Former UW star Ben Burr-Kirven could be victim of roster crunch

Seattle Seahawks linebacker and former Washington Huskies star Ben Burr-Kirven will need to prove his worth on special teams in 2020.

The Seattle Seahawks are heading into the 2020 season with their two longest tenured defensive players, Bobby Wagner and K.J. Wright, reprising their roles as starting linebackers.

With Mychal Kendricks no longer in the fold, the SAM linebacker position is up for grabs in a competition between rookie Jordyn Brooks, a first round pick in 2020, as well as Cody Barton, a third rounder in 2019 who looked good in brief action last season.

Of course, with coach Pete Carroll, it’s never that simple. Bruce Irvin, who the team signed early on in free agency, is expected to play some SAM on early downs, before transitioning to a defensive end/pass rushing role in third down situations.

Seattle could also slide Wright, who is expected to be fully recovered from offseason shoulder surgery by Week 1, over to the SAM role, allowing Brooks to play his more natural WILL position in his first NFL season.

Plus, after staying in their 4-3 base defense nearly 70% of the time last year, often leading to poor results, the Seahawks could opt to play nickel a lot more in 2020, especially if they like what they see out of Ugo Amadi in training camp.

All this leads to a myriad of questions about Seattle’s defensive setup, including what will happen to the team’s other linebacker, Ben Burr-Kirven, a fifth round pick in 2019 out of the University of Washington.

Burr-Kirven joined the Seahawks as a tackling machine, having led the entire NCAA in tackles in 2018 with the Huskies. He was always seen as a developmental linebacker who would cut his teeth on the special teams in year one, and that’s exactly how things went down.

BBK appeared in all 16 games for the Seahawks in 2019, racking up eight combined tackles and forcing one fumble on 310 total snaps – 306 which occurred on special teams.

The odds of him stepping into a bigger role on defense in year two got a lot slimmer with the additions of Irvin and Brooks.

And, since he’s unlikely to go the route of Shaquem Griffin and develop into an undersized pass rusher – that’s just not his game – he is currently on the outside looking in for regular snaps on defense.

Of course, coach Pete Carroll loves his core special teamers, and while there’s not room for many on the active roster, it does seem hard to imagine the team cutting someone who appeared in all 16 games last year, and was a part of 66% of the team’s special teams snaps.

BBK will have to prove he’s one of the most valuable, if not the most valuable, special teamer on the roster if he wants to find himself in a Seahawks uniform for the duration of the 2020 campaign.

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Why Washington’s Aaron Fuller could make Seahawks roster

The Seattle Seahawks love their undersized, UDFA receivers, and Aaron Fuller has a little Jermaine Kearse and a lot of Doug Baldwin in him.

The Seattle Seahawks brought in a whopping 17 undrafted free agents from the 2020 class to compete for spots on the active roster.

Most years, teams are lucky to get one UDFA to make the squad, as they are primarily brought in to give the team extra bodies during training camp.

However, the Seahawks have had plenty of luck in the past, going all the way back to Dave Krieg, and including Jermaine Kearse, Doug Baldwin and more recently, defensive tackle Poona Ford.

Speaking of Kearse, the Seahawks are hoping another undrafted receiver out of the University of Washington, Aaron Fuller, will do enough during training camp to earn a spot on the team’s roster in 2020.

While Kearse is the obvious comparison thanks to their alma mater, Fuller actually drew a lot of comparisons to Baldwin, Seattle’s other prominent undrafted free agent receiver.

Baldwin was an unassuming, undersized slot receiver out ot Stanford who Seattle signed in 2011. He went on to haul in 493 receptions for 6,563 yards and 49 touchdowns in eight seasons with the Seahawks, retiring after the 2018 season after suffering a shoulder injury the previous year.

Fuller has some big shoes to fill that role, but at five-foot-ten and 190 pounds, and with excellent production in college and some of the best route-running skills in the NCAA coming out of UW, there’s plenty of reason for optimism.

Seattle already has their own mini-Baldwin on the roster, however, after using a seventh round pick to select John Ursua in 2019.

