The Seattle Seahawkshad a little skirmish during their final OTA practice of the week before a four-day holiday weekend, Eric Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune reports.
According to Williams, things got testy when sixth-round cornerback Jeremy Lane and veteran wideout Ben Obomanu locked up downfield and had to be separated. Pro Bowl safety Earl Thomas took a swing at Obomanu, which led to wide receivers Mike Williams and Doug Baldwin coming to Obomanu's defense and more barking between the two position groups.
"We're asking these guys to work really hard, and it really matters to them and they really care," coach Pete Carroll said. "And they want to make their plays and their statements, and I don't blame them one bit. But there is a line that you can cross, and that's what we talked about afterward. We want to be able to take it as far as you can, and demonstrate the poise when you need to most."
Live contact is not permitted during the OTAs, but when you've got 22 players competing during 11-on-11 drills, some contact -- particularly between defensive backs and wide receivers going for the ball -- is unavoidable. What teams don't want to see is players, particularly wide receivers and defensive backs, taking swings at one another, as helmets are usually worn during these practices. The Seahawks could not afford to have Thomas, a Pro Bowl player, breaking a hand on a teammate's headgear. Baldwin took to Twitter to downplay the fracas, chalking it up to the competitiveness of the team.
"Seahawks are a family. From the first guy to the last. If we get excited for a second, it's because we are competitive as (expletive deleted). We still fam," Baldwin wrote.
