RENTON – He still runs smooth routes, catches the ball with a quiet pop of the hands and hits the turbo button after each catch.
But that’s practice. The Seattle Seahawks would like to see No. 1 receiver Sidney Rice remain healthy so he can do that when it matters – during the entire regular season.
Rice said that he’s on pace to be ready for the opening of the regular season after undergoing two offseason shoulder surgeries.
The 25-year-old suffered a labrum tear in his right shoulder during training camp in 2011 that forced him to miss the first two games of the season. Although not fully healthy, Rice came back and gutted it out through nine games. But after suffering two concussions in the span of three games, Seattle coach Pete Carroll put Rice on the season-ending injured-reserve list in December.
Rice had his torn labrum repaired by Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Ala.
While under Andrews’ care, Rice had his left shoulder examined, which had bothered him since his college days at South Carolina.
“They thought it was just a little tear in the back when they read the first MRI, but once Dr. Andrews got in there, he (saw) that it was an actual, 360 degree tear,” he said.
Rice had the torn labrum in his left shoulder repaired a month and a half later.
“A lot of slipping out and popping out of place,” Rice said. “Right now, they’re supposed to be brand new shoulders, and we’ll take it from here. Right now I’ve got to regain my strength in my shoulders and get ready for the season.”
Rice has gained 11 pounds of muscle, upping his weight to 209 pounds. Rice said he’d like to arrive at training camp at 215 pounds in order to better handle the pounding of a 16-game season.
The Seahawks are counting on Rice to alleviate some of the pressure on Marshawn Lynch and the team’s running game.
“Just him being out there as another threat outside, they’ve got to make sure that they stay over the top because when we get one-on-one coverage, that’s exactly what we want with Sidney out there,” Seattle quarterback Tarvaris Jackson said.
Seattle offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell knows what type of problems a healthy Rice can cause for a defense from their time together in Minnesota.
“He’s a big part of what we want to do here,” Bevell said. “His health is paramount to us. We need a No. 1 (receiver), and he’s the guy we went out and got. So it’s up to him to come back from that.”
BANKS UPDATE
Brian Banks looked like what you would expect from a former high school standout who had not played organized football in five years.
Recently cleared of rape and kidnapping charges he was wrongfully jailed for in Southern California, the linebacker got his first opportunity to show what he could do as an invited tryout player at the second day of Seahawks minicamp.
He struggled getting lined up in the right spot at times, hit the wrong gap in the run game and was easily fooled by play-action passes.
But Banks also showed his athleticism as he played middle linebacker for a handful of snaps with the third unit.
“The first day was amazing,” said Banks, 26. “This is just an amazing environment as well, to work out in this kind of weather, right off this water right here, with these coaches and these players. I’m just honored to be out here giving it my all.”
Banks won over linebackers coach Ken Norton Jr.
“He made a great first impression,” Norton said. “He’s really bright, really smart. He’s well-spoken. And he has a great memory.”
The first evidence that Banks was being treated like everyone else is when Norton called him to take his first rep during 11-on-11 team drills, and Banks was slow to make it out on the field.
Norton angrily waved him off and bellowed: “It’s too late now. You’ve got to stand out in front and be ready when I call your name. You can’t be in the back of the room.”
Banks said he appreciated Norton’s approach.
“I was waiting for that,” he said. “I don’t want nobody to take it easy on me out here.”
Norton said he put Banks at middle linebacker because that’s where he has the most experience. Norton said he has 13 linebackers in camp, making it “really, really tough” for Banks to make Seattle’s final roster.
EXTRA POINTS
Bevell said his unit has gone through the installation of the team’s base plays three times during organized team activities (OTAs), and will go through it a fourth time once training camp begins. Seattle has been working more on situations such as two-minute, red zone and goal-line during minicamp. … Defensive end Chris Clemons did not show up for a second consecutive day and could receive an addition $20,000 fine by the Seahawks. … Sacramento Kings forward DeMarcus Cousins attended the afternoon practice session.
eric.wiliams@thenewstribune.com
JOIN THE DISCUSSION | Register here
We welcome comments. Please keep them civil, short and to the point. ALL CAPS, spam, obscene, profane, abusive and off topic comments will be deleted. Repeat offenders will be blocked. Thanks for taking part — and abiding by these simple rules. A thorough explanation of rules of conduct can be found in our Terms of Service. If you have any questions, including why your comment may not be showing immediately after you submit it, be sure to visit the commenting FAQ.