Pete Carroll says 'I just felt it was time' to make some big changes

INDIANAPOLIS – Pete Carroll made some hard decisions this offseason, but he thinks they were the right ones.

Speaking to the media at the NFL Combine on Thursday, the Seattle Seahawks coach spoke at length about the decision to part ways with offensive coordinator Darell Bevell,defensive coordinator Kris Richard and offensive line coach Tom Cable.

“I wanted to try to challenge the opportunity to get better,” Carroll said. “There’s some tough decisions here to get that done. I wanted to work at changing … kind of an approach to it so that we can find our way maybe into some newness that we can uncover.

“It was difficult to make those choices, because the guys that left, we had done so much together and had so much fun and worked together in great fashion. But, I just felt that it was time.”

Bevell has yet to land a new job, but Cable quickly found work with the Raiders and Richard with the Cowboys. Carroll had high praise for Bevell’s replacement, Brian Schottenheimer.

“Really great diversity in his background,” Carroll said. “A bright, smart dude that’s been around, done a lot of stuff, been in a bunch of schemes.

“I was really impressed with his overall command, his ability to see things from different perspectives, which will be really exciting for us, and I think in (Russell Wilson’s) development.”

There’s still much that’s up in the air, as the Seahawks wait to see how some of their top players rebound from serious injuries.

Carroll said Cliff Avril and Kam Chancellor are still “in process” as they battle neck injuries, but when asked if he was planning to be without them next season, he said he was not. He also said there’s little word on Malik McDowell’s recovery from a serious concussion.

Carroll said the upheaval has a chance to be “an altering moment” for the team, but said he tries to approach every offseason aggressively.

“It comes back to competing and finding a way to get a little bit better,” Carroll said. “That’s why we made those choices. I’m really excited about the guys that are here, and how it’s working out so far and seeing the new energy. I’m energized by it – the whole group is.”