Three things from the Seahawks’ voluntary workouts

The Seahawks wrap up their offseason training program this week with a minicamp that is mandatory for veterans. Now’s as good a time as any to take a look at what we’ve learned over the past months of voluntary workouts.

Three things we learned:

1. Working Jimmy Graham into Seattle’s offense will be easy.

This isn’t going to be like Percy Harvin, a player so uniquely talented that the Seahawks designed plays to utilize his ability to stretch a defense horizontally across the field. Graham is no less unique a talent, but the difference is that already in practice you can see how he works within the contours of the existing offense. He’s not going to change the offense so much as make it better, especially in the red zone.

2. The Seahawks are healthier than expected.

Their secondary was held together with duct tape in the Super Bowl, Richard Sherman playing with one arm, Kam Chancellor limited by an injured knee and Earl Thomas playing with a shoulder injury that would require surgery. Chancellor has said this is the best he has felt in an offseason, Sherman didn’t need surgery and Thomas is pushing to get back from surgery. While Thomas hasn’t been able to practice, he’s insisted on carrying his helmet around during workouts. So while Jeremy Lane’s availability remains a question mark, the Seahawks are closer to full strength in the secondary this offseason than anyone had a right to anticipate given just how banged up they were.

3. Seattle’s defensive line has regained its depth.

Brandon Mebane, Cassius Marsh and Jordan Hill were on injured reserve before Seattle even reached the playoffs, and when Cliff Avril left the Super Bowl after suffering a concussion, the Seahawks were missing half the defensive linemen who were on the team to start the season. Not only is everyone back, but Seattle added Ahtyba Rubin, a big-bodied nose tackle from Cleveland, and drafted Frank Clark. Seattle once again has the depth that distinguished its defensive front in 2013.

Three things we’re still trying to figure out:

1. What does this team’s receiving corps look like Week 1?

Doug Baldwin is a starter. Jermaine Kearse, too. Tyler Lockett is the return specialist. Beyond that, there’s not a lot of guarantees. Paul Richardson is coming back from knee surgery and is not guaranteed to be ready. Kevin Norwood is a fourth-round pick from 2014 who showed promise but wasn’t active for the Super Bowl. Chris Matthews’ size – both literally and the way he stood out in the Super Bowl – has many people penciling him in, but let’s remember that he hadn’t caught an NFL pass before his breakout against the Patriots. Ricardo Lockette is a special teams ace who has value at receiver, too. It all adds up to a heck of a competition in training camp for everything from the pecking order to the players who make the team.

2. Did Christine Michael help himself over the offseason?

No player had a bigger opportunity than Michael with Robert Turbin recovering from hip surgery and Marshawn Lynch working out in Oakland. That spawned the annual story about how this might be Michael’s time to shine. One week later, he was watching the team’s Tuesday workout with an undisclosed injury. It’s more than just difficult to judge a running back in non-contact drills during the offseason. It’s impossible. But this August, Michael figures to get the bulk of the preseason carries. Has he put himself in position to make the most of those opportunities?

3. How obstinate is Michael Bennett going to be?

He has been at the team’s facility this offseason but hasn’t participated in the training program. If he misses minicamp this week, though, that’s different. That’s mandatory. He could be fined. It will be the first test to tell how serious he is about digging in his heels to get a new deal, which quite frankly, the Seahawks are not going to give him. Bennett is only one year into a four-year deal he signed after two straight years in which he was eligible for free agency. On the other hand, he is Seattle’s most versatile defensive lineman and someone who has emerged as a leader on defense. If he sits out this minicamp, all attention will turn toward training camp and whether he’ll be there.

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