Tag Archives: DeShawn Shead

Kam Chancellor Returns to the Seahawks: What the Safety Brings Back to the Team

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He’s back.

Kam Chancellor ended his holdout and reported to the Seahawks on Wednesday

The Seattle Seahawks were evidently missing one of their leaders, especially on the field where the team allowed over 700 yards of offense (713) and 61 points (!) during the first two games of the NFL season.

So just what does Chancellor (re) add to the team upon his return?

First and foremost is his role as the “muscle,” for-lack-of-a-better-term, of the secondary. Chancellor is very much the enforcer to Earl Thomas’ centerfielder/last line of defense. DeShawn Shead and Dion Bailey (Chancellor’s temporary replacements) show promise, but neither of them can deliver a hit the way Kam Chancellor can.

Here’s Exhibit A:

And Exhibit B:

…And Exhibit C:

Also Exhibit D:

You can see why his nickname is “Bam Bam” (and not just because it rhymes with this first name).

Chancellor’s physical style of play not only meshes with everything the Seahawks do, it also helps the team in terms of intimidating opposing offenses. In a recent story by Michael Silver that ran on NFL.com, defensive end Cliff Avril said the follow about Chancellor, “’His presence, by itself, it puts a lot of fear in the receivers, and even the running backs.’”

It’s one thing to start a player who can make tackles and perform at a high level, it’s a completely different thing when a player actually inspires fear in opposing players. With that kind of a reputation, Chancellor could have a major impact on the game without making a single tackle. In other words, opposing players are fearful of going near Chancellor, they may avoid him for large chunks of the game. Not a bad card to have up your sleeve if you’re running a defense that strives to minimalize the number of big plays.

On top of all that, Chancellor is one of the leaders of the defense, not mention the team in general. Remember, during the Hawks’ offseason trip to Hawaii, it was largely thanks to Chancellor that some of the defensive players went in the first place.

Having all of those qualities in one player, and to have that player back is huge for the Seahawks. Chancellor will likely play on Sunday against the Bears, though how much remains to be seen. Regardless of his snap count on Sunday, expect him to play more, if not the whole game in Week Four.

Did I mention he can also do this?

Interested in voicing your opinion on fantasy football and contributing to a team? Head over to Kingdome’s sister site Know Hitter for more.

Seattle Seahawks’ Repeat and Dynasty Potential: Why Team’s Superb Player Development is the Key

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The Seattle Seahawks have experienced some of the usual perks of winning a Super Bowl. The parade, the sudden interest shown by media in the team’s players, etc.

Another result of the Super Bowl win has been a number of teams taking interest in the Seahawks’ free agents. Other teams are/were looking to take some of the Seahawks’ exceptional depth. The team has already lost supporting players Chris Maragos, Paul McQuistan and Clinton McDonald to free agency while key players like Golden Tate, Red Bryant, Walter Thurmond and Chris Clemons have also left town.

In addition to those players, the team also lost cornerback Brandon Browner and tackle Breno Giacomini, while players such as Sidney Rice and Michael Robinson could be brought back, but nothing is certain.

All of these losses will be felt in one way or another, but the team’s superb player development will help them sustain their winning ways.

Pete Carroll and friends find diamonds in the rough. Players like Doug Baldwin, Jermaine Kearse, Richard Sherman and Kam Chancellor. Players who were late-round draft picks or undrafted. These players soon develop into starting players, as evidenced by Sherman’s meteoric rise to elite status.

Developing late-round/undrafted players also gives Seattle a huge boost in terms of the salary cap and money. These players’ rookie contracts are much cheaper than a first or second-round picks’ contract. All of this adds up, thus the team can target more players in free agency to supplement the team.

So far, some of the Seahawks’ more prominent losses in free agency are easily replaceable with much cheaper players who could develop into better players.

For example, Tate’s will be replaced by Jermaine Kearse, while a healthier Percy Harvin will improve the offense even more so. The two should more than make up for the former Notre Dame standout.

Kearse is still on his rookie deal, while Tate signed for five years and as much as 31 million dollars with Detroit. This will save the Hawks lots of cash to funnel into players like Harvin or complementary veterans on shorter contracts.

On the offensive line, McQuistan and Giacomini will be replaced by younger players like Michael Bowie and Alvin Bailey. The team showed confidence in the latter pair last season and could also draft a lineman or two come April. Former first-round pick James Carpenter could also start.

Cornerback Byron Maxwell is another young player who will find himself starting again next year. The former Clemson Tiger filled in admirably for Browner during his suspension and in the process left no doubt that he was the better player for the role, as opposed to Thurmond. Maxwell, as well as young, cheap and talented corners Jeremy Lane, DeShawn Shead and Tharold Simon, will make up for the loss of the departed players.

All in all, players like Kearse, Bowie and Maxwell may or may not turn into star players. Their impact probably won’t be the sole reason the Seahawks turn into a dynasty. What will propel the Seahawks into a dynasty is their ability to continually find and develop under-valued players into impact performers.