Ursua and Fuller are two of a handful of receivers competing for one of the final spots on Seattle’s 53-man roster, a list that includes David Moore, Penny Hart, Cody Thompson, Freddie Swain, and Seth Dawkins.

With Tyler Lockett, DK Metcalf and Phillip Dorsett all seemingly locked into the top three receiving roles, there’s little room for error if Fuller wants to make the roster.

However, Moore is a potential cap casualty, and no one else has proven anything in the NFL – so if Fuller makes a strong impression in camp, there’s reason to believe he will be wearing the green and blue next year, and still donning the No. 2 he wore while with the Huskies.

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4 things to know about Jets undrafted free agent OT Jared Hilbers

Here are four things to know about Jets undrafted free agent OT Jared Hilbers, a swing tackle from the University of Washington.

The Jets put an emphasis on rebuilding their offensive line this offseason, adding a handful of new starters and considerable depth that last year’s team lacked.

They only added one lineman through undrafted free agency, though: University of Washington tackle Jared Hilbers. Standing at 6-foot-7, 305 pounds, Hilbers has the athleticism to play either tackle position and is a sound run blocker.

With that said, let’s get to know Hilbers a bit better. Here are four things to know about the undrafted free agent out of Washington.

(Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)

Basketball Background

Jared Hilbers is yet another Jets offensive lineman with a basketball background. He was a star high school basketball player in Oregon before deciding to join his school’s football team during his junior year.

Just like New York’s acquisition of George Fant, who played college basketball at Western Kentucky, Hilbers has the type of athleticism and versatility that Joe Douglas is looking for in his offensive linemen.

New B/R mock draft has Thunder taking center Isaiah Stewart at No. 25

Stewart started all 28 games for the Huskies as a freshman, averaging 16.9 points and 8.5 rebounds in 32.2 minutes per game.

Even under the best of circumstances, there are always a multitude of questions leading up to the NBA Draft.

And this year is anything but the ideal scenario.

For the moment, the NBA Draft is still on schedule for June 25, but who will be entering the draft and how those players will be adequately evaluated remains up in the air.

Which makes accurately projecting the upcoming draft that much more difficult.

In his most recent mock version, Sam Vecenie of The Athletic had the Oklahoma City Thunder taking Arizona freshman guard, Josh Green, with the No. 25 overall pick. However, Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report sees Sam Presti going in a different direction – taking the freshman center out of Washington, Isaiah Stewart, at No. 25.

Stewart made a strong final statement in the Pac-12 tournament game against Arizona, scoring a season-high 29 points with a three-pointer. There isn’t anything sexy about his post-up-heavy attack, but it’s easy to picture Stewart contributing right away with his powerful 250-pound frame, effort and hands around the basket.

Wasserman only projected to the first round, so there’s no additional insight as to who the Thunder might take with their second-round selection.

As for Stewart, the 6-foot-9, 250-pound freshman played and started in all 28 games for the Huskies this season. He averaged 16.9 points and 8.5 rebounds in 32.2 minutes per game and scored in double-digits in all but two games.

He shot a respectable 56.2% from the floor and 77% from the free-throw line, where he hit 134 of his 174 attempts.

Check out some of his highlights:

Will the Seahawks take chance on Trey Adams after poor combine?

University of Washington tackle Trey Adams had a poor performance at the NFL combine, but the Seattle Seahawks should still consider him.

The NFL combine is an opportunity for players who may otherwise not get a ton of publicity to show off their length and athleticism. Often times, like in the case of DK Metcalf last year, it helps a player burst onto the national scene – raising their draft stock and their future earnings considerably.

In the case of others, however, it can completely derail a once-promising career, and has been known to do enough damage that someone previously expected to get drafted in the first few rounds falls out of the draft picture entirely.

That is looking like the case for former University of Washington tackle Trey Adams – who was at one point considered among the best young tackles in all of college football. However, a pair of very serious injuries sapped a lot of his athleticism, which was extremely apparent in his sluggish performance at the NFL combine.

