THE CHEAP SEATS with STEVE CAMERON: One key to Seahawks taking the next step — rehab

The rule here is very simple.

No football once the temperature hits 80 degrees.

Not playing it.

Not even writing about it.

At this time of year, seahawks are a type of bird you watch while enjoying a ferry ride to Whidbey Island.

Except …

When an NFL personnel executive, given the promise of anonymity, suggests that the Seahawks might be a major disappointment this season.

Indeed, he was talking about our neighborhood football team, and not water birds.

Gasp!

And here we thought Pete Carroll was busy building another contender with excellent back-to-back drafts.

Are we wrong?

“Let’s just go with the belief that Pete’s usual optimism may be a little misplaced,” said my source.

“Seattle’s one of the strangest teams in the league, because some of its position groups — wide receiver, secondary, special teams — are basically as solid as any group you can find.

“On the other hand, there are some holes, and I think they’re big ones, holes that could cause some huge problems at the line of scrimmage.

“And, I’m sorry, but that’s where games are won and lost over 18 weeks.”

TO BE fair, if this exec were doing a complete scouting report on the Seahawks, he said he’d add an asterisk.

On what basis?

“Injuries. Seattle has guys at critical positions who are all coming off serious surgeries, and it doesn’t sound like they’ll be back at the start of the season.

“Think about it.”

Oh, don’t worry about that.

We’ve been thinking about the Seahawks’ roster and depth chart since right after the draft.

“OK, if you’ve been watching and listening to some of these medical reports, none of them sound very good.

“What concerns me most is that these are players who make a hell of a difference to the defense.

“Bryan Mone is the only nose guard with any real experience, and it sounds like he’ll be out quite a while.

“They’ll have to go with (fourth-round draft pick) Cam Young on the nose.”

In fact, Young may wind up rotating with Austin Faoliu, who played this year in the XFL and made the league all-star team.

The Seahawks are waiting for surgery recoveries by inside linebacker Jordyn Brooks (ACL repair in December) and former all-pro safety Jamal Adams, who had surgery on a torn quadriceps after the first game last season.

“Just to start, you have someone missing right over the ball, at inside linebacker, and your physical safety who would be playing right around the line of scrimmage.

“If those guys were all healthy, it would be a totally different defense.

“But they aren’t, and Seattle is going to have a very, very tough time stopping teams that want to run the ball.

“That could be a nightmare, because offenses will eat the clock, score points, and keep Geno (Smith) and those receivers off the field.”

This executive basically liked the Seahawks potential pass rush, but reiterated that the Hawks will somehow have to force teams into passing situations.

He guessed that Seattle defensive coordinator Clint Hurtt might gamble by overloading “the box,” even on early downs, daring teams to throw and hoping that his gifted secondary can avoid too many big plays.

MY SOURCE didn’t think the Hawks would have the same worries on offense, but insisted there were question marks on that side of the ball, too.

He pointed out that he wasn’t alone is expressing doubts about the offensive line — noting that respected site Pro Football Focus rated the Seahawks O-line 30th out of the league’s 32 teams.

“To be competitive against the tough schedule they’ve got, Seattle will have to run the ball and then throw off play-action — or on running downs,” he said.

“That line hasn’t proved that it can give Geno time, and the jury is still out on whether he can throw consistently well under pressure.”

Second-year tackles Charles Cross and Abe Lucas were excellent a year ago, but the Hawks are unsettled in the middle.

They signed Lions backup Evan Brown as their “Break Glass in Case of Emergency” at center, while hoping draft choice Olu Oluwatimi — the Outland Trophy winner from Michigan — can step in and win that job.

Both returning guards, Damien Lewis and Phil Haynes, struggled to impose themselves last year, and were often rotated.

You know, when somebody who is both knowledgeable and neutral takes a thorough look, well …

It’s fair to say this team has some work to do, in camp and then in exhibition games.

And, yep, the Hawks need their walking wounded back.

Meanwhile, the FanDuels betting site makes Seattle +250 to win the NFC West, and 15th in line to win the Super Bowl at +3500.

Rehab fast, guys.

Email: [email protected]

Steve Cameron’s “Cheap Seats” columns appear in The Press four times each week, normally Tuesday through Friday unless, you know, stuff happens.

Steve suggests you take his opinions in the spirit of a Jimmy Buffett song: “Breathe In, Breathe Out, Move On.”