The Olympian

Hasselbeck glad to be on field in May

By GREGG BELL | The Associated Press • Published May 08, 2008

KIRKLAND — There was Matt Hasselbeck throwing to ... Logan Payne?

The Seattle Seahawks’ record-setting quarterback then stepped and fired perfectly placed darts to ... Jordan Kent and Ben Obomanu?

“We’re low on numbers,” Hasselbeck joked Thursday. “NFL Europe and all.” These looked more like pickup games among unknowns in a park than the first two minicamps of the spring for the defending four-time NFC West champions. And, no, they can’t blame that on a defunct spring league stealing away players.

Leading receiver Deion Branch spent another practice day inside and face-down on a training table getting his surgically reconstructed knee flexed, pulled and strengthened. Bobby Engram, Hasselbeck’s most trusted target for years, was at home during all four days of voluntary workouts that ended Thursday. He’s protesting an expiring contract.

D.J. Hackett, who was emerging as a dependable threat the last two seasons before ankle problems derailed him, was in Charlotte, N.C. The Panthers signed him as a free agent this offseason.

“You mean all three of them?” coach Mike Holmgren said when asked about the minimally staffed receivers. “Holy smokes!”

Holmgren said Seattle may add a veteran receiver after June 1, the date of the league’s annual cuts for salary cap purposes.

Until then, Hasselbeck doesn’t mind being a maestro practicing with these apprentices. At least he can raise his left arm to conduct this spring’s drills.

“If I go back to 12 months ago, I wasn’t even in this camp,” he said, recalling his surgery to repair a torn labrum cartilage in his non-throwing shoulder in January 2007. “So the fact that I am healthy and I’m able to do everything with the team, be in the weight room, that’s a good thing.”

After all, what is the true value of minicamps in April and May? Hasselbeck missed them all last year, and was still limited into August. Then he set team single-season records for completions (352), attempts (562) and yards (3,966) while throwing a career-high 28 touchdown passes last season. That earned him his third trip to the Pro Bowl.