Carlson quietly moving into key Seahawks role
Friday, August 22, 2008 3:16 PM PDT
RENTON, Wash. (AP) — Will Heller has been through six NFL training camps. That’s long enough to know why the Seahawks drafted John Carlson in the second round.
‘‘They didn’t draft him that high to sit on the bench,’’ the veteran tight end said, laughing and knowing the rookie from Notre Dame is about to surpass him to become the starter and downfield receiving threat Seattle has lacked recently.
Heller’s right.
The only place Carlson will be sitting this season is in the middle of soft zone defenses while running key pass routes coach Mike Holmgren loves to feature in his offense. Holmgren loves utilizing his tight end downfield, but had to improvise last season because Marcus Pollard faded and was eventually released.
So if there was yelling or lecturing on the practice field during training camp that ended Thursday, chances are Holmgren was delivering and Carlson was, well, receiving.
‘‘When he signed his contract when he came in (two days late), I grabbed him and I kind of laid it out for him,’’ Holmgren said. ‘‘I said, ‘This is what you can expect from me, and this is why.’
‘‘He’s a bright guy and he’s a very good player. The worst thing that can happen is that the player’s off balance, and he doesn’t understand why I’m dumping on him. He understands. That’s clear. That’s been said. Now it’s up to him. He’s going to be fine.’’
Holmgren isn’t declaring yet that Carlson will start over Heller, a blocking specialist whom Holmgren calls ‘‘Mr. Dependable,’’ or veteran offseason arrival Jeb Putzier, who’s caught the ball well but has been out of practice this week with an injury.
He doesn’t have to.
‘‘I really feel he is the player we thought he was when we drafted him,’’ Holmgren said.
That means a 6-foot-5 target with the ability to make big catches. Carlson doesn’t have impressive speed that former first-round bust Jerramy Stevens did before Seattle finally gave up on him following the 2006 season, but he’s already proving to have more dependable hands.
That, and a wisdom for not sounding or acting entitled.
Ask him about being thrust into a starting role and instantly being a key to the offense, and Carlson flashes a stunned, fearful look, as if to say, ‘‘What are you, crazy? Someone might hear you!’’
‘‘Honestly, I don’t think about what my role is going to be,’’ Carlson said. ‘‘My focus is just to be as good a player as I can be. That includes special teams.”
