According to KFFL.com, Jason Murphy of Yahoo Sports is reporting that the Seahawks are interested in former Panther center Justin Hartwig.
I know that is kind of a lot to digest, and if I could find any other source, I would be providing you something more substantial. However, it at least provides an interesting topic of discussion.
The interest in Hartwig could mean two things. First, it is possible the team will ask, or Chris Gray has decided to retire. The team would then be in need of someone besides Spencer to who can play center. The second thing this could mean, is that maybe the team feels Spencer is better suited at guard, where he doesn't have to make all the line calls. Spencer could then slide into the roll of guard/backup center.
Adding Hartwig would certainly provide another veteran presence on an important position on the line. Also, he and Mike Wahle are obviously familiar with each other. While Carolina's line wasn't anything to sing about last year, that could change with Mike Solari and Walter Jones added to the mix. Finally, I know the Lambs fans want this guy bad, so if he signed here it would deeply upset them, which I have no problem with.
That was a lot. If you want a scouting report from Scouts Inc.....
2007 Scouting Report - Scouts Inc.
Grade: 65 | Key
Alert: I
Comment: Hartwig is strong, versatile and fairly athletic. He plays big and could fill in at guard. He has good initial quickness and understands body position and angles. He is smart, instinctive and efficient. He can handle the calls and adjustments on the line. He is a solid technician who can get position and wall off. He stays balanced and in control when slipping off combo blocks to get to the second level. He can short pull, then locate and hit moving targets. He can slide and mirror off short pass sets. He has strong, active hands. He plays with awareness and reacts well to zone dogs and stunts. But Hartwig is tall for a center and doesn't play with ideal leverage. He isn't very explosive and fares best using angles instead of drive blocks. He sometimes struggles to maintain pocket depth against bull rushers. He had been durable before spending most of 2006 on injured reserve (groin).
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I think the team wanting ray to retire is the most likely of the scenarios. I don't think they want Spencer any place other than center, even if his play has not yet warranted him the starting role. In my personal opinion, the jury is out about Spencer, although I don't see how they thought he was the best center prospect in the last decade like they were saying at the time.
ReplyDeleteI do think it is likely that the Hawks would rather have Hartwig than Gray, as Gray is old and ineffective, his only strong suit is veteran leadership. I think this is something going on between Holmgren (who feels loyalty to Gray and that he should let him stay if he wants to, and the Ruskell/Mora crowd who feel no loyalty to him and just want the team better.)
-Griffin
I think it far more likely they will plug Hartig in at RG, Spencer was actually getting it most of last year, until his shoulders completely crapped out on him. He will be just fine. Hartig would be a lovely pickup.. as for the Sheep being unhappy, well, they got Josh Brown the 27th best kicker in the league and only had to pay linebacker money to get him, so they should be ecstatic...
ReplyDeleteMy 2 cents worth
Spencer needs more consistent play and seemed to get over-matched, at times. I like the idea of bringing in Hartwig to create competition at the C position. It is interesting in that there has been talk of Spencer being an effective guard, also. We know with Gray that Spencer's job is not at all in question.
ReplyDeleteIf the Rams want to sign him, it may be that he's a turd and would fit their roster well...
WORD...
ReplyDeleteIt's funny how when Josh Brown was a Seahawk that people thought he was such a great kicker and now that he's somewhere else he must suck.
ReplyDeleteGetting a guy like Hartwig would be great! It would totally solidify the line and it would mean we could go into '08 without Sims as a starter. I don't care if he has potential to be good. The excuse for him to suck (again) in '08 is that he's moving to the right side, after being on the left his first two years.
I would imagine it would also ensure that we would not need to draft an OL, we we'd already have 3 good tackles, and then 4 guards in Wahle, Hartwig, Sims, Wrotto, and Spencer. Maybe Vallos would be the 9th lineman and that would give him time to evolve into the back-up C. Or if someone fell into the draft and turned into the BPA then we could go that route too. All I know is adding a solid guy like Hartwig would be great!
This is just another way that we are trying to improve our Running game. Chris Gray was great and we could not thank him enough for his time and effort but the time has come for him to step back. We need someone else at RG. I'm also in the boat that we draft another O-Line prospect in the draft. If your O-line is weak (St. Louis, Arizona, San Fran and others) you are not going to win at any level especially at the Pro Level !!
ReplyDeleteRuskell and Company have been doing a great job overall, I don't even blame the Hutch deal on him since it took a poison pill to steal him away from us. Remember at that time, nobody was paying a Guard that kind of money. It was hard and it does suck he is not here anymore but I have a hard time thrashing Ruskell on it since he is trying to balance the cap and keeping us division champs and in the playoffs every year. To do that you can't always pay your players what other teams will overpay for, not saying that Hutch is overpaid but at that time it was overpaying ! Tough job but I for one would like to say THANK YOU MR. RUSKELL !!!
Jeff
This blog is rubbish check out the tribunes blog instead
ReplyDeleteTelling a player he's not as good or important as he thinks he is must really make him feel good and want to stay in Seattle, right? Also, being a liar and telling him you will work on an extention and then never do it must make him want to stay too.
ReplyDeleteI'd have fricking taken a poison pill to get the hell out of town too when you're working for an arrogant asshole (Timmy, not Allen).
At least this blog has relevant Seahawk information today and every day. Don't see anything about Hartwig on the Insider.
ReplyDeleteIf you are a D-Jackson fan this is a must read :0
ReplyDeletehttp://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/ninerinsider/detail?&entry_id=24974
I can't believe Frank is on here as Anonymous asking people to go back and read his blog...
ReplyDeleteSpencer has always been a great athlete (when healthy) but he seems to lack one of the most important factors for a center -- leadership. Centers not only have to understand defenses enough to make the line calls, they have to be the leaders of the O-Line. We can't know how much Spencer has learned about defenses but we do know that he's always described as a quiet guy, non-descript guy, not a guy that other players will rally around and follow.
ReplyDeleteFor a while now, I've been hoping that Spencer would move over to guard to make room for someone else at center. One of the guys I've been rooting for is Vallos, who was a team leader in college.
Interesting take Erik. That is a view point I haven't considered. Maybe with the new line staff, they will be able to accurately diagnose if he has what it takes to be a leader, or he needs to be moved.
ReplyDeleteTobek certainly wasn't a huge talent, but he had the guts of a thief and was a good leader of men.
Erik, you got it!
ReplyDeleteRobby Tobeck was as responsible for making the SB team what it was.
Leadership, and he kept them loose.
And other linemen listened to him on the line.
Spencer was overwhelmed (awed?) by this his first year, and perhaps his physical condition (not being able to walk the walk after telling others what they had to do)
last year.
But I still can't see him looking Mr. Jones in the eye and saying "Now look here".
With Jones, Wahle and Hartwig you can look for third and shorts over the left side...even if we don't get another RB.
Spencer is a bright guy, but that does not necessarily make you a leader.
Jones has never had an interest in solidifying the team, only in keeping his edge. Hutchinson left leadership to the locker room where no one would mess with him.
Tobeck joked and got better performance.
Locklear? Gray?
Not veritable rooks Vallos, Wrotto, Sims, or Willis.
Maybe Hartwig can be an earwig.
Spenser will be fine, some positions a rookie cannot do what Tobek did, Spenser will get there, this year or maybe next.
ReplyDelete----
to that durt guy...
Accept no substitutes.. only go with the REAL
Phil!!!
:) :) :) :)
Yeah, okay! I'll make sure to check out at least 2 advertisers a day..
ReplyDeletePretty tacky..