Seahawks release Mike Williams

By Kshell

The Seattle Seahawks have announced that they have released wide receiver Mike Williams. Once again Pete Carroll is proving the myth that he is loyal to his former USC Trojans is false. Williams who had a decent sized contract and coming off of an unproductive season in 2011 meant he was on the chopping block. For Carroll he has the right attitude that all NFL teams must have which is "what have you done for me lately?" Now Williams who was a big part of the Seahawks winning the 2010 NFC West championship and had a productive playoffs was beaten out by younger guys in 2011. Williams production dropped off big time and he showed up to mini-camps in April fat which is what got him bounced from the NFL the first time around.

When Mike Williams came to Seattle in 2010 he was a former first round bust that his old college coach in his first year gave a chance to. Williams was an instant hit that season playing in 14 games making 13 starts he caught 65 passes for 751 yards(11.6 YPC) with two touchdowns. He became Matt Hasselbeck's favorite target that season as he played so well in the preseason the Seahawks cut T.J. Houshmanzdeh  and later traded Deion Branch away. Williams was productive especially against the divisional rivals Arizona Cardinals who had beaten the Seahawks four games in a row. Williams against the Cardinals caught 22 passes for 232 yards with a touchdown as the Seahawks finally swept the Cardinanls. In his first playoffs with the team in two games Williams caught nine passes for 83 yards with three touchdowns. The Seahawks rewarded Williams with a three-year contract after that terrific season.

Then the lockout happened, Hasselbeck was let go and the Seahawks signed Sidney Rice. They also brought in a new quarterback Tarvaris Jackson and Williams numbers declined. In 12 games, Williams made 10 starts he had only 18 receptions for 236 yards(13.1 YPC) with just one touchdown. Williams was held without a reception four times that year and had just one reception in two games. After the first game when he caught four passes he would never catch more than three passes in a game again. Rice was injured some but undrafted rookie Doug Baldwin came in with 51 receptions for 788 yards(15.5 YPC) with four touchdowns. Ben Obomanu and Golden Tate also outproduced Williams during the season as well. The Seahawks are also high on Ricardo Lockette who caught a 61 yard touchdown pass in the final game of the season, Deon Butler and Kris Durham who are mid round draft picks. There just wasn't room for Williams who had an awful season last year. I felt Jackson didn't look his way enough like Hasselbeck did but Williams was slow as well which hurt him.

I'm sad to see Williams go because he gave the Seahawks a wonderful 2010 season and had appeared he had turned it around. I do like this move because Carroll once again proves that what you did yesterday doesn't matter for today. Williams was an all-american receiver for him at USC and gave him a great comeback season in 2010 then after a bad year Carroll showed him the door. That is how Carroll operates with the Seahawks if a guy isn't being productive or there are younger guys willing to take his spot he'll show them the door regardless of what they have done for this team. The Seahawks although short on big names will be fine at the wide receiver spot. Carroll once again is continuing to clean house and rid this roster of lazy guys who are resting on their past achievements. If you are Marshawn Lynch you know that if you have a bad season there is a chance Carroll shows you the door so you have to come to camp ready to reproduce that season. That is what I love about the Seahawks, Carroll isn't afraid to cut a player who the fan base is attached to. He is simply here to do one job and one job only which is to win. For Mike Williams he helped this franchise win in 2010 but he isn't going to help this team in 2012 which I'm fine with.