Wide receiver Deion Branch and defensive tackle Marcus Tubbs will be placed on the physical unable to perform (or PUP) list when the Seahawks open training camp practices Friday morning.

Not surprising, considering that Branch had reconstructive knee surgery in January and Tubbs has had major surgery on each of his knees the past two years.

Linebacker Will Herring also could end up on PUP, but his status still is being debated.

Going on PUP does not mean that the players are out for the season. It means they didn't pass their pre-camp physical and won't practice until they do.

When the Seahawks take to the practice field Friday morning, Pro Bowl linebacker Julian Peterson will be wearing No. 98 – the same number he wore for the first six seasons of his NFL career while playing with the San Francisco 49ers.

Peterson has worn No. 59 the past two seasons with the Seahawks because former defensive end Grant Wistrom had the preferred 98 when Peterson was signed as a free agent in 2006. Wistrom is gone, so No. 98 is back where Peterson feels it belongs.

And what of Baraka Atkins, the defensive end who wore No. 98 last year during his rookie season? He's now No. 59. No word yet on whether Peterson provided any, well, incentive for the digital do-over.

Fans of Seattle's version of a Super Fan are holding a benefit concert for Lorin Sandretzky – b.k.a. (better known as) Big Lo.

Sandretzky has been diagnosed with diabetes and the benefit is to help with the cost of his hospital stay.

The event is scheduled for Aug. 17, from 4-9 p.m., at Last Supper Club in Seattle. Tickets are $25 (general admission) and $75 (a limited number of VIP for those 21 and over). They can be purchased at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/37308.

In additions to the music – from The Joshua Cain Band, Geoffrey Castle and Out From Underneath – the even also will feature a roast and silent and live auctions of items from the Seahawks, Mariners, Sonics and Storm.

Coming soon to a TV screen near you – Matt Hasselbeck starring in a commercial directed by Janusz Kaminski.

That's not the new right wing for the Vancouver Canucks. It's the two-time Academy Award winner, who has helped produce a "Join the Migration" spot for Reebok.

The Seahawks quarterback is in the add, as are 19 other NFL players – from Peyton and Eli Manning to DeMarcus Ware and Vince Young.

Here are a few more details from the release on the spot:

Each player is wearing his team's NFL Equipment Speedwick Tee, as well as Reebok HexRide Rally II footwear, featuring Speedwick technology in the lining.

When the spot opens, the NFL athletes are shown simultaneously taking part in various offseason activities: players fishing or lounging poolside when, as if galvanized by an inner voice, all the players stride purposefully towards the same direction. The spot climaxes with vignettes of teammates travelling from their respective offseason cities and uniting to "migrate" as one to their home stadium or training camp location.

Kaminski is one of the world's most accomplished directors of photography. He is best known for his work on films such as Saving Private Ryan, Jerry McGuire and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

The music in the spot is "Train Song," by psychedelic folk pioneer Vashti Bunyan. The British born Bunyan, who was discovered in 1965 by Rolling Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham, disappeared from the music scene for more than 30 years after the release of her debut album. She has recently undergone a resurgence in popularity, collaborating with indie artists such as Devendra Banhart and Animal Collective.

Jeff Chadiha of ESPN.com offers his now-annual list of the 10 most indispensable players in the NFL, and look who checks in at No. 9.

It's Matt Hasselbeck.

Here's what Chadiha has to say about the Seahawks quarterback:

"Yes, every quarterback is important to his team but Hasselbeck was extraordinary in 2007. The Seahawks couldn't rely on former Pro Bowl running back Shaun Alexander and they also faced multiple injuries to their receiving corps. How did Hasselbeck respond? By putting the Seahawks' offense on his shoulders and leading that team to the postseason. A performance like that deserves to be rewarded with a spot on this list."

Also on the list:
No. 1 Tom Brady, QB, New England
No. 2 Peyton Manning, QB, Indianapolis
No. 3 Terrell Owens, WR, Dallas
No. 4 Adrian Peterson, RB, Minnesota
No. 5 Antonio Gates, TE, San Diego
No. 6 Albert Haynesworth, DT, Tennessee
No. 7 Brian Westbrook, RB, Philadelphia
No. 8 Joe Thomas, LT, Cleveland
No. 10 Eli Manning, QB, New York Giants

Pretty good company for a player who was not invited to the NFL scouting combine, ended up being drafted in the sixth round in 1998, spent his first season in Green Bay on the practice squad and was then Brett Favre's backup for two seasons before being traded to the Seahawks in 2001.

After the annual extended "break" between the final minicamp and the start of training camp, a certain P-I Seahawks beat reporter is back – for what will be a 30th season covering the team.

