A "jacked up" Pete Carroll talked to the media after the first practice of his seventh training camp with the Seahawks, talking about everything from his new contract to how excited he is about this season to Michael Bennett’s decision to be in attendance.
In addition to those topics, here are five more takeaways from Carroll's press conference.
1. Frank Clark will play more this season.
When asked to evaluate the rookie season of defensive end Frank Clark, Carroll noted that the second-round pick was "flashy" and that he "showed the high end of his play." But Carroll also said that, in retrospect, Clark should have been on the field more in 2015, and that the Seahawks won't make that same mistake this year.
"I don't think we used him as much as we should have," Carroll said. "I think we should have forced him a little bit more. We look back and count his numbers, and I wish we would have gotten more play time out of him. That's why I am already telling you he is going to play a ton. We are going to get him all over the place and do all the things he can do. He's in really great shape. He looks phenomenal right now and he is really excited and pumped up for it, so if he can hold up with the kind of workload that we are talking about, he will be spotted all over the place."
2. Chris Clemons "just didn't want to play anymore."
Chris Clemons, a starter in Seattle from 2010 to 2013, re-signed with the Seahawks this offseason, but ended up deciding to retire just before the start of camp, ending an impressive 12-year career that included 38 sacks and a Super Bowl championship in four years with the Seahawks.
"He just didn't want to play anymore, he's just done," Carroll said. "When we went into it, I had a little thought that we might be getting near the end for Chris, and I wasn't surprised by that, to tell you the truth. He was a terrific player, a great guy on our team, we loved having him and loved the thought of him coming back to us, we were excited about that, but it wasn't going to work out for him."
3. Brandon Browner is a "monster of a football player."
While Brandon Browner is listed as a cornerback on Seattle's roster, the position he played for the Seahawks from 2011 to 2013, the Seahawks plan to use him in different ways this season, and to the way Carroll talked about the big defensive back after one day of camp, it's clear the Seahawks are excited about what they might be able to do with Browner in 2016.
"He's a monster of a football player," Carroll said. "He is such an unusually statured person at his position that he just jumps out. We are going to figure out how to utilize him. He is playing safety right now and he's having fun learning that spot, playing with Kam (Chancellor), so they are working it out. But also there are other things you can do with him too, and we are already implementing how to spot him and with match-ups and things like that. He is a very, very unique football player and if we can keep the officials' hands out of their pockets when he's playing—that'll be a big factor, that's something he has to do a good job of for us—but I am excited, because I love unique players and he is one of a kind."
4. Carroll is "really excited about Trevone Boykin."
While Jake Heaps will continue to battle for the backup quarterback job behind Russell Wilson, undrafted rookie Trevone Boykin was the No. 2 in practice Saturday, and if the former TCU standout can win the job, Carroll is excited about what he'll bring to that spot.
"We are really excited about Trevone," Carroll said. "We think he's got some great stuff, we see a guy who really matches up with our style of play, and that's comforting to know that we don't have to change how we are playing when he plays the game. We will limit him, but still, we'll stay in the same framework. He's a really good all-around player and we will see a great deal of him in preseason, and we will get a great feel for him. We are hoping that he will just continue. I know that he is a ball player, he is a ball player. He has learned the offseason, he has handled everything very well, communicates very well, his attitude has been great. He's got a terrific arm, so we're really excited about that."
5. This is a big year for DT Jordan Hill
Jordan Hill, a third-round pick in 2013, has shown a lot of potential in three seasons with the Seahawks, particularly when he recorded 5.5 sacks in the final six games of the 2014 season as an interior pass rusher. But Hill has also struggled to stay healthy during his NFL career, appearing in 27 of a possible 48 regular season games since 2013.
This season, Hill has an opportunity to be a big part of the defense if he can stay on the field. With Brandon Mebane moving on in free agency, Hill worked with the starting base defense at tackle next to Ahtyba Rubin, and was also in the No. 1 nickel package along with Michael Bennett, Cliff Avril and Clark.
"It is time for him to really grab onto his playing opportunity," Carroll said. "We really like Jordan and he has been in and out of the lineup because he has just been banged up. If he can just find good health and consistency, I think he's going to be a good factor for us. I really like the way he plays, I like his versatility and his quickness."
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