Thoughts on pre-season week one vs Denver

For starters it was good to see a win. Last year Seattle lost all four pre-season games and started the regular season 0-2. There were some issues in this game at the start but overall Seattle showed they have improved depth this year. That’s a big plus.

The 2018 pre-season essentially told us they were going to be relying a lot on Russell Wilson and their ability to fix the running game. Here we can see the roster is a lot more padded and improved in certain areas. They’re especially improved on special teams and the kick coverage looked sharp tonight with several contributors standing out. Seattle’s linebacker depth is probably #1 in the league and there’s a real battle going on at receiver.

Yet there are also some areas of concern. The defensive line was hit-and-miss and apart from a good second half from Jacob Martin, the pass-rush was unsurprisingly weak. The backup offensive linemen didn’t inspire any confidence in this game either.

Even so, there were more positives than negatives here.

— Paxton Lynch really made a good impression and this was a nice start to his pre-season. Can he build on this? His decision making was sound, he improvised to make plays and he was accurate. If the Seahawks only keep two quarterbacks on the roster then it’s 1-0 to Lynch after the Denver game. With Geno Smith set for minor knee surgery, Lynch will likely get the bulk of the play next week against Minnesota. It’s easy to forget he’s a former first round pick who excelled at Memphis. He has the talent he just needed the application. Has he found it in Seattle? This was an excellent debut.

— Jazz Ferguson looks the part. His body control, mobility for his size, his route-running and catching ability were all on show here. He ended with four catches for 54 yards and a touchdown. Sometimes you see a player, even in a pre-season game, and you can see they have ‘it’. It felt like we were watching a NFL receiver in Ferguson. This is a very competitive group of wide outs. With Tyler Lockett, Jaron Brown, David Moore and D.K. Metcalf all certain to make the roster — there might only be one or two extra spots. It’ll take more than one game for Ferguson to make the final cut but this was exactly the type of start he needed.

— Marquise Blair is getting a lot of attention after the game and rightly so. The Seahawks lost their enforcer when Kam Chancellor retired and although Blair isn’t the same physically intimidating presence — he packs a punch. Both Blair and Pete Carroll acknowledged there were some blown assignments too and clearly he’s not the finished article. Yet Seattle’s defense is incomplete without an intimidator in the secondary. Blair provides that and it’s why they spent a second round pick on him. He’s not just a hitter either — he can tackle with form too and he showed that in this game. A nice start for a player fans can afford to be excited about.

— Carroll said they were trying to find out who the blitzer’s were in this game. Clearly the Seahawks are going to have to find ways to generate pressure considering their D-line isn’t rich with difference-making rushers. It’s telling that Carroll also highlighted Deshawn Shead’s safety as his favourite play of the game. Shead’s quickness to the ball-carrier stood out and if they’re looking for someone who can provide an impact as a blitzer — Shead could easily be winning that job with that one single play. Fitting him onto the roster will be a challenge. Seattle lacks star power in the secondary but they have a lot of young talent. Shaquill Griffin and Tre Flowers are locked in as the starting cornerbacks and Bradley McDougald, Delano Hill, Marquise Blair and Tedric Thompson seem fairly safe at safety. Neiko Thorpe is their special teams captain and is likely to be retained. Shead, Ugo Amadi and Jamar Taylor all played well in this game. Like the receiver position, there are likely some big calls to be made in the future.

— Although the pass rush remains a concern, it was good to see Jacob Martin having an impact. His speed off the edge in the second half created pressure on multiple snaps. He won’t be a game-wrecking starter but his ability to work into the rotation and impact plays will be very important this year. They need to find ways to generate sacks and if he can play a slightly expanded role and get into the 7-8 sack range in 2019 — that’ll be a big plus.

— The other position where big calls are going to need to be made is at linebacker. Austin Calitro won a job a year ago and based on this performance he’s not going to give it up without a fight. We know that Bobby Wagner, K.J. Wright, Mychal Kendricks and Cody Barton will make the team. Barkevious Mingo has already seemingly be moved to a pass-rushing role to free up space. We’ll have to see how many linebackers they want to keep but if it’s Ben Burr-Kirven vs Austin Calitro that’ll be some battle for the rest of training camp.

The negatives were fairly obvious. Justin Myers missed an early field goal and was close on two others. They need him to be a consistent force this year. The backup O-line struggled in the first half. Ethan Pocic was walked into the backfield and almost allowed the defensive tackle he was blocking to pick-off a screen pass. Pocic excelled at LSU as a technician at center who avoided getting beat. In the NFL, two years in, you have to wonder if he’s ever going to be strong enough to mix-it-up physically with pro-linemen. The starting defense didn’t have several key starters and gave up some easy yards (including a big play in the run game). George Fant picking up a ‘legit’ ankle sprain is disappointing news — especially given the way Seattle wants to play in the running game and with play action.

