The Seahawks have always enjoyed physical practice sessions under Pete Carroll, but Thursday's action went too far for Seattle's coach.
Carroll confirmed that pass-rusher Frank Clark was sent to the showers after starting a fight with offensive lineman Germain Ifedi.
Gregg Bell of The Times Tribune described the tussle as a "wild" tangle that spawned from a pass-rushing drill, with Clark delivering a "flying blow" that "appeared to have bloodied" Ifedi's face.
Veteran defensive lineman Michael Bennett -- one of the league's most physical players -- said Clark went too far.
"Fighting to the point where you hurt each other, that's the line that you draw," Bennett said after practice, per Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times. "I think the line is to respect your teammates and to know that, at the end of the day, this is practice, it is not a game."
Training camp fights are commonplace in the NFL, but injuring a teammate is not. Time to take it down a notch in the Pacific Northwest.
Here's what else we learned during Thursday's camp action.
What's next for Ryan Tannehill?
The Dolphins spent the day on high alert after watching starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill go down awkwardly with a non-contact injury to his left knee in practice. Although he suffered no structural damage to the same knee he injured last season, Dolphins coach Adam Gase told reporters Friday the team is considering all of its treatment options for the quarterback, including surgery.
"[We're] talking to a lot of people, just making sure we're getting all the right information, and then we'll make a decision after that," Gase said. "Everything is on the table right now. We're going to talk to a lot of people."
It remains to be seen how much time Tannehill will miss. The quarterback is in the process of receiving second and third opinions on the injury, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported.
As for potential replacements, Rapoport reported Jay Cutler and Colin Kaepernick could be possibilities for the Dolphins. Gase, however, isn't looking too far ahead at this point.
"Right now Matt [Moore] is our quarterback," Gase said. "We'll see where we go from there because I've got to figure what's going on with Ryan and then we'll make decisions after that."
TB12 turns 40
Just in case you've been tucked away in a subterranean spy-bunker 200 miles below the Russian wildnerness, here's something you should know: Tom Brady turned 40 today. Our website is littered with articles, videos, embedded tweets, social-media omnibuses and other content celebrating the birth of New England's star passer, so we'll just leave you with something simple: furry little goats prancing about Patriots camp.
Let's fly to the Raven's Nest
While injuries creep up around the league, no team has been harder hit than Baltimore.
Colleague Kevin Patra summed up the wreckage: "In just the past 10 days, John Harbaugh's team has lost running back Kenneth Dixon (MCL), guard John Urschel (retirement), corner Maurice Canady (MCL), tight end Crockett Gillmore (MCL) and guard Nico Siragusa (ACL, MCL). That week-and-a-half's worth doesn't even include Joe Flacco dealing with back pain, the retirement of Zach Orr in January, or the losses of CB Tavon Young (ACL), TE Dennis Pitta (hip) and TE Darren Waller (year-long suspension) in June."
It's an incredible list of banged-up, lost athletes, but tight end Benjamin Watson is asking fans not to melt in a collective freak-out, saying: "It always seems like your situation is the worst when you're in it. I swear, every training camp I'm like, 'Man, we have a lot of injuries.' And we, in fact, do. That being said, that's why it's a team game. It's incumbent upon other players to step in and play."
Watson's stance is appreciated, but I side with Gregg Rosenthal, who told NFL Network: "The Baltimore Ravens had the worst week of any team -- and it really was not even close."
Odds and Ends
- More good news out of Miami, where the team is convinced pass-catcher DeVante Parker is set to become a full-blown star, with receivers coach Shawn Jefferson telling the Miami Herald's Barry Jackson: "He'll be a monster. If he keeps progressing like we think he can, he'll be invited to the 'Monster Bowl' after the season is over. His name is not DeVante; he's a monster."
Name-change noted, sir.
- Carlos Hyde has been whispered about as a cut candidate in San Francisco based off speculation the fourth-year running back isn't a fit for coach Kyle Shanahan's outside-zone run scheme. The Niners today are singing a different tune, with general manager John Lynch saying that Hyde "looks tremendous" and Shanahan telling reporters: "I can tell he's put in the work and has given himself a chance to have a good season."
With quarterback Brian Hoyer also emphasizing that Hyde is "in the right scheme," chopping him off the roster is beginning to feel like a remote possibility at best -- unless all these pretty words are being uttered to set the table for a potential trade.
- One player who won't be hanging around in San Francisco is oft-injured wideout Bruce Ellington, who was waived by the team on Thursday, per Rapoport.
- The Bills are intrigued by the prospect of adding free-agent wideout Anquan Boldin, but general manager Brandon Beane told WGR 550 in Buffalo that negotiations are "at a stall," adding: "Anquan is at a time in his life where I think family is very important ... I'm not sure where he's at with that. He's got to be all in and that's where we left it."
- If you're Blake Bortles, here's what you do: 1. Don't pick up a newspaper. 2. Never scan the internet. 3. Mute sports talk radio, and 4. Hit the block button on Saints defensive end Cam Jordan, who dropped a from-the-wilderness nuke on the Jaguars quarterback by saying: "You're not going to face more of a top-tier quarterback than Drew (Brees) ... It's not like we're going against Blake Bortles here (in practice). It's not like Drew's giving picks away. We're talking about a guy who's a perennial elite."
- This out of Philly from our man RapSheet:
From the Trainers' Room
In an effort to rest his shoulder, Cam Newton didn't throw at Panthers camp for the third straight day. ... Titans first-round receiver Corey Davis left practice Thursday to undergo an MRI on his hamstring. Tennessee's veteran running back DeMarco Murray is also day-to-day with a tweaked hammy. ... Seahawks second-round defensive tackle Malik McDowell reported to training camp after suffering a concussion and facial injuries in an ATV accident. The rookie was added to the team's non-football injury (NFI) list. ... Jets rookie safety Jamal Adamssprained his ankle during practice, per the team's official website. Coach Todd Bowles was unsure of the severity. Also for Gang Green, running back Matt Forte is dealing with a hamstring injury, per Brian Costello of the New York Post. ... Check our full injury roundup here.
