After General Manager Tim Ruskell was released from the Seattle organization in December, it was clear the Seahawks were headed for a makeover.

The first major change was the firing of first-year coach Jim Mora. Apparently the front office didn’t feel a 5-11 record warranted a second chance.

In a surprise move, the team landed Pete Carroll, the long-time USC wheel-man, as a successor.

The move wasn’t met with overwhelming approval by fans and media personnel, alike. Carroll’s departure came after allegations of recruiting violations and a mediocre season. Some believe his flight to Seattle was a cop-out from the consequences that awaited USC in the off-season.

There was also speculation that Seattle violated the Rooney Rule, a preventative measure that holds each team responsible for interviewing a minority candidate for the head coach position and any similar front-office position. However, it was later discovered that the team had extended an offer to Tony Dungy to become the new team president, an offer to which Dungy declined

Carroll’s credentials at the professional level were also questionable. He served a one-year stint as the head coach for the New York Jets in ’94 but a fruitless season prevented a return for a second season.

Carroll took a break from the NFL and gave it another go in ’97 where he coached the New England Patriots for three years. He was marginal at best, earning a 48-27 record and a playoff berth.

Carroll always claimed he was dealt an unfair hand by both organizations. Any coach will tell you a year is never long enough to truly make a difference (cue Jim Mora), but in Carroll’s case, that’s all the Jets needed to see.

In New England, Carroll’s influence on personnel changes and overall control of the team was limited, prohibiting him from making the necessary adjustments needed to take the team in the right direction.

Now, Carroll is headed to Seattle for one more chance and this time he will have no excuses. The team is currently without a GM and Carroll will most likely have a direct influence on who the organization chooses to hire and you can bet it will be someone who will allow Carroll to make the final decisions regarding personnel.

The team also stands in a good position to make an impact with the draft. They own the sixth and the fourteenth picks in a class dominated by physical defenders and explosive play-makers on the offensive side.

Owner Paul Allen isn’t afraid to spend money, either, and in an uncapped year without restrictions on the ‘Hawks’ player transactions, the team stands to vastly improve their current squad.

With a new coach comes a new staff, most of them being former assistants of Carroll when he was at USC. The first to follow was Jeremy Bates, the quarterback coach at USC and former Denver Broncos offensive coordinator

Bates was strongly pursued by a number of teams, namely the Chicago Bears, but ultimately felt he had more job security playing under his old coach in Seattle. He was instrumental in bringing in and bringing up former Denver quarterback Jay Cutler, and then later had similar success at USC with Matt Leinart and, more recently, Matt Barkely.

Whoever ends up taking snaps for Seattle next year will have one of the best coordinators calling his plays.

Next to follow was Alex Gibbs, the illustrious offensive line coach who spent a considerable amount of time playing under Mike Shanahan in Denver.

He spent a short time there in the mid-80s but truly blossomed as a coach there from 1995-2003. During that time, Gibbs’ offensive line set a number of franchise records including total yards (6,554 in 2000), most first downs (383 in 2000), most rushing yards (2,468 in 1998), and most rushing touchdowns (32 in1998).

His offensive line also flourished in pass protection. From 1995-2000, the line didn’t allow more than 35 sacks per season. His line was also instrumental in blocking for NFL MVP Terrell Davis, who rushed for over 2,000 yards in ’98.

After two mediocre years in Houston, Gibbs is set to continue his legacy and establish a successful zone-blocking scheme in Seattle.

Ken Norton Jr., the USC linebacker coach, has also opted to follow Carroll to Seattle. Norton is relatively new to coaching in the NFL, but he has experienced great success at the collegiate level, delivering great linebackers like Clay Matthews Jr. and Brian Cushing to the NFL.

There will be more new faces to come in the next few weeks, but for now, the Seattle coaching staff is looking like it has the capabilities to fill the big shoes of ex-coach Mike Holmgren, one of the most popular Seahawks coaches, ever.

