Rookie does everything he can to force Hawks to keep him

By Chris Cluff  |   Tuesday, August 19, 2008  |  Comments( 5 )

Seattle Seahawks
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Every year, in every NFL camp, a few unknown, unexpected gems shine a bit brighter than the rest. The Seattle Seahawks certainly have their share of those diamonds in the rough, and the most prominent of them is a little running back named Justin Forsett.

The 5-foot-8 rookie’s performance Saturday against the Chicago Bears cemented his status in the minds of many fans, who already were clamoring for the seventh-round pick out of Cal to make the final 53-man roster. But the fans don’t get to make the call, and there are other factors to consider in deciding whether Forsett makes the team. Despite his 261 combined yards, including 136 rushing in the second half and overtime of Seattle’s 29-26 victory, Forsett is certainly not a lock to make the team.

How could the coaches decide against keeping the little dynamo after his inspirational preseason performance? How could they ignore those numbers? Because they have other numbers to consider – such as the $2 million signing bonus they gave to T.J. Duckett and the two injured starting receivers who will require the team to keep extra wideouts.

Even though coach Mike Holmgren has repeatedly said – in carefully veiled words – that he really has no use for Duckett, the fact is that the former first-round draft choice was hand-picked by president Tim Ruskell, who knew Duckett from when the two were in Atlanta. Ruskell gave Duckett a five-year contract that included that $2 million signing bonus and probably won’t want to just eat that money.

But Ruskell could change his mind, particularly if Holmgren decides he wants Forsett this year and convinces Ruskell that Forsett would be more valuable to the team than Duckett would be. A lot of things could happen. First, let’s look at why the Seahawks might keep Forsett.

1) He’s better than Duckett. In the first two games, he has shown more toughness and versatility despite his smaller stature. He would seem to bring more to the team than Duckett, who has been hit-and-miss in his short-yardage chances this preseason.

2) Forsett would return kicks. The Seahawks are looking for guys to relieve Nate Burleson of the return duties, and that is the one thing that would deem Forsett worthy of a roster spot. He certainly showed last Saturday that he could do it, but he would have to beat out Josh Wilson, Ben Obomanu, Jordan Kent, et al.

3) Maurice Morris is a free agent after the season. That certainly played into Ruskell’s decision to sign both Julius Jones and Duckett this year. Depending on how the season goes, Ruskell might not be interested in retaining Morris next year, which means Forsett could spend 2008 returning kicks and then add offensive plays to his duties in 2009.

Now, why wouldn’t the Seahawks keep Forsett?

1) Numbers – salary and injuries – preclude it. Duckett’s bonus poses a so-called political hurdle for Forsett, and the receiver quandary makes it tough to keep Forsett and Duckett. Morris and Jones will be the top backs, and Leonard Weaver and rookie Owen Schmitt will be the fullbacks. That leaves one spot for a team that typically keeps no more than five backs. Why not keep six? Because the team already is going to have to keep an extra receiver or two while Deion Branch and Bobby Engram are out.

2) Forsett is a smaller version of Morris and Jones. Morris and Jones are both tough runners, willing blockers and pretty good receivers, which means there is no place for Forsett in the backfield unless Morris or Jones were to get injured.

3) If he isn’t the best return option. If Wilson, Obomanu or Kent are better options in the return games, Forsett would lose any argument he might have for making the roster.

One thing his performance in the preseason has established is that Forsett will not make it to the practice squad. If the Seahawks put him on waivers, some other team almost certainly will claim him for its active roster.

That leads to another option: Trade Forsett. The Hawks used a seventh-round pick on him and might be able to pull a fourth or fifth from some team desperate for RB depth. It would be rare – and certainly a little odd – for a team to trade a rookie on the eve of the season, but it would be the only way to get value out of Forsett if the Hawks decided they could not keep him on the 53-man roster.

The Hawks will have three quarterbacks and three tight ends, and probably will keep nine offensive linemen, nine defensive linemen, six or seven linebackers, eight or nine defensive backs, a kicker, a punter and a long snapper. If the Seahawks keep six linebackers and eight DBs, along with just six receivers, they could have room for both Forsett and Duckett. But that would mean Ruskell and Holmgren would be comfortable playing the first few games with just four receivers and that Forsett would be one of the main kick returners. Of course, the presence of Seneca Wallace gives Holmgren another option at receiver and thus helps Forsett’s case.

One thing we know for sure: Forsett – the rookie diamond in the rough – has shined enough that he should make it to the final cutdown.

As Holmgren told reporters after Forsett’s monster game Saturday, “That’s a decision that will be a tough call at the end. He will be involved in that decision at the end, absolutely.”

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About Chris Cluff

Chris Cluff spent 10 years as an editor and sportswriter for The Seattle Times. He was a key figure in the newspaper's coverage of the Seahawks, particularly during their Super Bowl run in 2005. He also has written two books on the Seahawks: "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Heart-Pounding, ...
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