s Mike Salk Show at this link or in the player below.
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