Interesting read from Pete to Russell.
BOCA RATON, Fla. -- Back in January, Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll laid out his offseason plan for Russell Wilson: It was time to go to quarterback school.
Wilson's continued development was probably the most encouraging aspect of the 2015 season. He led the NFL in passer rating (110.1), set career highs in completion percentage (68.1) and yards per attempt (8.3) and finished the year on a 24 touchdown/one interception tear.
After seeing Wilson make great strides as a pocket passer, Carroll said the next step was to really help him understand what defenses were trying to do against him. On Wednesday at the owners' meetings, Carroll expanded on that thought.
"It's always the right time to keep growing, but I just think he has come the furthest, and he knows the most, and he is most aware, and he has the benefit of the five years of putting things together," Carroll said. "I think his vision will be even more broadened and receptive to what is going on in the game. There's nothing that Russell can't handle, so I need to creatively keep coming up with ways, as we all do as coaches, to keep pressing him forward so that he can understand more about the game so that he can function at the highest level he can function at.
"There is nothing holding him back -- work ethic, he has the smarts, the mentality and the physical makeup to do whatever you can do in this game. We just need to keep pressing ahead in that regard so he can totally command all aspects of the game."
Wilson is only 27 years old. And while much of the offseason discussion has been about the offensive line, the truth is that as long as the quarterback is healthy and the defense is intact, the Seahawks will be in the mix to make a Super Bowl run.
The Seahawks are 46-18 in the regular season since Wilson became the starter. They have made the playoffs all four years, reached the Super Bowl twice and won it once.
Individually, Wilson has made the Pro Bowl three times, but Carroll is quick to point out that he likely has not yet peaked as a quarterback.
"I don’t think he’s going to make it this year," Carroll said. "I think he’s got a few more years. It’s hard for you guys to realize it, but you go back to Aaron [Rodgers], he didn’t play for a long time. He was watching the game, watching [Brett] Favre play, and then it took him some years to get going, and he’s like year nine, year 10 or whatever the heck he is now. But he’s played a lot of years. Russell is just trying to get into it, so I think there is more football for him to understand, there’s more for him to command, and we are going to keep going for it. We can’t talk to him now... so this is kind of a dead period for growth. But when we get him back in there, we are going to get after it."
Edited by Sol Duc (03/27/16 08:26 PM)
_________________________
He who joyfully marches in rank and file has already earned my contempt. He has been given a large brain by mistake, since for him the spinal cord would suffice.
- Albert Einstein.