I don’t think anyone has dreams of Seattle making the playoffs in the coming year, but I think it’s clear they’re in a position to exhibit tangible progression. If the team can acquire some consistency at the offensive line, Matt Hasselback could easily return to starting quarterback status

One of the controversies last year facing the team was the absence of running back Justin Forsett. He received limited snaps behind ineffective starter Julius Jones.

The arrival of Carroll and Bates and their high-octane offense should give Forsett a chance to shine.

The Seahawks possess a young, quick, and physical defensive squad with miles of potential. If their strengths can be utilized to fit the new system, I believe Seattle has a chance to seriously contend in a weak NFC West within at least two years.

A new General Manager is expected soon and with him will come further changes.

Lately, there have been talks that Seattle may attempt to steal wide receiver Brandon Marshall from an inevitable Denver tender and/or transition tag. They have the draft picks and the money to make such an acquisition but it’s unclear if Denver is willing to let that happen.

The pieces in Seattle seem to be moving in the right direction. It will inevitably rest on Carroll’s shoulders whether or not the team finds success as execution always holds precedence over planning.

(Brandon Marshall is praying for a way out of Denver.)

Talks between the New York Jets and the Denver Broncos regarding disgruntled wide receiver Brandon Marshall heated up on Wednesday night.

Well, sort of.

The Broncos’ initial asking price was said to be a first round draft pick (at the minimum), and considering their apparent distaste with their defensive depth (especially at linebacker), they are interested in acquiring defensive help.

Unfortunately for the Jets, that “help” is turning out to be quality linebacker, David Harris.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Broncos appear to be willing to make the swap, but only if Rex Ryan and the Jets defense can handle losing one of their best defenders.

While the Broncos are not content with Andra’ Davis on the inside, the Jets are fairly thin at the position themselves, as second-year man Vernon Gholston is being thrust into the line-up while Calvin Pace serves a suspension to start the season.

Still, talks remain on-going, even despite “tampering” rumors that surfaced within the past 24 hours.

Brandon Marshall has done his best to follow former Denver quarterback Jay Cutler out of town, citing contractual issues, a downgrade at quarterback, as well as a sketchy rehab situation with Denver’s personal trainers and doctors.

Denver’s new head coach, Josh McDaniels, actually made a horrible situation with Cutler into a victory, by addressing defense and adding a stud running back (Knowshon Moreno), as well as a supposedly capable starting quarterback (Kyle Orton) through the trade, as well as through the NFL Draft.

Still, losing Brandon Marshall, regardless of the picks or players obtained in return, could send McDaniels and his staff into a downward spiral; one that could only be stopped by a successful season.

The Jets, on the other hand, have an aggressive scheme that could make-up for the loss of Harris (potentially), while landing Brandon Marshall would give them a truly elite number one receiver for the first time since Santana Moss or Keyshawn Johnson.

ESPN broke the report, stating that the talks are still hot, while also noting that if Denver’s asking price continues to be both Harris and the first round draft pick, the deal could be dead.

Jay Cutler is overrated, and Kyle Orton is a system quarterback. Or is it, Cutler is a wimpy cry baby, and Orton is a simple-minded game-manager?

How about none of those?

Why do either of these guys have to be regarded as fantasy (or real world) busts for 2009, just because they are switching teams?

Yes, they both have new offenses, new coaches, new cities, and new weapons.

But that doesn’t mean they aren’t good or can’t play at an elite level.

Since both of these players have a hate-wagon following them to every city they go to, I beg of you to relax, sit back, and read an unbiased approach to both of their new situations.

Life is about change, people. Remember the song? Change, change…will do you good. No?

Well, still, both of these guys are talented enough to make things happen in their first year in new colors, and I have evidence as to why I believe so.

Jay Cutler

Cutler took over for Jake Plummer mid-way through the season three years ago, and showed enough to Mike Shanahan and co. that they knew they had done the right thing.

Trouble is, they stopped at the quarterback, and never built a new defense.

John Lynch, anyone?

Cutler went on to form a bitter and exciting rivalry with Philip Rivers and the San Diego Chargers, routinely dominate the Oakland Raiders, and finally turned himself into a sure- fire Pro Bowler in 2008.