Adams ran a 5.6 in the 40-yard dash, along with a 24.5 inch vertical leap and a 7-foot-8 broad jump – all which were the worst marks among offensive linemen.

While Adams remained healthy in 2019, it’s clear his previous injury history is still impacting him, and has likely rendered him damaged goods by most NFL scouts.

However – Adams still possesses good strength and quickness getting into his pass sets, and could still develop into a capable starter at tackle, or at least a high-quality backup.

The Seahawks, like every other team, probably shouldn’t use a draft pick on a player with his checkered injury history and dwindling athleticism.

However, taking a chance on a homegrown kid as an undrafted free agent, at least to see if there’s hope for that athleticism to return with another injury-free season, seems like a worthwhile gamble for a team in need of reinforcements up front.

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Former Seattle Seahawks safety Nesby Glasgow passed away

Former Seattle Seahawks and University of Washington safety Nesby Glasgow lost his battle with cancer and passed away at age 62.

Former University of Washington and Seattle Seahawks safety Nesby Glasgow passed away on Tuesday after a long battle with cancer. He was 62 years old.

Glasgow was a member of UW’s 1977 squad that went to the Rose Bowl and defeated Michigan in a stunning upset, 27-20, early in 1978. His collegiate accomplishments eventually earned him recognition on the All-Century Team for the University of Washington.

He was drafted after the following year by the Baltimore Colts in the eighth round of the 1979 NFL draft, the start of a 14-year NFL career that would land him back in Seattle for his final five seasons from 1988-1992.

Glasgow was an excellent kick and punt returner early in his career with Baltimore, but had transitioned to a full-time defensive back and special teamer by the time he landed in Seattle.

Across five seasons, Glasgow appeared in 77 games, starting 31, and recording 5.5 sacks, seven fumble recoveries and three interceptions.

The Seahawks Wire sends our condolences to Glasgow and his family.

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2020 NFL Draft: Why UW’s Nick Harris is a good fit for Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks are expected to overhaul their offensive line in 2020, and drafting UW center Nick Harris would be a great start.

The Seattle Seahawks are heading into the offseason with a potentially massive overhaul of their offensive line in store.

Starting left guard Mike Iupati and right tackle Germain Ifedi are both unrestricted free agents, along with backup tackle George Fant. Center Joey Hunt is a restricted free agent, and both center Justin Britt and right guard D.J. Fluker are potential cut candidates.

This almost certainly means 1-2 starters will be new in 2020, and the team will have to choose whether to pursue veterans on the open market, or to try to find replacements via the NFL draft.

One of my personal favorite targets, should they choose to explore upgrading via the draft, is University of Washington center Nick Harris.

Harris brings versatility as both a center and a guard, and scouts have praised him for his work in run protection, particularly when getting to the second level, as well as his high football IQ .

He seems to be an ideal fit for the offensive package the Seahawks currently employ, and under the tutelage of Mike Solari it’s easy to imagine him turning into a very solid NFL starter.

Most current mock drafts have him in the second or third round range, and if that holds up it would behoove the Seahawks to strongly consider him.

With Ethan Pocic, Phil Haynes and Jamarco Jones alongside Harris, the Seahawks could potentially put together a young, strong, cohesive offensive line in the next year or two.

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Kasen Williams confident Dragons will have the best fans in the XFL

Former Seahawks receiver Kasen Williams believes the Dragons, Seattle’s new XFL team, will have the best fanbase in the league.

For the last decade, the Seattle Seahawks have been synonymous with a handful of things: the Legion of Boom, Pete Carroll, Russell Wilson and the 12’s.

The fanbase has been known as one of the loudest and rowdiest in the NFL, making CenturyLink Field a dreaded place to play for opponents.

Even though the Seahawks season is over, the 12’s still have plenty of opportunities to bring the noise to CenturyLink this Spring with the inaugural XFL season coming up.

The first home game for the Seattle Dragons is February 15, and former Seahawks receiver Kasen Williams knows the crowd is going to bring it, just like they always do.

