The Seahawks have been putting the “foot” in football, as fans have been all atwitter about what they’re doing with the team’s special teams.
They traded up in the fifth round to draft Michael Dickson, which obviously put Jon Ryan’s standing with the team in jeopardy. After the game on Saturday – where Dickson had the Chargers on their heels all day – the team and Ryan agreed to part ways, with the hope that the MVP will hook up with another team. It was moderately surprising, I guess, but the Seahawks love nothing else than to keep us all on our toes.
More shocking was the early end to the placekicker battle, as the team stomped on the hopes and dreams of youngster Jason Myers. My thinking was – all things being even – the team would opt to keep the cheaper guy with more contract control, but either Janikowski was the pick all along – and he just needed to prove his health for the team to keep trotting him out there game-in and game-out – or it really wasn’t even as it looked in the two pre-season games, and Myers wasn’t as reliable during practice. Hard to blame them if that’s the case, as the season from hell that was the Blair Walsh Experiment might give anyone PTSD when it comes to the kicking game.
Not surprisingly, I suppose, is that the Seahawks really have no interest in kicking competitions, and probably hated wasting two extra roster spots when they knew all along what they wanted to do. Those are two spots that can go to a 9th DB or an 11th wide receiver or some such nonsense. For what it’s worth, I have no problem with their choices. Obviously, I was ready to move on at the punter spot, as the new guy is cheaper, younger, and significantly better; he could be an All Pro punter for a decade, starting with year one! As for kicker, I guess we’ll have to wait and see. There’s a little nagging doubt about giving up on Myers so soon; I’d hate to see him catch on somewhere else and be fabulous for a long time. I mean, good kickers have to come from somewhere, and it’s not insane for a guy to bounce around a few different organizations before figuring it out. Of course, the odds are in our favor, and he’s truly going to be a bust, but I guess I wish him well or whatever.
Just … just get the job done, Janikowski. That’s all I ask. Make the ones you’re supposed to make, and surprise us with a handful of 50-yarders. I don’t want to have to think about the kicker when there’s so many other things to worry about with this team.