Things have been pretty quiet in Hawkville the past five weeks, as the players and coaches also got away for some R&R before the treadmill shifts into high gear. But there have been some items worth noting:

* The rookies report for training camp today, and first-round draft choice Lawrence Jackson and second-round pick John Carlson are unsigned.

Neither the agents for Jackson, a defensive lineman from USC, and Carlson, a tight end from Notre Dame, nor Seahawks management consider this a big deal. There was a delay in most signings in the top two rounds while a special master ruled on a grievance filed by the NFL Players Association against the NFL management council on how to count guaranteed "one-time bonuses" against the salary cap. The ruling came down over the weekend – in favor of the NFLPA – and should prompt a rush of signings this week.

The more important date for the Seahawks is Friday, when two-a-day practices begin, and the coaches think Jackson and Carlson will be signed by then.

* Fourth-round pick Red Bryant, a defensive tackle from Texas A&M, and fifth-rounder Owen Schmitt, a fullback from West Virginia, have agreed to four-year deals. When each signs, another player will have to be released for the Seahawks to remain at the 80-man roster limit. They currently have 84 players on the roster.

* Three players were released after the final minicamp: guard Dustin Dickson, wide receiver Chas Gessner and center Nick Jones. Those moves allowed the team to sign snapper Tyler Schmitt and kicker Brandon Coutu – sixth- and seventh-round round picks.

* The team's personnel department also underwent a reshuffling because Mike Phair left scouting to become assistant linebackers coach.

Eric Stokes replaced Phair as the west area scout, with opened Stokes' midwest slot for Ed Dodds, who had been an assistant in the pro personnel department. Jason Barnes, an intern, was promoted to Dodds' old spot.

Also, Matt Berry was hired to become the southwest regional scout. Berry spent the past five seasons with – you guessed it – the Atlanta Falcons. Club president Tim Ruskell was with the Falcons (as well as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers) before being hired by the Seahawks in 2005. Ruskell not only trusts his roots, he continues to tap them in filling vacancies with the Seahawks.

The Seahawks have gotten contract agreements from defensive tackle Red Bryant and fullback Owen Schmitt, their fourth- and fifth-round picks in April's NFL draft.

There will be no official word on the transactions, however, until the contracts have been signed and received by the club. That's team policy. But the agreements have been confirmed by other sources.

With Bryant and Schmitt agreeing to terms, the team has only two rookies left to sign: First-round pick Lawrence Jackson, a defensive lineman from USC; and second-round pick John Carlson, a tight end from Notre Dame.

Sorry to be so late with this (still on vacation), but this is news several fans have been asking about: The team's annual training camp scrimmage will be held at Qwest Field on Saturday, Aug. 2.

"Kickoff" for what is basically a glorified practice is 11 a.m., and tickets went on sale Thursday.

The club also announced something we already knew: Two-a-day training camp practices begin Friday, July 25, at the team's Kirkland facility. That means they will be closed to the public. Camp breaks Aug. 21, when the players and coaches will join the rest of the organization at the new digs in just-barely-Renton.

No official word yet on whether the team will practice once a week in Renton during training camp (as some of the coaches have offered) so fans can attend. Or, if the practices will be open once they move to Renton (probably not, since the shift signals the end of training camp).

Here's the release from the team:

Kirkland, Wash. -- The Seattle Seahawks will hold its annual team scrimmage on Saturday, August 2, at Qwest Field beginning at 11 a.m. Tickets will be available at all Ticketmaster outlets in the Puget Sound region and ticketmaster.com beginning Thursday, July 17, at 10 a.m.

Ticket prices are $12 for adults, $5 for youth (ages 6-17) and children under the age of five are free. Qwest Field gates open for the 90-minute scrimmage at 9 a.m.

All proceeds from the scrimmage will benefit "Play It Smart" programs in King & Pierce Counties. The Seahawks, in partnership with the National Football Foundation, fund "Play It Smart" programs at Clover Park and Rainier Beach High Schools during the 2008-09 school year.

"Play It Smart" is an educational program designed to transform student-athletes' passion for sport and intense dedication to their team into a force for greater good in their lives is remarkably successful. "Play It Smart" participants graduate and go on to college at rates well above those of their peers, all at a cost of less than a dollar per day per student-athlete.

Prior to the scrimmage, the team will host a two-hour Gatorade Jr. Training Camp (ages 8-14) at 8 a.m. Participants will have the chance to work with local high school coaches to learn football fundamentals, techniques and skills. Participants must register through seahawks.com. Campers will be admitted into the scrimmage for free. Parents/guardians of the campers must have a ticket to attend the scrimmage.

