KIRKLAND, Wash. - Mike Holmgren's return for a final season with the Seattle Seahawks will also bring changes to his coaching staff.

But just on offense.

Holmgren said Tuesday that offensive line coach Bill Laveroni would not be back, a move not unexpected with the struggles Seattle had running effectively the last two seasons. Laveroni had been the Seahawks' line coach since 2004.

Laveroni's assistant, Keith Gilbertson, won't be moving up. Instead, Gilbertson is being shifted to coach the Seahawks' receivers, after Nolan Cromwell left to become the offensive coordinator at Texas A&M for new Aggies' coach Mike Sherman. Offensive assistant Gary Reynolds also is joining Sherman's staff.

Holmgren sees Gilbertson's move to coaching receivers -- for the first time in his long career -- as a smooth shift and allows Gilbertson to also work more with the entire offense.

"You guys saw him as an assistant and helping out with the offensive line, but off the field he was doing something quite different for me," Holmgren said. "I want him to continue doing that and take advantage of that sort of creativity in the offensive meeting room."

Coaching changes on Holmgren's staff have been rare in the last five seasons. Only three coaches -- Gilbertson, Jim Mora and special teams coach Bruce DeHaven -- have joined the staff since 2003. Tight ends coach Jim Lind and running backs coach Stump Mitchell came with Holmgren to Seattle in 1999.

But changes on the offensive line seem needed. Two years ago, Seattle's running game was the third-best in the NFL, the biggest reason behind the Seahawks' run-up to the NFC championship and Super Bowl loss to Pittsburgh. Running back Shaun Alexander was the MVP and with the line anchored by center Robbie Tobeck, left guard Steve Hutchinson and left tackle Walter Jones, the Seahawks averaged 4.7 yards per carry.

Only Jones remains, and that dramatic change in the line, combined with injuries to Alexander, precipitated a decline in Seahawks' run game in the past two seasons. Seattle averaged only 3.8 yards per rush this season and shifted its offensive focus midway through the season, putting the onus on quarterback Matt Hasselbeck's passing to open up opportunities for the run game.

It worked, as Seattle won its fourth consecutive NFC West title and advanced to the NFC divisional round before losing to Green Bay. But if Seattle is to make a serious push for one last Super Bowl appearance in Holmgren's final season, re-establishing the run is crucial for its offensive success.

Lineman Floyd Womack and Sean Locklear are both free agents. The most notable expected free agent is Pittsburgh guard Alan Faneca.

Holmgren said there would be no changes on the defensive side, with John Marshall again serving as defensive coordinator and Mora coaching the secondary.

"I thought we made a nice jump on defense," Holmgren said. "Now that those new guys are very much incorporated into what we do, I would hope and expect us to make another nice jump next year."

With Holmgren saying next year will be his last with the Seahawks, it appears Mora, the former Atlanta head coach, is in line to potentially take over. Last week, Mora interviewed with the Washington Redskins for their current head coaching vacancy, but pulled his name from consideration. There is also discussion that Mora would be the favorite for the job at Washington if Tyrone Willingham is fired after the 2008 season.