Seahawks count on newest receivers

RENTON — An opportunity is all Koren Robinson wanted the past four months.

And opportunities are what Keary Colbert watched dwindle the past two months in Denver.

Well, the Seahawks' two newest receivers are going to get their chances with Seattle. Coach Mike Holmgren made that clear to them the moment they arrived.

"Now listen," the coach said, "As unfair as this may sound, I'm going to push you out on the field."

And off they went on Wednesday, two new receivers running a crossing route as the Seahawks prepare to play the Rams on Sunday. Robinson is trying to make the most of his second chance with the franchise that drafted him, and Colbert is getting a fresh start after failing to catch a pass in the first two games of this season.

Their roles in Sunday's game could mix a little playground into the Seahawks' playbook.

"Hey, you go out, you get open and I'll throw it to you," quarterback Matt Hasselbeck said. "It doesn't have to be any more complicated than that."

The situation at wide receiver is as simple as it is dire. The Seahawks needed to make additions after finishing Sunday's loss to San Francisco with three healthy wide receivers, only one of whom had been on the 53-man roster longer than a week.

Last week, the Seahawks turned to the waiver wire, signing Samie Parker and Billy McMullen in hopes of applying a Band-Aid to staunch the bleeding. Parker is already gone, and after a season-ending injury to Logan Payne and a strained calf muscle for Seneca Wallace, the Seahawks had to look for more permanent pieces this season.

"We learned something last week and how we probably have to do this," Holmgren said.

Holmgren said who starts will be based on this week's practices, but that the rotation will include both Robinson and Colbert. Deion Branch's practice participation continued to increase, but Holmgren indicated earlier this week that Branch probably won't be back until October.

The search for viable alternatives led the Seahawks to Colbert, who had unexpectedly fallen out of Denver's receiving rotation, and to Robinson, a familiar face the Seahawks drafted in the first round who has been out of town the past three years.

"I still can play," Robinson said. "Let's not get that twisted."

And he'll have five days' worth of refresher courses on the playbook so he can be ready if his number is called Sunday against St. Louis.

"If I'm up, I hope that I can make a play or two," Robinson said. "Or three. Or four."

Colbert was a second-round draft pick in 2004, chosen by the Panthers out of USC. He caught 32 passes in Carolina last season and signed with the Broncos on the second day of free agency, agreeing to a three-year deal that included a $2.5 million signing bonus, according to The Denver Post.

The Broncos signed Colbert to pair opposite Brandon Marshall, but Colbert's role was gradually eclipsed by rookie Eddie Royal.

"I kind of understand the numbers side of football and how things work out," Colbert said.

The Seahawks traded a conditional draft pick for Colbert, acquiring his contract, which will pay him $605,000 this season and would pay him a salary of $2 million in 2009, according to the salary database of the league's players association.

The Denver Post reported Seattle will give up a fifth-round pick that could become a fourth-round pick depending on Colbert's performance. The Seahawks would say only that it's a conditional pick.

And while Colbert took a step forward in terms of the depth chart, he took a hit in the standings going from the 2-0 Broncos to the 0-2 Seahawks.

"It's so early to really talk about it," Colbert said. "Really, the task at hand is to worry about this week."

And for Colbert and Robinson, that means doing their best to wrap their hands around Seattle's playbook and grasp the new offense.

Notes

• Left tackle Walter Jones did not practice Wednesday because of soreness in his lower back. Jones was hurt when Hasselbeck was sacked in the fourth quarter Sunday and knocked into Jones from behind. Holmgren said Jones will be OK for Sunday's game. Wallace (calf), Maurice Morris (knee) and Bobby Engram (shoulder) have been ruled out.

• Seattle released defensive end Jason Babin to make room for Colbert. Babin was acquired from Houston in exchange for Michael Boulware in 2007. He played two games for Seattle in 2007, added weight in the offseason and had a promising training camp. He was active for the first two games but had only one tackle. The team chose to keep Baraka Atkins ahead of Babin.

• The inflammation linebacker Will Herring suffered in his knees and one ankle that prevented him from participating in training camp has been remedied. Herring is on the physically unable to perform list and won't be eligible to be activated until after the sixth game. Herring, a fifth-round pick in 2007 and special-teams mainstay last season, is recovering from offseason knee surgery. "There's no inflammation anymore," Herring said. "I feel great. The main thing now is getting this knee stronger."

• Safety Brian Russell took snaps as a quarterback after practice, which was really like an emergency drill. He would be the Seahawks' emergency quarterback behind backup Charlie Frye. Russell played quarterback until his junior season at San Diego State.

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