Even so, the positives outweigh the negatives after one week of pre-season. This still looks like a roster that is moving in the right direction and just lacks a bit of quality in a couple of areas. The depth and competition at multiple positions is vastly improved on 2018 based on what we saw in this game.

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121 Comments

  1. Largent80

    While Lynch looked good, he SHOULD since it was vs. guys that probably won’t make the roster. That being said, it was nice to see him be decisive.

    Calitro played well. he did that last pre season too but didn’t play that well in the season. Development is obviously the key there.

    Is Ferguson this years camp darling WR?????

    • LLLOGOSSS

      Right, Lynch was against 2nd and 3rd string; Geno 1st and 2nd. Would prefer if Lynch won the job, making good on his considerable upside, but I don’t want to get ahead of myself. By all accounts Geno has been more impressive in camp.

      • Rob Staton

        We’re one week into pre-season we just need to let things play out.

  2. Henry Taylor

    Lynch, Jazz, Ugo, Calitro and Cody Barton were the biggest standouts for me. There’s going to be some very interesting roster battles this year at LB, WR and in the secondary, both in roster spots and starting roles. I also noticed giant-human Bryan Mone make some plays early in the game, in a wide open race for DT roster spots I love to see that

    The pass rush is going to be a huge issue this year, Rasheem Green in particular was a non-factor from what i saw. He’s a guy I was hoping to flash in these games to make me feel a bit better about this group.

    Not sure what to make of DK’s performance, it was good to see him get some good separation, and he made his catch working against Chris Harris fwiw. Would have been nice to see him catch one of those deep balls however, even if they were a tad overthrown.

  3. Logan Lynch

    I only got to see the last 3 quarters, but I was pretty encouraged with what I saw. The depth this year is much better than the past few seasons, and it was great to see SEA playing with energy again particularly on defense. It’s obviously early, but Ugo and Blair look like playmakers on D. DK just missed on those 2 deep throws, but he was open which is a great sign. Needs to come back to the ball on that 3rd down play, however, but he’s still learning.

    It’s only 1 game, but to my admittedly untrained eye it looks like Jazz > Jennings and Wright > Ursua. As Rob mentioned, it’s not just the size of Jazz…the route that he ran to get open over the middle was fantastic especially considering how big he is. And Wright just looks more explosive and shifty than Ursua. Still a long way to go.

    • Logan Lynch

      Upon further review I apparently missed a 20+ yard Ursua reception. I also think he caught that ball on the slide. So, Ursua > Wright…but I’d still like Terry to be a PS guy.

  4. Gohawks5151

    Depth was the first thing i noticed watching this game as well. Last preseason was hard to watch, but the increased quality and competition is a huge plus. Encouraged a lot by DK. They gave him 10 yrds of cushion at many times i the 1st quarter and caught the easy hitch which was nice. Good to see him get a bubble screen too, though Moore got a penalty. With his size he should get a few of those a game. His fades were there too and Genos ball was kind of flat. He should be able to run under the ball better with Russ. Still like what Moore brings to the table especially downfield where he doesn’t get squeezed to the sideline like Jennings did. Ferguson was a plus too. Looked athletic on that deep crosser and strong on the box out TD.

    Barton looked good outside of the long run. Kendricks looked like he can get a little pressure too. Hope he is available this season. Blair and Amadi both have an “It” factor to them which is great to see among the DBs again. Martin looked like he can make an impact. Green was underwhelming but got a few pressures. If i recall he is young for his class and may need some more time adjusting to the strength of the game.

    Clowney still out there… We got a bunch of picks… Just saying.

  5. HawkfaninMT

    Some thoughts on position battles:
    WR: JAZZ! Great first game, and would love to see him playing earlier in the game against better defensive players before getting too crazy. I really liked Ursua’s route and reception in the 3rd for 1st down. Seemed to have a good feel for the middle of the field there nad made the catch in stride in a bit of traffic. Exactly what I would hope for in a slot guy… So for me it’s Locket, Moore, DK, Brown,Jazz and Ursua. Rob had mentioned Brown as a certain to make the roster… Don;t they save a couple M off the cap by cutting him? If so, he may be getting closer to the bubble if this competition continues to heat up

    DB: Tough calls to make here… Shead’s versatility is going to be helping him out in terms of playing Safety, but also blitzing, CB experience, and ST work. I kept seeing Amadi flash when on the field, so would be tough to sneak him onto the PS. Any chance the Hawks don’t keep a FB this year (goodness with the holding calls!) and use that roster spot as Nieko Thorpe’s to keep him on the roster? Despite the int, I think Taylor is the odd man out and they keep Amadi somehow.

    LB: Calitro vs KBB will be a fun one to watch! Is Calitro still able to go to the PS? I feel like he would be more likely to make it than KBB if their play remains equal. He has NFL experience, but also has shown to be just another guy thus far. Unless, as the article alludes to, he has progressed as a player. In which case, I think KBB is on the outs unfortunately

    And BLAIR! WOOO!! Anyone else think he let up on that sideline catch because he was threatened with disqualification a play prior?