“We’re gonna have the fans,” Williams said after Friday’s practice. “They’re gonna show out. We’re probably gonna have the best fanbase in the whole XFL. I told them get ready. It’s not gonna feel like an XFL game, when we go play away and we come back home it’s going to be a completely different vibe.”

Williams is one of six former Seahawks who is now suiting up for the Dragons, a list that includes receiver Keenan Reynolds, quarterback B.J. Daniels and tackle Isaiah Battle.

Williams also played his college ball at the University of Washington, and could not be happier to continue his playing career in Seattle.

“Gratitude (is) through the roof,” Williams said. “I’m just extremely grateful to be here. I could have been playing anywhere. The fact that I’m here and the story gets to continue to be told in Seattle, it’s dope.”

Williams played for the Seahawks in 2015 and 2016, appearing in three games, before starring in the 2017 preseason and still, to the surprise of many, getting cut on September 1. He ended up with the Browns, hauling in nine catches in his most recent NFL action.

Now, Williams hopes to resurrect his career in the XFL, with the stated goal of making his way back into the league.

But first, he wants to help establish the Dragons as the team to beat in the eight-team XFL, something he believes is very doable after seeing the other teams in camp.

“I feel confident in our team,” Williams said. “I think we’re gonna have a good squad, I really do. The way we stack up to our opponents, I think we’re gonna have the opportunity to really make a splash in this league for it being the first year. We can really be one of the teams that gives the XFL a good rap.”

The Dragons will begin their season on Saturday, February 8 in Washington, DC against the Defenders at 2:00 p.m. PT.

Their home opener will be a week later against the Tampa Bay Vipers, also at 2:00 p.m. PT.

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Seahawks tight end Will Dissly is ‘killing it’ with his rehab

Seattle Seahawks tight end Will Dissly is killing it in his rehab, according to coach Pete Carroll, and could return sooner than expected.

The Seattle Seahawks lost tight end Will Dissly to a season-ending injury for the second year in a row in 2019, when the former University of Washington product suffered a torn achilles in Week 6 against the Cleveland Browns.

Dissly recovered quicker than expected from the torn patellar tendon in his knee in 2018, and early reports from coach Pete Carroll indicate all is well on the rehab front for Dissly once again.

“He’s killing it,” Carroll said on Monday. “He’s killing the rehab. Will is doing great. He’s spending some time down in LA to get right, and he’s really fired up about the people that he’s working with and the progress he’s making. He’s been around a lot. He’ll get it done. Will will get it done. There’s no question he will. But, it’s a long process, it’s going to be some tough work for him.”

Achilles injuries usually take about a full year to recover from, but Carroll reported shortly after his surgery that it was a minimally invasive procedure, and that he could return sooner than anticipated.

What exactly that means remains unclear, but considering a full recovery probably wouldn’t have him back until midseason, it seems unlikely that Dissly will be healthy before the preseason – and may not make it back in time for the start of the regular season.

Tight end will be a position of need for the Seahawks this offseason, with Luke Willson set to hit free agency and Dissly’s injury concern.

However, Dissly did make it back to full health last year, and Carroll is extremely confident he can do it again.

The blocking tight end proved to be far more than that in the 10 games he’s played over the past two seasons, hauling in 31 receptions for 418 yards and six touchdowns.

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News: Woodson snubbed again by HoF, Garrett decision still looms

A Dallas assistant may be a college coordinator candidate, several players head to Las Vegas, and the original Hail Mary is up for a vote.

Day 4 of the Jason Garrett-Dallas Cowboys lovefest standoff was seeming to come to an uneventful close, and then ESPN happened. One assistant sat down with a rival team to talk about their head coaching job and another staffer is being touted as the frontrunner for a college coordinator gig.

Also, a yellow-jacket snub for a Cowboys legend, end-of-year bonuses for two defensive standouts (and a career decision in the offing for one), and a call for votes regarding the most famous play in team history. Next year’s opponents have been finalized, this year’s offensive prowess is put into painful perspective, and an early look at free agency puts the talents of two Cowboys on display.

