7. Thomas Rawls "A Real Bright Spot"

With Marshawn Lynch present for minicamp but absent from voluntary workouts, Robert Turbin rehabbing a hip he recently had surgically repaired, and Christine Michael nursing what Carroll called a "tight" hamstring, Thomas Rawls received a good amount of work in the Seahawks backfield throughout the team's offseason program.

The 5-foot-9, 215-pound running back signed with the Seahawks as an undrafted rookie free agent out of Central Michigan, where he ran for 1,103 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2014 despite missing four games. Carroll, who said he has studied Rawls closely, called the 21-year-old ballcarrier "a real bright spot" for Seattle.

"I love his style of running," said Carroll. "He's really a head-knocker. He really goes after guys and when you guys get to see him put the pads on you'll see how physical of a runner he is. He had play after play in college of just smacking people and running and breaking tackles and all that. He showed very good feet, he caught the ball well, he's going to be a very-willing blocker.

"He was a real bright spot," the Seahawks head coach added. "I thought he really jumped out at us and he was very consistent, worked throughout the whole thing knowing that his best, maybe most exciting dimension, hasn't even been seen yet. He had a great camp for us. It'll be really fun to see him when we start playing ball."

8. Jesse Williams In "Recovery Mode"

Jesse Williams was recently cleared to workout after undergoing kidney surgery for Papillary Type 2 cancer. Seahawks.com digital media reporter John Boyle caught up with Williams earlier this week, when the 24-year-old Seahawks defensive tackle opened up about his battle with the disease. Carroll touched on the subject again following Thursday's minicamp.

"Jesse is in recovery mode from major surgery, had a kidney removed," Carroll began. "The process now is to get him back in shape. He's free to come back and it's just a matter of how soon he can get strong and what kind of level of conditioning can he achieve, we're going to reassess. But the doctors have said that it's safe for him to come back and play football. He has to just go through the rehab and fully recover and put himself in a position where he can have a chance to make the team.

"We're rooting for him every bit of the way. It's been an extraordinarily difficult time for he and his family to have to deal with it, such a young man with issues like this. But he's got great support and he's a wonderful kid, he's got a great attitude about it. I would think if a guy could come back from it, he will do that, so we're giving him every opportunity."

9. Tarvaris Jackson A "Steadying Force"

The Seahawks agreed to terms on a contract with Tarvaris Jackson last week and the quarterback who's backed up Russell Wilson the past two years officially re-signed with the club this past Tuesday. Carroll said inking a new deal with Jackson gives the club "great confidence" at the quarterback spot moving forward.

"He's a steadying force for us," Carroll said of the 32-year old Jackson, who enters his 10th NFL season. "He's been around. He's a great guy. Players really respond to him. Tough as nails, he knows our system beautifully and supports Russell and his efforts very well."

Before Thursday's minicamp, the lone arm working behind Wilson had been R.J. Archer, who Carroll said Jackson will battle for the backup spot.