You don’t pass for 25 touchdowns and over 4,500 yards on a whim. The guy is talented.

He’s got a Brett Favre-moxie that you can’t teach, a rocket arm, and excellent mobility.

To anyone who doubts his ability to win, or his fading at times in clutch situations, I have some news for you.

The guy is 25 years old.

He just started coming into his own last year, and while a change in scenery could potentially affect that growth, I believe he’s already reached a confidence and talent level too high to be knocked back down to where he was as a rookie.

In Chicago he will find no Brandon Marshall’s, no Eddie Royal’s, and no Mike Shanahan.

But he still has weapons.

Devin Hester’s speed and explosiveness could make both players look like magicians in 2008, and Greg Olsen’s size and speed could make Tony Scheffler look like a baby Mark Chmura.

The point is, Cutler may not be quite as “great” as his Denver weapons and numbers made him out to be, but he also isn’t anywhere close to the wimpy, cry baby, drama king that the trade to Chicago made him out to be, either.

He still knows how to play football, and he’s talented enough to make things happen with the few weapons that Chicago does have.

Oh, and this time around, he’ll actually have a supportive defense.

Kyle Orton

Orton is entering into a system that gave Matt Cassel the quickest quarterback make-over we’ve ever seen.

Cassel had no experience to speak of at any level, and hadn’t started a football game since high school. We may find out fairly soon in Kansas City that, while the guy is talented, he is nowhere near as good as this system (and Randy Moss and Wes Welker) made him out to be.

Do you see the common theme, here? Nothing is what you think it is. At least, not when you’re discussing Cutler and Orton.

Orton tossed over 2,900 yards and 18 touchdowns with those average weapons everyone keeps talking about, and is now walking into Jay Cutler-territory, where he has the luxury of having Marshall, Royal, and Scheffler at his disposal.

So, really, which is it?

Did those talented receivers make Cutler, or did Orton’s lack of talent make him? Or is it both?

I say neither.

Orton proved (on a bum ankle for the final four weeks) that he can manage games, and is talented enough to put up solid numbers, despite not having polished weapons around him.

With a new cast of friends sharing the load on offense, Orton’s numbers could get half-way to where Cutler was last year.

And as far as that whole “system quarterback” label is concerned-so what?

If he is indeed a system quarterback, then that’s all the more reason to pull the trade that Josh McDaniels orchestrated, and nab Orton, a guy who can clearly do what he’s told, when he’s told it, and do it well.

Denver won’t have the defensive support Orton had last year, at least not immediately, but if McDaniels system is anything like Bill Belichick’s in New England, there should be some good results.

Fantasy Summary

If you’re looking to draft either of these guys as sleepers, good luck.

It’s becoming more and more obvious that both quarterbacks are getting very comfortable in their new environment, and with all of their respective offensive weapons healthy, there’s no reason to think they both can’t succeed.

Cutler has his defense backing him, as well as a fantastic weapon in Matt Forte (who people tend to overlook when talking about Cutler’s supporting cast), and whether you like it or not, the guy is actually good.

Orton, on the other hand, is only going to play as bad as Brandon Marshall allows him to, and Eddie Royal is set-up to have huge numbers as the Wes Welker-clone, as well.

If those two receivers are putting up elite numbers, don’t you think Orton will reap some of those benefits?

Real World Summary

If we’re being realistic, it’s as simple as this:

Orton is good enough to help make the Denver offense go, but their offensive line is still aging, and their entire defense is, well, incomplete.

They are probably still a .500 team, but Orton is too smart and safe to have them lose more than nine games.

Cutler, on the other hand, has a good defense and special teams, and while some of his weapons aren’t necessarily elite or proven yet, they have the athleticism and explosive needed to make that jump.

With Cutler’s arm guiding the way, the Bears could enter into the top ten in the league, offensively.

Even if they don’t, Cutler is still better than Orton, and Chicago won’t finish any worse than they did last year, which could equate to Cutler’s first “winning” season.