Hawk Talk highlights: Tough tests right out of the gate for Seahawks

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

An anonymous guest asked whether the first two games on the Seahawks’ schedule – at St. Louis and at Green Bay – are the two most difficult.

O’Neil: I think that’s a defensible argument. You have a young offensive line playing on the road first against one of the better defensive lines in the league and in Week 2 you face the league’s top quarterback. On the flip side, this is as healthy as Seattle will be all year. There could wind up being bigger challenges down the road.

Holy Roller asked whether Russell Wilson’s scrambling ability influenced the decisions along the offensive line.

O’Neil: Yes. But not necessarily the way you think. It makes it less of a priority to have conventional pocket passers. It has made Seattle more willing to take guys and teach them from scratch. Specifically, linemen who come from spread offenses who aren’t used to holding their blocks or driving off the line because the ball comes out so quick are actually a liability for this offense where Wilson holds onto the ball longer than most quarterbacks. That’s not a criticism of Wilson. It’s a reality that this team wants to give him a chance to improvise. I think it makes someone like Evan Mathis less valuable in this offense than he would be in a more conventional scheme.

a 12 asked about how much influence Marshawn Lynch had in the team signing Fred Jackson.

O’Neil: I think he spoke up to vouch for him, and that helped. But the Seahawks signed Jackson because he’s a good player who will fit with the team. They did not sign him because Lynch wanted them to. By the same token, if Lynch didn’t have a great relationship with Jackson – after all, Jackson was the guy who supplanted Lynch as the starter – I think that would have played a factor.

An anonymous guest thinks Tharold Simon may overtake Cary Williams as the starter at right cornerback before the season ends.

O’Neil: You’re not wrong, but there’s a ways to go before that, too. I think that Cary Williams is adjusting to the way Seattle likes to play, which is to bump guys at the line, but not commit to a full jam. There’s a priority in Seattle’s defense not to get beat over the top down the side.

John asked what role Simon will have considering Seattle has named Marcus Burley the team’s nickelback.

O’Neil: Simon is a backup on the outside. He doesn’t project as an inside guy. At all. In fact, when Jeremy Lane was hurt last year, Simon would enter in nickel defense, but play on the outside with Byron Maxwell moving inside.

itsleroy asked about the potential of Seattle’s wide receiver corps.

O’Neil: I think that this wide receiver group is always going to be characterized as underwhelming. The answer to your question depends on Jermaine Kearse. Doug Baldwin is really solid, a guy who could catch 100 passes playing with Peyton Manning or Tom Brady, but someone who might not ever catch more than 65 in Seattle with the way this offense works. If Kearse scores eight touchdowns this year, though, we’ll end up saying they’re really good.

An anonymous guest asked whether rookie Tyler Lockett could take some snaps away from Kearse.

O’Neil: I think Kearse could have a very productive year. Of all the guys who’ll benefit from the attention that goes to Jimmy Graham, I think Kearse could see the biggest boost because of his propensity for big plays down the field (and the trust Russell Wilson has to huck it up to him).

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