All that, plus a posse of starters take the Vegas Strip, the best audio captured during Week 17’s big win, and a former Cowboys coach says goodbye to the game. That’s on tap in this edition of News and Notes.


ESPN joins speculation Jason Garrett will not be part of Cowboys future

Ed Werder said something, ESPN bosses claimed he said more than that and Thursday morning arrived with Jason Garrett still on the Cowboys’ payroll.


Giants interview Cowboys coach Kris Richard for HC gig :: Giants Wire

Kris Richard has had a sit-down session with the New York Giants about their head coaching position. The Cowboys’ passing game coordinator/defensive backs coach met Thursday with Giants president John Mara, general manager Dave Gettleman, and team vice president Kevin Abrams as the team begins its search for Pat Shurmur’s replacement.

Dallas has won the last six meetings with Big Blue; Richard has been on the Cowboys’ coaching staff for the past four. Richard’s unit helped hold New York to under 275 yards in two of those games, and 18 points or less in three of them.


Past/Present: Hall of Fame finalists set :: The Mothership

The list of Modern-Era finalists to make the Pro Football Hall of Fame has been announced. Cowboys Ring of Honor safety Darren Woodson, the franchise’s all-time leading tackler, was one of 25 semifinalists. Once again, though, the five-time first-team All-Pro did not make the cut.

Linebacker and Texas native Zach Thomas, who played one year in Dallas  after a 12-year stint with the Dolphins, was named one of the 15 Modern-Era finalists.

Several other former Cowboys are 2020 finalists for Canton in various categories. Jimmy Johnson and Dan Reeves are finalists in the Coaches category, while Drew Pearson and Cliff Harris are among the Senior finalists. Team founder Clint Murchison is a Contributors finalist.

The 2020 Class of the Pro Football Hall of Fame will be announced February 1.


Sean Lee will wait on career decision :: The Mothership

Tight end Jason Witten was the one noticeably shaking hands with teammates at the end of 2019’s season finale, but he’s not the only longtime Cowboy who may have played his final game in a Dallas uniform. Linebacker Sean Lee may decide to hang up his cleats or even move on to different NFL pastures.

After agreeing to a reduced role in 2019, Lee played in all 16 games for the first time in his 10-year career. But the game has taken a toll, and the Penn State alum says he’ll have a decision to make.

“I’m going to take some time, talk to the wife, talk to the family and see where I’m at physically in a month or two and make a decision then,” he said.

Lee is set to be a free agent in March.


Sean Lee, Jeff Heath earn 2019 bonuses :: ESPN

According to ESPN’s Todd Archer, veteran linebacker Sean Lee netted a million-dollar incentive bonus for playing in 59.1% of the team’s defensive snaps in 2019. Safety Jeff Heath collected $250,000 for playing more than 65% of the snaps.

Archer also notes that the team ended 2019 with approximately $19.5 million in cap room that can be carried over to 2020, citing NFLPA figures.


Cowboys exceptionally bad at being good :: Cowboys Wire

Fans still looking for answers on exactly how the Cowboys’ season could possibly be over won’t find any helpful answers in this piece. That’s because if you look at just the numbers, this Dallas squad ranks among the best ever in a few select categories.

Take, for example, teams since 1960 with the most wins of 30+ points, 400+ yards, and a 10+ point differential in a season. In other words, teams who had a habit of demolishing their opponents. Of the 14 teams atop that list, the 2019 Cowboys are the only bunch to not make the postseason. Most went quite deep into the playoffs. Take away Dallas, and the average team of that group boasted a 13-win record.

Crunch the numbers with Tony Thompson and see precisely where these Cowboys rank among 8-8 teams throughout history.


Five names to know in Washington’s offensive coordinator search :: The Seattle Times

“Here’s your frontrunner.”

That’s what they’re saying in the Pacific Northwest about Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore and the open OC slot at the University of Washington. Chris Petersen, Moore’s collegiate head coach at Boise State, stepped down as the Huskies’ coach in early December, and now new coach Jimmy Lake has let go of his offensive coordinator after UW defeated Boise State in the school’s recent bowl game.

