Thomas Rawls and Jimmy Graham

 The Seahawks start training camp on Friday. Two of the big questions is whether Thomas Rawls and Jimmy Graham be ready for training camp or at the very least the opening of the regular season. They both ended last season prematurely because of injuries.

The Seahawks have questions at the running back position whether Rawls returns at top tip shape or not. I am sure there be ones thinking   whether Rawls was a one season wonder or not. He did look the real thing but we won’t know until at least the pre-season games are underway at the very least.

The Seahawks do have other running backs that will try to get their time in at the position too. Christine Michael is the only veteran coming back to see what he can do. At this point we have no idea what he can do for the Seahawks. Will he be the guy we saw at the end of the season when Rawls was injured or will he go back to where he was before last season started and was shipped off to Dallas?

Other candidates the Seahawks have are rookie running backs.  A good candidate is Alex Collins out of Arkansas who looks like Richard Sherman but can run over tacklers like Rawls and now retired the beastmode. Another candidate is C.J. Prosise out of Notre Dame who was the first back picked by the Seahawks in the college draft. Right now he is projected to be the third down back that can catch the ball or run with it too. Depending on his success could get more carries as well. A third rookie and last one that the Seahawks drafted as a running back is Zac Brooks out of Clemson. He has shown the Seahawk coaching brass a lot in the rookie camp earlier. These guys all have great potential but we won’t see until the pre-season games are under way.

Jimmy Graham is questionable as well though he looked good in the ota’s.  Coach Carroll thinks he should be ready to go. Besides coming back from injury the other question is whether he is best at tight end or wide receiver. The Seahawks have other good tight ends so if he is switched to wide receiver full time that would be OK. Having a big body the most important thing is to get him the ball whether on the outside or inside. If he does play some tight end it will likely be on passing downs and the Seahawks likely in a two tight end formation. He is not known for being a very good blocker. The Seahawks would be better if he could learn to be a better blocker but that may not happen at all. He can be an outside receiver on the opposite side of Jermaine Kearse or Tyler Lockett. Probably see a lot of three wide receiver formations with Doug Baldwin in the inside. With their speed Baldwin and Lockett can both play the inside. The important thing is that the Seahawks make specific plays for Graham, Lockett and Baldwin. Graham especially will be important on third downs in medium or long range. Also gives flexibility on short downs as well. The thing though is that we will see a lot of long passes to any of the wide receivers including Graham. We hope that the answers for Rawls and Graham will come sooner than later. Go Seahawks!