“The more things you can do.”
The adage is almost as old as the league – and the NFL turns 92 this season. That’s also a guess-timation on the number of positions Jameson Konz
has filled as a member of the Seahawks’ practice squad.
OK, that’s an exaggeration, but is there a more versatile practice-squad player in the league than the freakishly gifted and diversely talented Konz? On any given snap, Konz could be at outside linebacker, end or even nickel back when the Seahawks’ offense is working against the scout-team defense – which runs the plays used by the week’s opponent. When the Seahawks’ defense is up, and the scout-team offense is on the field, Konz could be at tight end. Or fullback. Or even wide receiver.
All in a practice’s work for the player who was selected in the seventh round of last year’s NFL Draft.
“The only thing he hasn’t played is probably running back, quarterback and O-line,” said Dave Canales, the offensive quality control coach who helps formulate what the scout team will do during any given week.
But it’s still early, as the players will return Wednesday from their off day to begin preparing for their Week 2 matchup with the Steelers in Pittsburgh on Sunday.
“Who knows? If we get thin enough, you might see him at one of those other positions, too,” Canales said with a smile and laugh.
Konz, 25, isn’t just a fill-a-spot player; he has played those positions – either at Lake High School in Uniontown, Ohio; Kent State; or with the Seahawks.
“Jameson has good hands,” Canales said. “He’s big enough to play the bigger positions, so he can hold up there. And when he goes to receiver and does that kind of stuff, he’s plenty fast with an amazing vertical.
“So I think the trick is just for him to, not necessarily pace himself, but to know it’s going to be hard on him because he gets no rest.”
This summer, Konz began training camp working with the tight ends. When injuries diminished the numbers at defensive end, Konz not only changed jerseys and sides of the ball, he registered a sack in the preseason opener against the Chargers in San Diego. When knee injuries sidelined all three starting linebackers during the second preseason games, you-know-who started lining up at outside linebacker.
It was this versatility, and ability to produce no matter where he lines up, that first attracted the Seahawks. Then there are “the numbers” that come attached to Konz: 6 feet 3, 234 pounds; a time of 4.41 seconds in the 40-yard dash and a 46-inch vertical leap at his Pro Day workout; 27 reps with 225 pounds in the bench press.
“That’s where you take a guy like that,” general manager John Schneider said after making Konz the 245th selection in the 2010 draft. “The guys are really excited about it.”
Added coach Pete Carroll, who was sitting next to Schneider: “The guy can jump over the two of us standing up straight. So we’ll take a shot with a guy that really has numbers that are off the chart.”
Konz’s number was up early as a rookie, when a hip injury ended his training camp before it ever really got started and he was placed on injured reserve in early August. This summer, he was released on the roster cut to 53 players and then re-signed to the practice squad.
“I can help them out wherever they need help,” Konz said. “And it’s a chance to get better in every aspect of my game, so it definitely helps.”
For the record, Konz broke into the sport as a single-spot player: running back, when he was in the fourth grade. But that didn’t last long.
“I’ve literally played every position, expect for the line,” he said of his growth into a player for almost every position.
In high school, he played receiver and defensive back, as well as returning kicks for the Blue Streaks. At Kent State, it was outside linebacker, tight end and H-back.
“Coaches have tried to put me in one spot,” Konz said. “But it’s hard for them to see exactly where to put me, just because I can do so many things.”
With a 46-inch vertical, how did he escape playing basketball? “My basketball coach in high school was begging me to play, but my focus was on football,” he said. “Looking back, I wish I had done that a little bit. He definitely wanted me to play, but I had to turn him down because my focus was on football.
“Growing up, that was the sport that spoke to me, and I just knew that that’s the one I wanted to play.”
Now, he’s the positional equivalent of being multilingual.
“It’s definitely tough when you have to move around a lot,” Konz said. “But I think as an overall athlete it’s definitely going to help me. So I just have to look at the positives and just continue to grow and eventually I’ll find my niche.”
And just what will that niche be? Or maybe a better way to put it is to ask Konz what he considers himself.
“It’s hard to say at this point,” he said. “I don’t really know. So I’m just going to take this time and figure it out.”
There is one obvious benefit to being a Swiss-army-knife of a player. “It’s fun,” he said. “It’s a lot of fun.”
Enough fun, obviously, to fill six positions. And counting.
As Canales put it, “As they say, ‘The more you can do.’ And if you can do it, you’re bound to stick around.”
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