Seahawks back on field ... well, at least some of them are

KIRKLAND, Wash. -- There was Matt Hasselbeck throwing to ... Logan Payne?

The Seattle Seahawks' record-setting quarterback then stepped and fired perfectly placed darts to ... Jordan Kent and Ben Obomanu?

"We're low on numbers," Hasselbeck joked Thursday. "NFL Europe and all."

These looked more like pickup games among unknowns in a park than the first two minicamps of the spring for the defending four-time NFC West champions. And, no, they can't blame that on a defunct spring league stealing away players.

Leading receiver Deion Branch spent another practice day inside and face-down on a training table getting his surgically reconstructed knee flexed, pulled and strengthened. Bobby Engram, Hasselbeck's most trusted target for years, was at home during all four days of voluntary workouts that ended Thursday. He's protesting an expiring contract.

D.J. Hackett, who was emerging as a dependable threat the last two seasons before ankle problems derailed him, was in Charlotte, N.C. The Panthers signed him as a free agent this offseason.

"You mean all three of them?" coach Mike Holmgren said when asked about the minimally staffed receivers. "Holy smokes!"

Holmgren said Seattle may add a veteran receiver after June 1, the date of the league's annual cuts for salary cap purposes.

Until then, Hasselbeck doesn't mind being a maestro practicing with these apprentices. At least he can raise his left arm to conduct this spring's drills.

"If I go back to 12 months ago, I wasn't even in this camp," he said, recalling his surgery to repair a torn labrum cartilage in his non-throwing shoulder in January 2007. "So the fact that I am healthy and I'm able to do everything with the team, be in the weight room, that's a good thing."

After all, what is the true value of minicamps in April and May? Hasselbeck missed them all last year, and was still limited into August. Then he set team single-season records for completions (352), attempts (562) and yards (3,966) while throwing a career-high 28 touchdown passes last season. That earned him his third trip to the Pro Bowl.

So Hasselbeck isn't sweating that Nate Burleson is Seattle's only semi-proven receiver on the field this month. Branch could be out through the end of training camp that begins in late July. The former Super Bowl MVP tore his anterior cruciate ligament in last January's snowy playoff loss at Green Bay.

And Hasselbeck especially isn't worried about Engram choosing to skip this week's camp and two more voluntary minicamps early next month. After setting the Seahawks' season record with 94 catches in 2007, Engram wants more than the final year and $1.7 million he has remaining on his deal.