Ziachild007 Posted June 15, 2005 Share Posted June 15, 2005 LINK Seahawks Notebook: Engram elevated 'Forgotten' slot receiver seen as new starter at split end By CLARE FARNSWORTH SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER KIRKLAND -- Upon further review, the tortoise has won the race. In all the talk last week about which receiver might replace recently released Koren Robinson in the Seahawks' starting lineup, Bobby Engram's name rarely came up. Until yesterday. "Right now, Bobby is our starting split end," coach Mike Holmgren said after the team's minicamp practice. As in, it is Engram's job to lose? "I would think so," Holmgren said. It's not that the coaches didn't think Engram could get the job done as the starting spilt end. It's that he has been so productive working from the slot in the three-receiver sets that they didn't want to mess with a good thing. But after seeing free-agent additions Jerome Pathon and Joe Jurevicius, as well as a young but untested group of receivers that includes Jerheme Urban, D.J. Hackett, Taco Wallace and Jason Willis, it became obvious: Engram is the club's No. 2 option behind leading receiver Darrell Jackson. "It's funny, Engram is kind of the forgotten man," Holmgren said of the tortoise-and-hare situation. "He's a good football player and we need him." Engram, 32, has wanted to be a "starter" since signing with the Seahawks in August 2001, after the Chicago Bears released him. But with Jackson and Robinson entrenched as the flanker and split end, Engram settled in and excelled in the role of third receiver. He caught 50 passes in 2002 and 52 in 2003 before a nagging ankle injury cut into his playing time and productivity last season, when Engram still ranked second on the team with 36 catches. "I'm just going to keep working," Engram said when told of Holmgren's declaration. "It's early in the year, but that's good to know -- that you've got a chance to battle and get a starting position. I think that's what everyone in this league works to get." What Engram really likes about the prospect of teaming with Jackson is that each also can be effective from the slot, which will provide more versatility and less predictability in the three- and four-receiver sets. "I don't mind going inside. I actually like going inside," Engram said. "But I just also want to get a chance to make some of those plays outside one-on-one." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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