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Right tackle remains unsettled for Seattle

By WTOP Staff

TIM BOOTH
AP Sports Writer

RENTON, Wash. (AP) — When the Seattle Seahawks lost their starting right tackle in free agency during the offseason, the contingency plan seemed straightforward.

After seeing significant playing time as a rookie, Michael Bowie would get first crack at stepping in for Breno Giacomini.

To add depth, Seattle spent a second-round draft pick on Justin Britt out of Missouri with the intent on having him compete with Bowie for the starting job.

That still might be the final scenario. But the signing of veteran right tackle Eric Winston on Tuesday would indicate the situation is unsettled.

“Just looking for depth and a competitive guy to come in that spot,” Seattle coach Pete Carroll said. “We like the fact he’s got background and experience.”

And there might be a need at that position as well. Bowie has been slowed by a shoulder injury suffered on the first day of camp, although he’s expected to practice later this week. Britt has looked like a rookie and struggled on Tuesday as he was matched up against starting defensive end Cliff Avril.

Enter Winston, the current NFLPA president. Entering his ninth season, Winston has started 119 consecutive games and has the experience advantage over Bowie and Britt. He’s also played in zone-blocking systems in the past and is familiar with what the Seahawks are trying to teach.

“I’ve been searching for the right situation and I wanted to go somewhere that you can win,” Winston said. “When they called I know they’re definitely capable of winning here and winning big so it was very exciting to think that I would get a chance to play in some games I’ve never played in before and have a chance of doing that.”

Winston played last season for Arizona so he saw the Seahawks up close twice. He was part of the only team to beat the Seahawks in Seattle in the past two seasons when Arizona won 17-13 in Week 16 last December.

“They fly around, they have a lot of fun, they play hard and they play together. They’re a tough team to beat,” Winston said. “We played them a couple of times last year and caught them early in Carroll’s tenure, but they’re as tough as it gets. A lot athletes and a lot of speed and you have to be ready to deal with it. It will be a lot more fun playing with them than against them.”

The upside for Seattle if either Britt or Winston can prove capable of starting at the position is the versatility of Bowie.

Last season, Bowie started at both guard and tackle at various times and along with second-year lineman Alvin Bailey gives the Seahawks pieces to mix and match across the line whether for matchups or because of injury.

Britt might be the future at the position, and he’s getting an opportunity to work with the No. 1 offense with Bowie being sidelined. That also means going against the starting defense and in those settings, Britt’s had moments of still learning the difference in speed between college and the pros.

“For him (it’s) a big bonus. I don’t know if it helps our team, but maybe in the long run it will if he ends up being the guy,” offensive line coach Tom Cable said. “He is certainly getting a lot of extra work.”

NOTES: Seattle’s practice was aired live on ESPN. A helicopter flew over the practice facility throughout the TV event and cameras were stationed around the practice fields. “They were very open to how we would allow it to happen and we worked together to figure out a way. I don’t know how it came off. … It didn’t bother us at all,” Carroll said. … RB Marshawn Lynch continued his holdout on Tuesday and could be facing additional fines from the team related to his signing bonus for the holdout reaching six days. “It’s one of those deals you can never get inside somebody’s head,” Seattle general manager John Schneider said in an interview with ESPN during its broadcast. “We’re just going with our plan and it’s cliche-ish but next man up. We’ve had a plan in place here for a number of years and we can’t veer from that plan just for one person because it’s the ultimate team sport.”

___

AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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