Moore, who grew up in the state of Washington, would certainly be an attractive candidate after boosting the Cowboys offense to big numbers in the 2019 season, his first as an OC at any level.


Sounds from the sideline :: The Mothership

In the season’s final installment of this popular segment, listen in as microphones pick up on-the-field chatter during the Cowboys’ blowout win over Washington.

Among the highlights are linebacker Sean Lee doing some coaching up of the defensive unit, great team reactions to wideout Michael Gallup’s acrobatic second touchdown catch of the day, and running backs coach Gary Brown offering some heartfelt proclamations to his guys in the midst of his own uncertain future with the organization.


Cowboys 2020 schedule: List of home, away, AFC and NFC, 2nd place opponents :: Cowboys Wire

Dallas’s list of 2020 opponents is set, based on the Cowboys’ second-place finish in the NFC East as well as the rotation of divisional pairings across the league.

At home in AT&T Stadium, Dallas will host Philadelphia, Washington, the New York Giants, Arizona, San Francisco, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and Atlanta.

The Cowboys will travel to take on Philadelphia, Washington, the New York Giants, Seattle, the Los Angeles Rams, Minnesota, Cincinnati, and Baltimore.

Dates for the games will be announced in April.


Cowboys’ ‘Hail Mary’ up for Greatest Moment in NFL History :: NFL.com

As part of the league’s centennial celebration, fans are being asked to help choose the single greatest moment in NFL history. Each team has one signature moment in the running, with an online vote to help narrow things down round by round.

The 32 clips make for the ultimate highlight reel: John Elway’s helicopter run, The Ice Bowl, The Immaculate Reception, The Catch, the Patriots’ 28-3 Super Bowl comeback, the Chargers-Dolphins Epic in Miami in the 1981 playoffs, David Tyree’s helmet catch, and the Music City Miracle, to name just a few.

The Cowboys’ moment? The original “Hail Mary” pass from Roger Staubach to Drew Pearson that moved Dallas past the favored Minnesota Vikings in the 1975 playoffs, advancing them to the NFC championship game and, eventually, Super Bowl X.

Voting is open now. The Greatest Moment in NFL History will be revealed during Super Bowl LIV.


The top 10 non-quarterback free agents on offense of the 2020 season :: Pro Football Focus

Dallas wideout Amari Cooper tops this list of free agents who don’t play quarterback. Despite a memorable number of drops, a frustrating dip in output in away games, and an apparent laundry list of minor maladies that kept him operating at less than full capacity, the quantifiable lift Cooper still brings to the team’s offense “is the best explanation for quarterback Dak Prescott’s increase in production and Cooper’s spot atop the offensive free agent list.”

A polarizing Cowboy also leads the list of best defensive free agents. “Many will point to [cornerback Byron] Jones not picking off a pass over the last two years, but his 74.1 coverage grade in single coverage is 11th-best during that time and Jones has also shown the ability to match up against tight ends when called upon.”


Cowboys players heading to the desert :: @rjochoa (Twitter)

The season is over, the lockers are cleaned out, the offseason has begun. And for a group of Cowboys starters, it’s getaway time.

Cowboys fans are hoping what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. And off TMZ.


Lions DC Paul Pasqualoni steps down amid staff shake-up :: ESPN

Paul Pasqualoni has stepped down in Detroit. The 70-year-old defensive coordinator, one of coach Matt Patricia’s first hires when he took over in the Motor City, says he is stepping away from football.

Pasqualoni spent time on the Dallas coaching staff over his storied career. He served as tight ends coach in 2005 and is credited with helping to guide a young Jason Witten to his second straight Pro Bowl that season. In 2006, he moved to linebackers coach and was instrumental in DeMarcus Ware’s development as a second-year player. He left Dallas after the 2007 season, but returned for 2010 as the team’s defensive line coach. When head coach (and defensive coordinator) Wade Phillips was fired halfway through that season, Pasqualoni was tapped to serve as interim DC for the remainder of the season… under interim head coach Jason Garrett.


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