Notebook | Hassle-free minicamp for Hawks' star QB

KIRKLAND — As shoulder rehabilitation goes, there isn't often much to be excited about.

Except when the road to recovery is smooth, even better than expected, as is the case with Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck.

Hasselbeck got through seven days of practices throwing with no problems. He went from individual drills at the outset to seven-on-seven by the end of this week's voluntary veterans camp Thursday.

"This was a great camp for me, just in terms of where I was coming in and where I am coming out," Hasselbeck said. "I feel so much better throwing the ball. I'm looking forward to June 4, when we come back, and hopefully I can be much better at throwing the ball and also more involved."

The Seahawks reconvene for another minicamp on June 4. Hasselbeck, who had surgery in January on his non-throwing (left) shoulder, will start lifting weights on Monday and hopes to be at full strength by the start of training camp in July. He said he also needs to improve the velocity on his throws and work on his agility and conditioning. In other words, get in better shape.

"He did more than was expected maybe a couple of months ago," coach Mike Holmgren said. "The only thing we didn't want him to do was hand the ball off with his left hand or get hit. But, yeah, he's ahead of schedule and I think he's going to be fine."

The last word

on Alexander's foot

Holmgren has had it. The coach was asked when or if running back Alexander, who missed the final three days of the voluntary camp, will get his left foot re-examined.

Alexander — who missed six games after cracking a bone in the foot last season — caused an uproar Monday when he told reporters the bone might still be cracked. He added that he thought about having it examined after the minicamp.

"He's not going to have it looked at. No one's going to look at it. I haven't looked at it, he hasn't looked at it, no one's looked at it," Holmgren explained. "There's no crack in it. I don't know why he said what he said.

"We X-rayed it after the season was over, and how long has it been? You saw him running out here, he's running all over the place ... that's a non-story. Honest to goodness. There's nothing wrong with Shaun Alexander."

Shift to the right?

While fourth-year pro Sean Locklear is the incumbent at right tackle, Holmgren said he'd like to see a competition for that starting spot and the No. 1 right guard position as well.

That came as a bit of a shock, given that Locklear — who got the team's highest restricted free-agent tender at $1.85 million for this year — is healthy and has played fairly well in two seasons as a starter.

Holmgren said only left tackle Walter Jones is a lock to start. Chris Spencer is supposed to start at center, but he has a bad shoulder that might eventually require another surgery. That has sent Chris Gray, the projected right guard, over to center with the starters. Second-year player Rob Sims is expected to be the No. 1 left guard.

If Spencer is fine, Gray might have to fend off Floyd Womack or even third-year pro Ray Willis, who played right guard for Gray in the minicamp and looked good. Willis will also contend for Locklear's job.

Holmgren said he still thinks highly of Locklear.

"We're going to go into [training] camp that way," the coach said. "Ray Willis has stepped up a little bit, and I'm going to see who wants it the most.

"We're not changing the stripes on the ball here, we're just looking at some things on the right side."

Notes

• Holmgren said all injured and rehabilitating players who didn't practice over the past week aren't expected back until training camp, with the exception of S Mike Green, who took part in individual drills Thursday and might be available to practice next month.

• LB Julian Peterson did not practice, though he was fully involved in every other day of camp.

• Hasselbeck and his younger brother Tim Hasselbeck are featured along with their father, former NFL tight end Don Hasselbeck, on a billboard that will be unveiled in Times Square on Monday. The unveiling of the billboard will kick off the NFL "Super Dad" Sweepstakes, a league-sponsored Father's Day promotion.

José Miguel Romero: 206-464-2409 or jromero@seattletimes.com