Seahawks' Tim Ruskell says his hands aren't tied in NFL draft

President Tim Ruskell arrived in Seattle as the perfect counterbalance.

He was the personnel poohbah with a knack for assembling a great defense, hired to head a franchise that already possessed one of the league's premier offenses. The result was nothing short of super.

Three years later, Ruskell must now be the rudder, the one responsible for equipping Seattle for the final season of a coach known for acumen on offense.

Ruskell says Seattle is not hostage to any one position when the NFL draft begins today. That's technically true. No one is blindfolded or tied to a chair. But it seems unlikely that Seattle will head into the season with a pair of tight ends who combined for 20 receptions last season and a kicker who missed seven of his 17 field-goal attempts in 2007.

The Seahawks are like just about every other NFL team, entering this weekend's draft with a few threadbare spots. The difference is those holes are on offense, which shows just how much has changed in the three years since Ruskell arrived.

"When we came here, the defense wasn't holding up their end of the bargain," Ruskell said. "We had some holes over there, and so we've had to spend an inordinate amount of time getting that thing built up to match the offense, to be something that we can win with."

Ruskell's first draft brought in linebackers Lofa Tatupu and Leroy Hill. The Seahawks picked another pair of defensive starters in 2006 with Kelly Jennings and Darryl Tapp. Last year, Seattle picked Brandon Mebane in the third round, a man who appears to have a body and a heart big enough to hang tough in the boiler room where defensive tackles make their living.

In the past three drafts, Seattle had eight picks in the first three rounds. Six were used on defensive players, and while the defense has elevated itself, the offense has gradually eroded. Bobby Engram is the only player still with Seattle who scored more than a single touchdown in 2005.

The offense hasn't been neglected entirely. The Seahawks drafted a pair of starters on the offensive line the past three years, acquired wide receivers Nate Burleson and Deion Branch in 2006 and this offseason rebuilt the running game.

Now Seattle must get its hands around who will be catching the passes from its Pro Bowl quarterback. Will Heller and Jeb Putzier are the top two tight ends on the roster; one starting wide receiver from 2007, D.J. Hackett, is at Carolina now. The other starter, Branch, will be coming back from reconstructive surgery on his knee.

Seattle's targets this season will have to come from Ruskell's draft both past and present. Seattle chose a trio of receivers in the latter rounds the past two seasons, and now Ben Obomanu, Courtney Taylor and Jordan Kent will have an opportunity to play their way into the lineup, and a tight end must be found some time in the next two days.

The draft could see as many as six tight ends chosen in the first two rounds. It would be a surprise if the Seahawks weren't one of the teams who picked one, and they are likely to look for a rookie kicker in the later rounds of the draft or even an undrafted free agent to compete with Olindo Mare.

Those are offensive voids that must be filled by a president thus far known for his acquisitions on defense. And when Ruskell is asked whether he's more adept picking talent on defense, he doesn't get angry, but he does get adamant.

"No," Ruskell said. "I do not. Absolutely not."

It was more a matter of circumstance, Ruskell said. Ruskell, in his fourth draft, said this is the first time that he is not held hostage to any one position.

"We're not going into this saying, 'We've got to get this in the first round,' " Ruskell said.

That's true. The tight end and kicker don't have to arrive in the first round, but they need to come at some point this weekend.

Danny O'Neil: 206-464-2364 or doneil@seattletimes.com