Free Agent signings

[c_hawkbob]

First up: Blair Walsh http://www.seattletimes.com/sports/seah ... air-walsh/

Looks like a lateral move on it's face. Both guys (assuming Walsh gets the gig) will have left their last jobs having faded some in the reliability department. Often with kickers though having to move to a new team and fight for a job is just the motivation needed to resharpen their skills.

[Agent 86]

The second Walsh missed that 27 yard FG against the Hawks in the playoffs, you knew it was the end of him in Minny. Tough for a kicker to come back from that and face those same teammates knowing how much you let them down.

I agree CBob, a change of scenery for him will hopefully do the trick. Most likely the end for Hauschka here, which is too bad, he was really really good for us until this year. That missed FG in OT against Arizona ended up costing the team the #2 seed. He had a good run here and if he leaves, it is with a ring on his finger in which he played an important part in getting. He was nearly automatic and made a lot of clutch kicks.

[Rambo2014]

Scrappin the old barrel bottom

[ACES 13]

Scrappin the old barrel bottom

Speeling -N- sentence structure is important wen yore in L.A. class.

How Bout them Rams/wait I meant Cowboys!!!

LOSER

[Hawk Sista]

Interesting.

I agree that it may be time, but I sure loved SH. On the positive - Blair has already made a clutch play for us & he hasn't even started yet. That, & he was all accountability and class about that play.

[savvyman]

- Blair has already made a clutch play for us & he hasn't even started yet.

Lol - Thanks I needed that.

[c_hawkbob]

When a kicker is is your most expensive player reaching free agency it's not surprising to see the team sign a contingency (and save some cap room in the process) ... somebody is gonna pay H more than us anyway, best not to be caught unawares.

[Hawktawk]

Sorry, its time. Steven cost Seattle the 2 seed just between the 2 Arizona games. His dreadful 19 yard shank indoors in the roaster was far worse than Blair Walsh missing on a 27 yarder into a frozen headwind with a frozen rock of a ball on a frozen field.

He's kicked the ball lower all the time. There's something fundamentally flawed with his stroke. The accuracy is gone. I sweat like a fat kid at a free barbeque every time he lines up for an XP.

Walsh isn't guaranteed the job but I agree with Bob, they both need a change of scenery and Walsh will be a lot cheaper to sign as well.

[NorthHawk]

At the very least someone to provide competition is warranted.
If the plan is to have a minimal Offense and rely on the Defense to hold the other team to few points then the Kicker has to be almost automatic.
I'd hate to see him go after he was clutch in the Super Bowl years, but it's a what have you done lately league.

[RiverDog]

A shot across SH's bow.

He had a bad year, got several kicks blocked with too low of a trajectory, had a Blair-like miss against the Cards that would have not only won the game, it would have given us a first round bye had he made it. Who knows what would have happened under those circumstances. But he's been solid on kickoffs, made a HUGE onsides kick in the NFCCG vs. the Packers 2 years ago, won several games for us on clutch kicking.

I'm not quite ready to throw him overboard, but I like the signing of Walsh.

[obiken]

Sorry, its time. Steven cost Seattle the 2 seed just between the 2 Arizona games. His dreadful 19 yard shank indoors in the roaster was far worse than Blair Walsh missing on a 27 yarder into a frozen headwind with a frozen rock of a ball on a frozen field.

He's kicked the ball lower all the time. There's something fundamentally flawed with his stroke. The accuracy is gone. I sweat like a fat kid at a free barbeque every time he lines up for an XP.

Walsh isn't guaranteed the job but I agree with Bob, they both need a change of scenery and Walsh will be a lot cheaper to sign as well.

I agree HT, too many missed EP's. It was a time for SH to go bye bye. Wish him the best.

[Zorn76]

I know SH had a very rough year, but I still trust him a lot more than I do Walsh overall.
He's made many more big kicks than he's missed historically, and has done so in big games.
Walsh has tons to prove in that regard, and maybe he gets his chance here.

A kicker on our team plays a bigger role than most, imo, especially when our team is SB calibre but with an offense that struggles to put up big point totals as of late.

[RiverDog]

It is likely that SH has developed a flaw that he can work on. He is still a strong kicker, and his kickoffs are very good. It will be a competition in camp, and we may see a couple of college kids in there as well. May the best man win.

That's one of the things that people forget a little too easily about SH. Although since bringing touchbacks out to the 25 lessens the importance of a strong leg kickoff, it's still an important attribute. And let's not forget his onsides kick in the NFCCG a couple years ago. It's not easy topping the ball and getting a high bounce that carries 10 yards.

[Seahawkfan80]

But can he throw the ball? Remember this team thrives on multitasking its players.