Originally published May 6, 2007 at 12:00 AM | Page modified May 15, 2007 at 9:03 PM
E-mail article
Print view
Share
Seahawks | Teammates adjust to life without Jackson
Deion Branch has moved to flanker. Bobby Engram looks healthy and rejuvenated after his long bout with a thyroid condition last season...
Seattle Times staff reporter
KIRKLAND — Deion Branch has moved to flanker. Bobby Engram looks healthy and rejuvenated after his long bout with a thyroid condition last season, for which his medication has been drastically reduced. Nate Burleson's injured thumb is no longer bothering him the way it did for much of last season. And D.J. Hackett is, at this point, the starter at split end, Branch's position last season.
Oh yeah, and the new guy wearing Darrell Jackson's old No. 82 at the Seahawks' May minicamp? Jordan Kent, former Oregon Duck and rookie sixth-round pick, and offensive coordinator Gil Haskell's favorite pick of the April 28-29 draft.
The winds of change are blowing at the wide-receiver position for the Seahawks in the wake of the departure of Jackson, who was traded to San Francisco last weekend. For those who played with Jackson, the process of moving on and looking ahead to the prospect of more playing time is under way.
"I was initially shocked, but then when you sit and think about it, it's the reality of the business in the NFL right now," Engram said. "I hate to see a good teammate and a good player leave like that, and I wish him the best. But we've got a lot of playmakers here, we're going to be fine."
Engram, 34, served as sort of a mentor/friend/older brother for Jackson. The two played six seasons together. Engram said he would miss the day-to-day camaraderie.
"Certain people you just click with," Engram said. "I'm going to miss whipping him in pool. That's why he got out of here."
Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck said Jackson's loss means more opportunity for the other receivers.
"It's tough when you were a teammate with a guy for so long and especially a guy that's meant so much to our offense in terms of production and statistics and that kind of thing," Hasselbeck said. "But every year it happens. You lose guys that you were close with."
Burleson spent a year with Jackson and learned from him.
"I played with Randy Moss [in Minnesota] and I was able to just look at him and observe to see how he approached the game, and I did the same with D-Jack," Burleson said. "He just knew. He never was a guy to scream and yell, but as soon as he got there and the clock struck, he was ready to play."
Look who's back
Five months ago, Pete Hunter's NFL career seemed over. He had been out of football since the end of the 2005 season and was a loan officer trying to start a mortgage business out of his Irving, Texas, home.
![]()
But at the end of last season, the Seahawks suffered a rash of injuries, depleting their cornerback depth. Scrambling for replacements as the playoffs arrived, Hunter got a call and was signed.
All he did was recover a fumble in the Seahawks' playoff win over Dallas (his former team) and knock down the last-ditch long bomb in the end zone that preserved the wild-card victory. Hunter also had an interception in the NFC divisional playoff at Chicago.
The Seahawks thought enough of his work to sign Hunter to a one-year, $595,000 contract after last season.
"I love the team. I love the guys around here," Hunter said. "It was just motivation for me to come back."
Hunter is playing loose and confident in practice and isn't taking anything for granted, realizing that he didn't have a job last year so every play counts.
Notes
• Third-year OLRay Willis is playing right guard with the No. 1 offense, with starting RG Chris Gray working at center for the injured Chris Spencer.
• The Seahawks signed DB Kevin Hobbs after CB Tim Mixon failed his physical with the team, and Hobbs was in practice Saturday.
• Kent was limited in the morning practice with a lingering turf-toe injury in his right foot and did not take part in the afternoon session.
José Miguel Romero: 206-464-2409 or jromero@seattletimes.com.
E-mail article
Print view
Share
Washington women recruits who left have no regrets
Steve Kelley: Other short-track skaters on Apolo Ohno: 'He's our Babe Ruth'
Bud Withers: Pac-10 "very seriously" looking at expansion

Entertainment | Top Video | World | Offbeat Video | Sci-Tech
nwautos
Associated Press Study: Fatal crashes down in Washington Last year Washington's roads were the scene of the fewest fatal crashes since 1955. According...
Post a comment
nwjobs
Post a comment
Michelle Goodman blogs about work/life balance.
Five reasons to stick with a job you hate -- for now
Post a comment
- Alaska Air dropping Jones Soda beverages, going back to Coca-Cola
- Man found shot dead in pickup truck in Seattle
- Seattle is first U.S. stop for Picasso exhibit
- Husky Football Blog | Pac-10 expansion to get consideration over next year
- State Senate votes to clear way for tax increases
- Idol Confessions | "American Idol" hopeful from Seattle didn't make it to Hollywood afterall
- Belltown boulevard could be completed by early next year
- Nicole Brodeur | Chrisceda Clemmons' house wasn't the only casualty
- Teen is beaten in bus tunnel; Metro to review policies
- Brier Dudley's Blog | Google rolls its own Facebook & Twitter with Gmail "Buzz"
- Republicans may be no-shows at health-plan summit
279 - State Senate votes to clear way for tax increases
254 - Pac-10 expansion to get consideration over next year
249 - Lee undergoes foot surgery
231 - Obama: GOP and Dems together can spur job growth
212 - Fort Lewis soldier charged with abusing 4-year-old, holding her head in water
193 - Rivals names Martin one of Pac-10's best recruiters
143 - Bus-tunnel attack while guards watched prompts review of Metro security
132 - Belltown boulevard could be completed by early next year
128 - White House mocks Sarah Palin from podium
93
- Seattle is first U.S. stop for Picasso exhibit
- Belltown boulevard could be completed by early next year
- 747-8 soars smoothly on first outing
- Wine Adviser | Oregon's quality pinots join the bargain ranks
- Alaska Air dropping Jones Soda beverages, going back to Coca-Cola
- Snap out of your photo funk: How to make sense of all those piles of images
- How clean are those pre-washed salad greens?
- Answers to biggest Olympic TV questions
- Rick Steves' Europe | What's new in Rome and Venice for 2010
- Brier Dudley's Blog | Google rolls its own Facebook & Twitter with Gmail "Buzz"






