Asked to prioritize Seattle's offensive keys, Hasselbeck kept it self-servingly simple.

‘‘Well, shoot, protect the passer, that's it for me,'' he smiled. After a long pause, he continued, ‘‘If we could do that, that'd be nice. There's a long list of things, but that'd be at the top of the list.''

Easier said than done. For the second straight year, Seattle faces the possibility of opening the season without its franchise player, left tackle Walter Jones, who remains locked in a contract dispute.

Seattle has offered Jones a franchise-record $13 million signing bonus and a contract that would make him the second-highest paid player at the position in the NFL. Jones declined and Seattle suspended negotiations until after the season.

So Jones can either sit out or he can sign a $5.73 million tender and begin protecting Hasselbeck's blindside. If history is any measure, Jones skipped the first two games in 2002 -- Seattle went 0-2 -- before signing a one-year tender.

It's clear Seattle's offensive line has improved. Chris Terry, who joined the team last November and started the final five games, is an accomplished pass blocker. Robbie Tobeck, Jerry Wunsch and Chris Gray are established veterans. Steve Hutchinson ranks among the elite guards in the league.

Floyd `Pork Chop' Womack has another year of experience. Ideally, Seattle would like to put Womack at guard, but he's forced to replace Jones at present.

And the questions persist. Is Seattle good enough to go to the playoffs if Jones' absence is a prolonged one? Can the Seahawks afford another slow start that leaves them playing catch-up the rest of the season? ‘‘Obviously (Jones) is a great player and missing him is a huge thing,'' Hasselbeck said. ‘‘But we're sort of used to it. It's not like he was here last year (at training camp). I don't even know who the starting tackles were in that first game against Oakland (in 2003). It was either Pork Chop and Matt Hill or Pork Chop and Jerry Wunsch.

‘‘It's kind of like losing a guy to injury and I think this team has done a good job of dealing with that adversity.''

For the record, it was Womack and Wunsch. For a lot of reasons, Seattle has assumed an optimistic glow this season. The offense finished 2002 on a sprint. The personnel, if Jones shows, is unchanged.

The defense was a mess last season, finishing last against the run and No. 28 in total defense. That forced Seattle to rebuild, from new coaches to as many as five new starters.

Early returns have been promising.

‘‘It's definitely all the things you guys and the coaches have been saying as far as (being) our deepest team and our best team,'' holdover linebacker Chad Brown said. ‘‘We definitely have a shot to prove that.''

Defensive coordinator Ray Rhodes has installed his system, but he hasn't seen his projected starting lineup during training camp because of nagging injuries.

‘‘There's definitely signs of the guys improving and getting what we want them to get done,'' Rhodes said. ‘‘The key thing for me is getting everybody on the field and get one look at the entire unit that we plan to start against the Saints (in the season opener). We haven't been able to do that yet.''

The defense wasn't the only unit to undergo wholesale changes. Punter Jeff Feagles and kicker Rian Lindell are gone. Rodney Williams and Josh Brown are the likely replacements, but both are light on experience. Brown is a rookie. Williams was the New York Giants' punter in 2001, but he was injured last year and the Giants released him.

On the sidelines

Assistants: Gil Haskell, offensive coordinator; Ray Rhodes, defensive coordinator; Pete Rodriguez, special teams coordinator; Tom Lovat, assistant head coach/offensive line; Teryl Austin, defensive backs; Dwaine Board, defensive line; Nolan Cromwell, wide receivers; Kent Johnston, strength and conditioning; Bill Laveroni, offensive line; Jim Lind, tight ends; Clayton Lopez, secondary; John Marshall, linebackers; Mark Michaels, special teams; Stump Mitchell, running backs; Jim Zorn, quarterbacks; Gary Reynolds, quality control offense; Zerick Rollins, quality control defense.

In the stands

Stadium: Seahawks Stadium (67,000).

How to get there: From I-5 north and south, three exits (James Street, 4th Avenue and Airport Way) will put you in close proximity to the stadium. From I-90, follow signs to 4th Avenue South and turn right, then turn right on Royal Brougham Way. From SR-520, take I-5 South, then take either James Street, 4th Avenue or Airport Way exits.

Season tickets: For eight regular-season games, there are nine price ranges between $160-$2,240.

Individual game tickets: Prices range from $23-$280.

Info: 1-888-NFL-Hawk (1-888-635-4295) or www.Seahawks.com

On the air

Brian Davis, play-by-play; Steve Raible, analyst. KMAX 840 AM Colfax; KCVL 1240 AM Colville; KBSN 1470 AM Moses Lake; KXLY 920 AM Spokane; KVNI 1080 AM Coeur d'Alene; KRLC 1350 AM Lewiston