Hey Joe Seahawk!

[Amnorix]

Joe,

Report on KFFL is that you guys signed Tom Ashworth, formerly of the Patriots, for a contract that pays him $4.5M in the first year. I find that hard to believe. What's up with that--is it true? He's solid, but he's "JAG", as Parcells would say. Definitely not worth big coin.

Congrats, btw, on all the off-season signings. Seems like you guys are gearing up with the thought that you're just a little bit away from winning the big prize and now is the time to go for it. Good luck! With Hasselbeck and Tatupu, there are alot of New England and Patriots ties there that make the Seahawks the easy front-runner for my favorite team in the NFC.

[HolmeZz]

JAG? Just a guard? Isn't he a tackle?

[58-4ever]

Joe,

Report on KFFL is that you guys signed Tom Ashworth, formerly of the Patriots, for a contract that pays him $4.5M in the first year. I find that hard to believe. What's up with that--is it true? He's solid, but he's "JAG", as Parcells would say. Definitely not worth big coin.

Congrats, btw, on all the off-season signings. Seems like you guys are gearing up with the thought that you're just a little bit away from winning the big prize and now is the time to go for it. Good luck! With Hasselbeck and Tatupu, there are alot of New England and Patriots ties there that make the Seahawks the easy front-runner for my favorite team in the NFC.

I hope the wind doesn't blow too hard and cause you to fall off all your bandwagons.

[Mile High Mania]

You're cracking me up now, dude. Just a guy? Maybe, but it just sounds funny after the "he's just a kicker".

The Pats will look quite different this year, but at least you have Superman still at QB.

[RedThat]

The biggest loss for NE this year is losing Adam Vinatieri. That is one guy they should've kept. I think the media guys are overreacting from the Pats losing a lot of their players. The Pats draft well. They'll find ways to replace McGinest, Givens, Ashworth, Dwight, etc, etc.

*This is something the Chiefs gotta do! Draft!

[Amnorix]

JAG? Just a guard? Isn't he a tackle?

Parcells-speak for "Just Another Guy" In other words, someone who won't make your team special or anything, and is relatively easily replaced. Every team has quite a few JAGs, of course...

[Mile High Mania]

The biggest loss for NE this year is losing Adam Vinatieri. That is one guy they should've kept. I think the media guys are overreacting from the Pats losing a lot of their players. The Pats draft well. They'll find ways to replace McGinest, Givens, Ashworth, Dwight, etc, etc.

*This is something the Chiefs gotta do! Draft!

Possibly, but they're going to be replacing a boat load of guys... but that's all they are really, just blue collar dudes playing in Little Bill's system with Brady making the magic happen. :p

[Amnorix]

I hope the wind doesn't blow too hard and cause you to fall off all your bandwagons.

I'm on the Belichick Kool-Aid for life, don't you worry. If I could survive years of suckdom as a Patriots fan, I can survive a year or two of "just" going to hte playoffs. :D

[Mile High Mania]

Parcells-speak for "Just Another Guy" In other words, someone who won't make your team special or anything, and is relatively easily replaced. Every team has quite a few JAGs, of course...

I'm curious... who are the "JAGs" that NE is losing this year and who are the "special" players that NE has lost this season?

[Amnorix]

You're cracking me up now, dude. Just a guy? Maybe, but it just sounds funny after the "he's just a kicker".

The Pats will look quite different this year, but at least you have Superman still at QB.

True. For the record, Ashworth is the guy who missed the block that forced Brady to rush the throw that Bailey picked and returned to the 1 yard line, so my last memory of him isn't all that stellar.

He's fine. Serviceable, okay, decent. Alot of "average" adjectives. With Light returning from his broken leg, and Light's replacement third round pick Nick Kaczur returning, and former starter Brandon Gorin behind them, I'm not too worried about the OT spot. Ashworth would've provided depth, nothing more.

[Amnorix]

I'm curious... who are the "JAGs" that NE is losing this year and who are the "special" players that NE has lost this season?


Not JAG lost this season:

1. David Givens
2. Willie McGinest
3. Adam Vinatieri (but, "just a kicker" nonetheless)

JAG: All the rest.

[58-4ever]

True. For the record, Ashworth is the guy who missed the block that forced Brady to rush the throw that Bailey picked and returned to the 1 yard line, so my last memory of him isn't all that stellar.

He's fine. Serviceable, okay, decent. Alot of "average" adjectives. With Light returning from his broken leg, and Light's replacement third round pick Nick Kaczur returning, and former starter Brandon Gorin behind them, I'm not too worried about the OT spot. Ashworth would've provided depth, nothing more.

But the 'Hawks are probably using Ashworth at guard where he is probably a much more effective player...John Welbourne II.

