Don't wait to watch Sherman chill out

The good news for the Seahawks is that Richard Sherman is still around.

The bad news for the Seahawks is that Richard Sherman is still around.

Both of which mean…

Saying that Seattle might be the most potentially combustible team in the NFL this year is a spectacular understatement.

And that’s not even accounting for the near-certain arrival of the backup QB from hell, Colin Kaepernick.

Talk about adding another clown to the circus.

If an ESPN story published last week is to be believed — and the sources seem almost ironclad — Sherman is still seething over an entire raft of issues.

Apparently the volatile cornerback continues to fume over Pete Carroll’s decision to call for a pass at the New England 1-yard line in the Super Bowl THREE seasons ago.

Besides being one of the premier corners of his era, Sherman clearly is all-world in seething.

Unfortunately, there’s more — far more — to create the impression of an explosion in Seattle this season.

LET’S start with the key impression left by that ESPN piece; to wit, in addition to Sherman, the entire Seahawk defense is angry.

Like, perpetually angry.

In a sense that’s OK, because this group became the best in football by thinking, sleeping, practicing and playing angry.

It’s commonplace for the Hawks to turn an off-season, non-contact drill into a brawl, with Sherman generally the ringleader.

Such ongoing fury, though, can hit a boiling point — and when that happens, the whole thing blows sky-high.

The most critical bone of contention among defensive players seems to be that quarterback Russell Wilson has become the franchise’s golden boy. They think he’s good but nothing special and, most grating of all, Carroll flatly refuses to criticize him.

Ever.

Remember, now, that Seattle’s D has allowed the fewest points in the league four years running — so those heavy hitters have some legitimate gripes about an offense that scored 13 points or less in five games last season.

Sherman alone was on the field for 99 snaps in that absurd 6-6 overtime tie with Arizona.

It’s not hard to guess why Sherman went ballistic on the sideline a couple of times, nor why he openly suggested a trade — which the Seahawks publically admitted they would consider.

YET THE lightning rod at left corner remains in place.

The always-optimistic Carroll claims that Sherman has returned to the fold and is working hard, even tutoring some young cornerbacks (Seattle grabbed three defensive backs with their first four picks in the draft).

Meanwhile, the club has just paid free-agent running back Eddie Lacy a handsome bonus for getting his weight down to a still-fat 253 pounds.

Picture the Seahawk camp if Lacy gains more pounds than yards, and then throw in a serious knock to Wilson.

None of this seems implausible.

Wilson endured three different injuries last season, remaining upright — more or less — but with noticeably limited mobility and effectiveness.

To prevent that sort of continuing carnage, GM John Schneider inexplicably tossed an $8 million, one-year contract at Luke Joeckel, who was perhaps the league’s worst left tackle during a terrible stretch with Jacksonville.

Yikes!

So now, imagine if Wilson goes down and Kaepernick (who has the second-lowest interception rate in NFL history) leads Seattle on a glorious fourth-quarter comeback.

Carroll would say instantly that Wilson is his No. 1 QB, no matter what.

Can you picture the defense buying THAT?

And let’s not kid ourselves that this team was built as an offensive juggernaut. Seattle’s game is stopping people.

Just wait for that photo of Sherman hugging Kap, getting his dreads lost in Colin’s massive Afro.

Hoo, boy…

Just keep smiling, Pete.

Steve Cameron is a special assignment reporter for The Press. Reach Steve via email at scameron@cdapress.com.