As training camp drags on, the Seahawks will continue to be the object of our fascination.
They are a modern day dynasty in an era where the salary cap sucks away any chance of a true dynasty, and curious owners from other teams buy away assistant coaching talent.
That being said, everyone needs to get paid, and now that Russell Wilson, Bobby Wagner, Marshawn Lynch, Earl Thomas and Richard Sherman have cashed in since the team's 2014 Super Bowl win, it leaves only a few unhappy souls lingering.
One of them is safety Kam Chancellor, arguably one of the best five safeties in football.
Sherman spoke about his friend on Sunday.
"He's taking a stand and I support him," Sherman said. "Whenever you take a stand like this, you don't get a lot of support from the fans because of how the fans feel like about honoring contracts. But we understand this business."
There's no doubt that a return to the playoffs would stand alone as Pete Carroll's finest coaching job in Seattle. Regardless of what people believe about the loose atmosphere in Washington, these deals have an impact on people. Emotions, especially when a veteran and regular starter gets cut as a direct casualty, can run high in a room with more than 50 people and personalities.
We'll be on the lookout for something above and beyond this summer; a stunt on par with what Carroll used to do in Southern California with the help of Will Ferrell to keep the team together.
Some other nuggets from Sunday's camps:
- Speaking of Seattle, the Legion of Boom has grown stronger (or at least they're trying to). The club traded for Lions defensive back Mohammed Seisay, sending an undisclosed draft pick to Detroit. An undrafted free agent out of Nebraska, Seisay clocks in at 6-2, 205, the perfect size for anyone hoping to join Pete Carroll's defense in Seattle.
- The Eagles will not trade Mychal Kendricks. Chip Kelly said as much Sunday, possibly to pacify the rest of his roster. After Kelly dealt cornerback Brandon Boykin, there may have been a sentiment among players that Kelly isn't quite done with his overhaul yet.
The Eagles coach nipped that in the bud quite firmly.
- The Bills have part of their offensive line set. Head coach Rex Ryan named Richie Incognito a lock to start at left guard and also noted that Eric Wood would start at center, and Cordy Glenn at left tackle. Cyrus Kouandjio has a chance to win the job on the right side but Seantrel Henderson is at his heels. The Bills' offensive line will be a huge part of Buffalo's turnaround. With uncertainty at the quarterback position, time in the pocket can negate a lot of learning curve blues. It's also quite a redemption summer for Incognito, who is "20 or 30 yards ahead of everybody else" in conditioning, according to Ryan.
Some quick injury updates:
- Martavis Bryant went under the knife. The Steelers wideout underwent a minor procedure Sunday to remove an elbow infection. He's not expected to miss more than a few days, so Steelers fans shouldn't be too worried. Bryant will surely be ready by Week 1, keeping Pittsburgh's hopes of scoring over 30 points per game alive and well. Though we may not see the second-year receiver until Pittsburgh's second preseason game.
- Muhammad Wilkersontweaked his hamstring and left practice. This is officially a dicey situation for the star defensive lineman, who absolutely deserves a contract extension but opted not to hold out. The team gave the impression that nothing is serious, but it has to make Wilkerson think a little bit about the future.
- Michael Johnson was carted off the field in Cincinnati on Sunday with an MCL strain, NFL Media's Albert Breer reported. The 28-year-old was given serious medical attention, but Marvin Lewis later told reporters that Johnson "should be OK" and that preliminary evaluations showed no serious damage. Johnson is a key cog in Marvin Lewis' defense and one of the few prayers the team has at fixing their pass rushing woes from a year ago.
- Giants guard Geoff Schwartz took a day off Sunday. The veteran lineman is nursing an ankle injury and said he was too "sore" to practice. Filling in for Schwartz was John Jerry, an all-too familar face on the Giants' offensive line. Jerry started all of 2014 at right guard while Schwartz sat with toe and ankle injuries. The Giants would like to avoid having to start Jerry for another 16-game slate.
The latest Around The NFL Podcast discusses Tom Brady's lawsuit and debates which veteran players are most likely to be cut.
