by: Michael Steffes
If you go by what the professor John Clayton thinks -- and let's face it, we love the professor around these parts -- then the Seahawks have scored their first victory of 2009.
Clayton has pronounced the Seahawks the winners of the offseason:
General manager Tim Ruskell has had the league's best offseason to date because he filled needs before the draft and moved further ahead during the draft. Ruskell acquired needed size along the defensive line by getting Cory Redding and wide-body Colin Cole. An already talented linebacker corps improved with the drafting of Aaron Curry and the re-signing of Leroy Hill to a six-year contract. Wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh was also a big pickup. Second-round choice Max Unger could help out at left guard and end up being the center of the future. Ken Lucas returns at right corner after four years in Carolina and adds needed size to the position. The topper was getting the Broncos' first-round pick next year, thanks to a draft-day trade.Hard to argue with that. And we all know Clayton is about as fair to the Seahawks as any nationally focused reporter out there. Still, it is nice to receive some offseason praise. Clearly, Seahawks fans aren't the only ones who have noticed.
It is only fair to note, however, that winning the offseason does not actually equate to wins in the fall, despite how I may have titled this post. The more important moves may be the ones not mentioned by Clayton: the hirings of Jim Mora, Gus Bradley, Dan Quinn, and Gregg Knapp. It will be up to those men to make sure Ruskell's fine offseason work doesn't go to waste.
And now, I return to watching the Players' Championship, a welcome break from offseason football. END
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