The team begins its 2008 NWCN Seahawks Training Camp on Friday, July 25, with practice times announced next week. Practices at the Kirkland Headquarters are closed to the public due to space constraints and limited parking around Northwest University.

For more information visit www.seahawks.com.

The first of the Seahawks' draft-choice dominoes has fallen, as Justin Forsett signed what is believed to be a four-year contract. The running back from Cal was a seventh-round in April's NFL draft.

To clear a roster spot for Forsett, rookie cornerback Donovan Alexander was released.

Because of the 80-man roster limit this year, with the demise of NFL Europe and the roster exemptions for players allocated to the spring league, the Seahawks will have to release a player each time they sign a draft choice.

Here's the release from the team:

The Seattle Seahawks signed running back Justin Forsett to a multi-year deal, the team announced this afternoon.

Forsett, drafted with the first of two seventh round picks (233rd overall) from California in this year's draft, becomes the first draft pick signed by Seattle.

To make room on the roster, the Seahawks released cornerback Donovan Alexander. Alexander originally signed with Seattle as an undrafted rookie free agent on April 27.

Darrell Jackson happy to be practicing? Now that is news.

The former leading receiver for the Seahawks moped around for too many of his final days with the team, which was a major reason club president Tim Ruskell traded him to the 49ers during the draft last year.

Cut by the 49ers after only one season, Jackson is in Denver -- and apparently happy to be there.

Here's a story from the Denver Post detailing Jackson's new outlook:

Long after most of the Broncos had retired to the locker room following a recent offseason workout, Darrell Jackson just couldn't seem to leave the practice field.

He hung around for at least 15 more minutes, idly chatting with fellow wide receivers, slapping high-fives and tossing a football back and forth with his new teammates.

Consider it a promising new start for Jackson, who has joined his third team in three years.

The Broncos signed him to a one-year contract in April, shortly after Jackson was released after one season with San Francisco. Now he is competing to be Denver's No. 2 receiver behind Brandon Marshall and eager to prove he can produce as he did in his seven seasons with Seattle.

"Sometimes the best thing to do is just move on and be happy," Jackson said. "It's not good to play football when you're miserable."

Jackson, 29, said his year in San Francisco was the worst time in his career. As the 49ers' offense struggled -- their passing game ranked last in the NFL in 2007 -- so did Jackson's production. He caught only 46 passes for 497 yards and three touchdowns, all career lows for a season in which he played more than 13 games. The previous year in Seattle, Jackson caught a career-high 10 touchdown passes and was only 44 yards shy of his fourth 1,000-yard season. A season before that he played in Super Bowl XL, catching five passes for 50 yards in the first quarter of the Seahawks' loss to Pittsburgh.

Broncos coach Mike Shanahan said he looked at Jackson's numbers with Seattle -- where he left ranked No. 2 in team history in touchdown catches, third in receiving yards and fourth in catches -- not at what happened in 2007.

"I'm going more on what he's done in the past and how he's played in the past, and he hasn't disappointed us so far," Shanahan said. "He's a veteran who has a lot of confidence, and he should, based on the kind of production he's had."

Jackson and Shanahan pointed to plenty of reasons for the drop in production with San Francisco: A first-year offensive coordinator, injuries to the starting and backup quarterbacks, the adjustment to a new system.

Jackson, too, accepted some of the blame.

"I went through a depression stage, having never been in an offense like that and not being able to contribute," Jackson said. "Sometimes I was lackadaisical or something, and would lose focus, drop a few balls and stuff like that on short catches."

The low point, Jackson said, came Nov. 18 when the 49ers lost their eighth consecutive game. San Francisco won two games in December to finish 5-11, and Jackson caught a touchdown pass in each of the team's final two games, but by then it was too late. When offensive coordinator Jim Hostler was fired the first week in January and replaced by Mike Martz, it signaled the end of Jackson's brief tenure with the 49ers. The team signed veteran Isaac Bruce, who played for Martz in St. Louis, and dumped Jackson, who was slated to make $4 million in San Francisco. Jackson said his deal in Denver is worth about $2 million, including bonuses.

"I think this is the perfect opportunity for both parties," said Brian Mooney, Jackson's agent. "Darrell has the chance to go out and erase the memory of San Francisco. And I think Denver can really use Darrell."

Denver added veteran Keary Colbert from Carolina and Samie Parker from Kansas City in the offseason for more depth at the position. With Marshall still recovering from a serious injury to his right forearm, Jackson, Colbert and Brandon Stokley have taken most of the repetitions with the first-team offense during mini-camp.

"I think we've got good chemistry here," Jackson said. "We've got guys who like to compete, guys who want to see other guys do good. When somebody makes a play, everyone else wants to go make a play."