DANNY ONEIL

Hawk Talk highlights: Seahawks’ nickelback situation

Oct 28, 2014, 4:10 PM | Updated: 4:13 pm

Highlights from the latest edition of “Hawk Talk” with Danny O’Neil:

Tory asked if the Seahawks would like a “redo” on their decision to let wide receiver Golden Tate leave in free agency.

O’Neil: If you told Seattle at the start of the offseason what would happen with Percy Harvin, yes, I believe there would have been a bigger push to sign Tate. Just my theory. The Seahawks decided Harvin’s talent was worth the higher price tag. They weren’t wrong about that. They just weren’t right in thinking he would fit in.

Beastmode asked if Byron Maxwell will play nickelback if he returns this week from his calf injury.

O’Neil: I’m not sure what Seattle will do in the nickel. If you had to ask me, yes, Byron slides inside in nickel with Tharold coming in on the outside, but we haven’t been able to see that yet.

tom page asked whether nickelback Jeremy Lane will be an upgrade over Marcus Burley once Lane returns from short-term injured reserve.

O’Neil: A huge one. I don’t know if he’s more significant a return than Max Unger or Zach Miller, but I would argue his return will help more than Bobby Wagner’s return because of the dropoff between Lane and Burley, who actually has played pretty well.

tom page noted that New England’s Tom Brady began his career in a run-first offense before eventually throwing more over time, citing that as an example for Russell Wilson and Seattle.

O’Neil: I think they may throw more, but that will be out of necessity, not out of design. I don’t think Brady and the Patriots present a template for the path Pete Carroll will want to follow. Now, the Seahawks may have to. We’ll see what this offense looks like when Russell Wilson is taking up one-seventh of the team’s salary cap.

Hawkmode asked who Seattle’s defensive MVP is through seven games.

O’Neil: Too soon to say. I refuse to award a Defensive MVP on a team that has played average defense so far this season. That’s what they’ve been. Average. Not awful. Not great. But you ask me who’s playing the best? Richard Sherman. Tell me a scoring pass he has given up on a play where he wasn’t designated as the safety.

Drew7 asked whether Bruce Irvin will pan out or be a bust like Aaron Curry.

O’Neil: It’s not like Curry. I don’t know if Bruce Irvin will ever be consistent enough to be the starting defensive end like you want. He may be a guy who can give it to you in spurts. But it’s different than Curry. Curry stopped making plays entirely. Irvin just doesn’t make them with the consistency you’d want or expect from a first-round pick.

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