Paul Richardson

Pete Carroll Discusses Seahawks’ Rookies

Head coach Pete Carroll was very impressed with the incoming Seahawks’ rookie class after the team’s three-day mini-camp. According to Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times, Carroll spoke highly of both the draft picks and UDFA players that participated in the camp. Carroll spoke about several rookies in particular, so let’s check in on the highlights:

  • Carroll envisions fourth-round draft pick Cassius Marsh perhaps eventually stepping into a role similar to the one currently being performed by the recently re-signed Michael Bennett.
  • Justin Britt will compete immediately with Michael Bowie to become the team’s swingman on the offensive line.
  • Second-rounder Paul Richardson, a wide receiver out of Colorado, suffered from a sore shoulder in Friday’s practice, but that the injury was only day-to-day.
  • Carroll also loved what he saw from fullback Kiero Small, a seventh-round pick from Arkansas. He said that the back had a “really good accelerator,” and that “he can catch the ball really well.”

Seahawks Notes: Price, Richardson, Lynch

Keith Price, former quarterback from the University of Washington, has been shining at Seahawks rookie camp, writes Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times. Coming from Steve Sarkisian’s offense in college to Pete Carroll’s has eased the transition. Sarkisian was Carroll’s offensive coordinator at USC.

Here are some other notes from Seahawks camp:

  • Price was excited to have the opportunity to stay close to where he made his name as a college standout, writes Terry Blount of ESPN.com“I had my mind set here,” Price said. “I was very familiar with the [offensive] system and the coaches. And I love this place. I love Seattle and I love being here. There’s great competition at the quarterback spot, and I’m a competitive guy.” Price will have to compete with Tarvaris Jackson, Terrelle Pryor, and B.J. Daniels for a spot on the active roster.
  • The quarterback was not the only bright spot of the team’s offensive practices, as second-round pick Paul Richardson has impressed already, writes Clare Farnsworth of Seattle.com. Richardson was on the receiving end of Price’s passes. His 4.33 speed was on display as he ran past the defense, consistently getting open.
  • Marshawn Lynch is set to star in a movie about his own life, writes Marcus Thompson II of the San Jose Mercury News. Lynch is notorious for avoiding the media, but is excited about the opportunity to showcase his story. “For me, it’s just about having some fun,” Lynch said. “It’s just a fun experience. I also get to the shine light on the community and some of the things that we grew up doing and what we went through.”

NFC West Notes: Seahawks, Cards, Rams, 49ers

The Seahawks traded down multiple times before picking for the first time in this year’s draft, from 32nd to 40th to 45th. However, when they eventually did make a selection, they nabbed the player they had ticketed for that No. 32 pick in the first place, in Colorado wideout Paul Richardson — Richardson’s name was the one the Seahawks had ready at the end of the first round on Thursday, GM John Schneider told reporters, including Terry Blount of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

Here’s more from around the NFC West:

  • Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll said his team has interest in a big receiver, but hasn’t found the right guy yet and doesn’t want to force the issue (Twitter link via Blount).
  • Cardinals GM Steve Keim admitted that he tried to get back into the second round via trade tonight, but didn’t find a taker, as Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com tweets. It’s not clear which player Arizona was targeting.
  • According to Rams head coach Jeff Fisher, St. Louis suspected that another team wanted to draft Lamarcus Joyner, which is why the Rams moved up to No. 41 to take him. The club the Rams suspected of targeting Joyner then ended up trading down, says Fisher (Twitter link via Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com). As Wagoner suggests (via Twitter), the Titans were the only team between No. 41 and the Rams’ original spot to trade down, so perhaps Fisher’s old team was eyeing Joyner as well.
  • Asked about the possibility of acquiring more draft picks after a flurry of trades today, 49ers GM Trent Baalke replied, “The more darts you have, the more balloons you can pop” (Twitter link via Scott Kegley of 49ers.com).
  • Baalke also weighed in on the topic of the team’s punt returner, suggesting that it’s not an area the 49ers feel a need to address: LaMichael James did an excellent job for us a year ago, and that’s his job. We don’t feel an urgency to go out and replace LaMichael. That’s his job” (Sulia link via Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee).

NFC East Rumors: Redskins, Cowboys, Sherman

Redskins GM Bruce Allen has said that quarterback Kirk Cousins won’t be going anywhere, but that could change sometime during the draft, writes Rich Tandler of CSNWashington.com. If the Browns get past their second-round pick and still don’t have a quarterback, they could very well dial up the Redskins to inquire on Cousins. The Redskins are hoping that multiple teams find themselves in a similar spot and spark up a bidding war for Robert Griffin III‘s understudy. More out of the NFC East..

  • Wide receiver doesn’t figure to be an area of focus for the Cowboys in this week’s draft. Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram tweets that the team only hosted two wideouts for pre-draft visits: Colorado’s Paul Richardson and Oregon’s Josh Huff.
  • In the wake of Richard Sherman‘s brand new deal with the Seahawks, David Moore of the Dallas Morning News can’t help but wonder how he would have looked in blue and white. Sherman was the 154th player taken in the 2011 draft, eleven picks after Dallas drafted fellow cornerback Josh Thomas. While Sherman is one of the best at his position, Thomas never saw a down for the Cowboys.
  • Johnny Manziel likes the Cowboys, but he hopes to be gone before they pick at No. 16, writes Charean Williams of the Star-Telegram.
  • The Redskins‘ special teams play was a disaster last season so it’s no surprise to hear that it’s a big priority this offseason, writes Tarik El-Bashir of CSNWashington.com. Many of the 14 free agents Washington signed will be counted upon to bolster special teams, including linebackers Akeem Jordan and Adam Hayward. That commitment to special teams figures to carry into the late rounds of this weekend’s draft.

Brandt’s Latest: Fuller, Moncrief, Archer

Draft expert and former Cowboys VP of player personnel Gil Brandt shared a few draft updates this afternoon, via Twitter, so let’s jump in and briefly round up the highlights from the NFL.com veteran….

  • Virginia Tech cornerback Kyle Fuller, who paid a visit to the Bills today, has had 15 visits or workouts with NFL teams so far, and has four more lined up this week with the Rams, Jets, Steelers, and Broncos.
  • Brandt adds a slew of teams to the list of those who have worked out or hosted Ole Miss receiver Donte Moncrief so far, tweeting that Moncrief has visited the Buccaneers, Cardinals, and Panthers, and has worked out for the Bucs, Panthers, Colts, and Falcons.
  • Having already visited the Dolphins, Patriots, Cardinals, and Colts, Kent State running back Dri Archer, is on to the Buccaneers and Jets this week.
  • Colorado wideout Paul Richardson, who has put on a few pounds since the draft combine, has workouts or visits with the Buccaneers, Cowboys, 49ers, and Seahawks. It’s not entirely clear if those visits and workouts are still on Richardson’s schedule, or if they’ve already happened.