Seahawks get chance to work on rule changes with NFL referees in camp | Notebook

RENTON — In what is an annual occurrence at training camps, a crew of NFL officials is spending three days with the Seahawks this week.

Referee Carl Cheffers and his team worked at Seattle’s training camp practice Thursday and will also work Friday’s practice at the VMAC and Saturday’s practice at the Lumen Field.

And while the goal every year is for the officials to get some live experience with what are some inevitable tweaks to rules, there may be even more urgency this year with the league enacting two significant changes this offseason — a radical alteration of the kickoff and a new rule outlawing the use of the “hip-drop’’ tackle.

The new kickoff, modeled on one introduced in 2020 by the XFL, was approved in the spring on a one-year trial basis, designed both to increase the number of returns and cut down on injuries.

Teams will still kick off from their own 35-yard line.

But the rest of the 10 members of the kickoff cover team will line up at the opposing 40. 

The return team, meanwhile, will have nine players lined up between their own 30- to 35-yard line in a so-called “set-up zone’’ with two returners in the so-called “landing zone’’ inside their own 20. 

Coverage players and blockers cannot move until the ball is touched by a returner or hits the ground. Touchbacks will mean the offense starting at their own 30. Any kick that fails to reach the 20 will mean the offense starting at the 40. The thought is the tweaks will incentivize teams to try to kick the ball close to the goal-line to try to pin teams back.

The change to the kickoff rule also means that onside kicks are not allowed until the fourth quarter and only from teams that are trailing. Teams that want to try an onside kick must declare that they are doing so and teams will then get to attempt the kick with the same format of the former kickoff rules.

Cheffers, who was the referee for Kansas City’s Super Bowl win over Philadelphia following the 2022 season, told media before Thursday’s practice he hoped his crew would get some good experience with kickoffs at Seahawks workouts this week.

“Definitely looking forward to seeing some reps and seeming what that’s going to look like,’’ Cheffers said.

The hip drop is trickier, as most teams do little if any tackling to the ground in training camp other than in preseason games. But officials will meet with Seahawks coaches here to talk about how they plan to call that play and others. Crews such as Cheffers also bring along a video that they show to coaches and players that includes breakdowns of the new penalties — the section on the hip-drop includes a clip of the tackle on which Seattle quarterback Geno Smith was injured last October in a game against the New York Giants.

“It’s great just to work with those guys,’’ Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said Thursday. “And you saw us try to get to a bunch of situations where we work together on things and see how they see plays. We’ll go watch some penalties here in the team meeting and get their 2 cents on it, on why they called what they called.”

Personnel update: Oluwatimi sits out again

Not only did quarterback Geno Smith sit out practice for a second day, but so did starting center Olu Oluwatimi.

Oluwatimi was in pads Thursday but did not take part in any of the team sessions while dealing with a triceps injury. 

However, Macdonald said Oluwatimi, a second-year player out of Michigan, should be back on Friday.

“He’s got a triceps [injury] that he’s dealing with, but we should see him here tomorrow,’’ Macdonald said.

With Oluwatimi out, former UW standout Nick Harris worked as the starting center with Howell.

Here are some other injury updates:

— Defensive lineman Dre’Mont Jones again sat out with a hamstring injury suffered Friday. Macdonald said he had no ETA for when he may return. Said Macdonald: “Still all positive, but no update.”

— Outside linebacker Darrell Taylor sat out Thursday for the first time. Said Macdonald: “Yeah, without getting into it, just lower body. Working through some stuff.”

— Cornerback Michael Jackson, who was seen being attended to some earlier in the week, also sat out. Said Macdonald: “Just nicked up right now. I think he had a couple tests done. Not sure on the timetable.”

— Right tackle Abraham Lucas also remains on the physically unable to perform list, and Macdonald said there remains no ETA for a return.

— Offensive tackle George Fant again got a rest day. In his place McClendon Curtis worked as the right tackle with the first-team offense.

NOTES 

• The receiving corps did a set of pushups following their position meeting after practice. It was unclear why, though there were a few drops from the group, including two on consecutive plays from DK Metcalf. Defensive lineman Leonard Williams said accountability is a big emphasis of Macdonald and something the players are trying to take care of on their own as much as they can.

“At the end of the day, although we have a new coaching staff, if things aren’t running the way we want them to be ran, it’s on the players first of all,’’ Williams said. “Before I go to a coach and say, ‘Hey why isn’t this right?’ I have to look at myself in the mirror and be like, ‘Why isn’t this running right?’ I have to first say something to the team, and then if it’s not running right then I can say something to coach. The coaches always say they want to give the keys to the players and this is the time to do it.” 

• The Blue Angels attended practice on Wednesday then made their presence felt in Thursday’s practice with planes often flying over the field during their own practice for this weekend’s performance at Seafair. And as Macdonald noted, at one point a dog also got loose on the field.

“Man it was an awesome day,’’ he said. “Great practice. There was a moment out there where there was a bald eagle soaring through the wind, with Lake Washington in the background and Blue Angels flying around. At one point, we had a dog on the field. Check your bingo cards.’’