This is the fourth in a series of blogs from Seahawks safety Deon Grant, beginning his second season with the Seahawks and ninth in the NFL. A second round draft choice by the Carolina Panthers in 2000 out of Tennessee, he played four years with the Panthers before signing a 3-year free agent contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Seahawks snared him in free agency prior to the 2007 season. Grant will blog periodically throughout training camp for Seahawks.com on his experience and perceptions with the Seahawks. Grant, 29, spent his rookie year on injured reserve and has started 112 consecutive games since, the most of any other safety in the NFL.*
The scrimmage was great because we saw all the young guys so excited and playing well - especially our room, the DB (defensive back) room. They were waiting all week for the chance to get out there and be physical. I spent the game watching closely, trying to be as much help as I could be talking to the young guys and give them the keys that I know to help them play right and as fast as they could.
I wanted to play because I love this sport. But I know they're trying to be careful because we've already got so many other guys hurt. If he asked me to play the whole scrimmage I would have because I love to play football and I'll do anything they ask me to do to help us win.
The best mindset to have when you are playing this sport is to be ready every second of the day. When you're in training camp, you have to be thinking the game and ready to play the game all the time. When you put the uniform on or in the meeting room, it's important to have your mind right and ready to take your game to the next level.
From that scrimmage to the preseason game Friday night, I have no idea how much I'm going to play. The only way to deal with that is to have your mind and your body right and be prepared for whatever coach has you doing or whatever Minnesota has in store for us.
This is the way I've always been with this game.
As I get older, I'm just wiser and more aware of exactly what I need to do because I've done it so many times before. It's all about being prepared for what might be expected of me in a scrimmage or a game if the coach needs me. I'm much better prepared and faster at adapting if I need to just because of the experience I've had in the league the past eight years and now this one.
Some guys have an opportunity because starters don't play a lot in the preseason and that's how teams learn about their young guys. That's up and down, but I just stay loose and be ready.
And when I do get in the game I'm playing 100 percent. When those guys in the black-and-white striped shirts are out there blowing their whistle, it's time to play the game. It doesn't matter whether it's a scrimmage, preseason game or regular season game.
You have to play it the same way every time. If you don't, not only will you get embarrassed, you might end up hurting yourself because your mind isn't right. You have to give 110 percent when you step on the field.
If you look at our defense, no matter how much we play Friday night, you'll see that we're closer. We trust each other better than we did last year. We're playing fast. We know our jobs as individuals. It's making our unit even strong than it was last year.