[Amnorix]

Possibly, but they're going to be replacing a boat load of guys... but that's all they are really, just blue collar dudes playing in Little Bill's system with Brady making the magic happen. :p


Yes and no.

McGinest's replacement is probably already on the roster in the form of Mike Vrabel. But we need another ILB or two. A decent OLB backup would also be nice. He's a special guy, but at 34, his skills aren't likely to do anything but degrade, and probably quickly. We'll miss him more for his leadership and lockerroom presence. Simply stated -- a building team like the Browns needs him more than an established team like the Patriots, so he's worth more to them than us.

Givens is a very, very solid WR. Replacing him will be hard, but I think our passing game will be improved next year by Ben Watson's increased contributions at TE and by a better offensive line.

AV is just a kicker.

The rest are scrubs, more or less. I'd have liked to have kept Tim Dwight, but he signed for sick money. I'd also really like to keep our guard, Neal, who is reportedly close to re-signing.

Ultimately, none of these guys are our superstars or the very heart and soul of our team. No team captains. None the best at his position on the squad, except AV who had no one to compete with. None a recent pro bowler (except AV).

In short, I don't see any reason the Patriots shouldn't have a very, very good squad next year. None whatsoever.

[Amnorix]

But the 'Hawks are probably using Ashworth at guard where he is probably a much more effective player...John Welbourne II.

mmm.....maybe. He's 6'6, which is a bit tall for your typical guard. He has good feet, flexibility and hips, as shown by his occassional use by the Pats at fullback, and as a pass-catching third tackle (caught a TD for us last year).

I'm not sure whether he has the in-line power and balance that a guard usually requires, but maybe. Frankly, it might be the only thing that makes sense for the Seahawks, if they're paying him that much.

Still, the Pats usually try to make their players as flexible as possible, and I don't remember Ashworth practicing or playing at guard. Maybe he did and I'm just not remembering it.

[Joe Seahawk]

Joe,

Report on KFFL is that you guys signed Tom Ashworth, formerly of the Patriots, for a contract that pays him $4.5M in the first year. I find that hard to believe. What's up with that--is it true? He's solid, but he's "JAG", as Parcells would say. Definitely not worth big coin.

Congrats, btw, on all the off-season signings. Seems like you guys are gearing up with the thought that you're just a little bit away from winning the big prize and now is the time to go for it. Good luck! With Hasselbeck and Tatupu, there are alot of New England and Patriots ties there that make the Seahawks the easy front-runner for my favorite team in the NFC.

Thanks Amno, I'm a little suprised at the amount of $$ too, but we do have something like 18 mil of cap space burning a hole in our pocket. My guess is the contract is front loaded since we have so much space this year, and with Hutch leaving we wanted to add some depth.

One other possibility is we use him as a blocking TE like we did with Ryan Hannam (Dallas signed him)

Pork Chop Womack is a very capable guard, and our first round pick last year Chris Spencer (C) should be able to slide over and play guard as well.. I'm fine with the signing, but we need to get some more depth at CB and another safety would be nice too. (Hamlin is cleared to play again) but we lost Marquand Manuel to the Packers.


Hawks agree to terms with Ashworth | Subscribe

The Seahawks agreed to terms today with former New England Patriots T Tom Ashworth, a veteran of 30 regular-season starts in four NFL seasons. Ashworth also started at right tackle in Super Bowl XXXVIII against Carolina. Panthers LDE Julius Peppers finished that game with two tackles, no assists and no sacks, for what that might be worth (and those things are generally worth quite a bit to offensive linemen, given that they tend to get attention only when the bad guys win).

The Seahawks were looking to add starting-caliber depth to their offensive line. We do not yet know where Ashworth might play on the line, but he will presumably be among the five starters. There is some uncertainty now that LG Steve Hutchinson has departed. The Hawks have the next several months to figure out where everybody fits.

Ashworth, 28, had a pleasant visit with the Hawks and came away liking the style of offense they play here in Seattle. He liked the coaches too. Ashworth drew quite a bit of interest early in free agency, visiting the Jets, Bucs and Dolphins. But he never found the right situation until he visited the Seahawks. Ashworth agreed on a five-year deal that is expected to pay him about $4.5 million in the first year.

Ashworth is known as a good athlete (he has played tight end). He did miss much of the 2004 season with a back injury, but he started 11 games last season (eight at right tackle, two at left tackle, one at tight end).

[BigChiefFan]

Just a kicker that is CLUTCH-you can't replace that. It will cost the Pats some games because, your new kicker will MISS some of the kicks that AV would have made. I don't think AV is just another kicker. I also don't believe that BB didn't play games to RELY on his kicker from time to time. AV made a difference and will be hard to replace. Edinger isn't even in the same class as AV and that's who is rumored to replace AV.