    • Volume12

      Kinda. Regarding Blair that it is. He played that damn near perfectly, but the reciever made a helluva catch.

  6. One Bad Mata'afa

    Man it was good to watch football again.

    Pete Carroll has spent years searching (longing?) for a big-bodied, speed man-child at WR, and now he may have TWO. Will be fun to watch DK and Ferg-Daddy progress this pre-season.

    Also intrigued by Ursua. May be a practice squad stash, maybe he snags the last spot in a crowded WR room, but man that was elite quickness. Hard not to imagine him working underneath while Lockett and DK/Ferg spread the defense. I was actually surprised the Pats didn’t grab him…seems like he would excel in that system

  7. Brazilian Hawk

    What I loved:

    Offense:
    – Metcalf impressed me a lot with his ability to get on top of the defense. The need improve his ability to adjust for the catch is obvious but the elite talent is there. I also loved the play they gave him the ball on a screen play. He not only
    – Ferguson looks the part, he won the sideline for a deep catch, ran a beautiful route in the middle of the field, caught a TD pass on a fade route. He could really help us, the potential is obviously there for a big playmaker.
    – Running game in general was good.

    Defense:
    – Blair and Barton were great imo, really active, jumped off the screen. Blair looks imo the most promising defensive player drafted since Frank Clark, don’t see many SS with that range and explosion.
    – Amadi made plays from the FS and NCB positions, and made some nice PRs. My favourite play of the game was on the 4th quarter, 9:06, he and Blair gunning to stop a return for no gain.
    – Jacob Martin is in great shape, really quick and fast, I’m really confident he can be a strong contributor on passing downs for the season. He is very different from rookie Irvin on passing downs, but I think he can be just as effective next season.

  8. Volume12

    The rookies played really well last night.

    Blair, Amadi, Barton, Jazz, DK.

    DK’s 2nd gear while the ball is in the air is such a special trait and just awesome to watch.

    Barton is a gamer! What a nose for the ball.

    Said it before, but Blair is gonna be the dude opposing teams/fan bases love to hate.

    Paxton Lynch was hands down the player of the game. Geno aint no good.

    Rashad Penny looked much, much better. Him and Carson are gonna be such a punishing 1-2 punch. Was glad to hear that Penny went to Marshall Faulk to take him under his wing this off-season.

    • Logan Lynch

      DK chews up yards so fast it’s ridiculous. They were giving him like a 10yd cushion and it still didn’t matter…just flew by them on the deep routes. That will open up the short routes or bubble screens (which they already did when Moore got called for that BS penalty on the DK bubble screen catch and run). I like how DK said afterwards that he has to play faster. He seems to be very driven.

    • Sea Mode

      Penny looked waaay quicker laterally. That’s exciting, because we know he has the vertical speed.

  9. Bigten

    With some WRs going down across the NFL, any chance we could get something for Brown? Possibly the lions could be interested. I just really feel like jazz is going to make the team, and size wise take the spot of Brown or Moore. Feel like they will want to keep Jennings as well given his draft spot. The WR spot is just so excitingly full. Even Reynolds looks to have a shot. I would personally like Locket, DK, Moore, Jazz, Jennings, Ursua. But as we saw will kasen, good preseason play doesn’t always translate to a roster spot.

    • Rob Staton

      I think Brown is a lock to make the roster. They’ve talked him up too much. As much as the younger guys are showing promise, I suspect they’ll want to have some level of experience there.

    • Volume12

      What r u trying to move him for?

      Does Seattle need another 6th or 7th rounder?

      Pobably not gonna get much more of a pass rusher than the types Seattle already have.

  10. Volume12

    Of course it’s a bit early to say. Needs change, FA plays a part, play drops off, guys improve and can come seemingly come from outta nowhere, but I’ll be surprised if 2 of Seattle’s first 3 picks aren’t spent on a pass rusher and a DT.

    • Sea Mode

      DL or OL with our first pick. It always is. Might depend on what they decide to do with Ifedi. Is Fant even an option at RT at this point? etc.

      • Volume12

        Yeah, in some order I’d expect those 3 positions to be the 1st three picks.

        If ever there was a year to buck the trend and go cormer before the 3rd, although I kinda doubt it, it’s this one.

  11. cha

    Really liked:

    * Ugo looked smooth and polished. Going to be a very useful utility player. He rushed the passer, seemed a willing tackler in the run game (my biggest concern with him) and special teams, and definitely looked like he can handle punts and kicks.

    * Barton’s reads. Shooting that gap a couple times to stone the runner and generally being in the right position most times. Wyman pregame said Barton had the best training camp he’s ever seen for a rookie…it showed.

    * Lynch’s decision-making. He dumped it off or took off running when his downfield reads weren’t there, but also gave his WRs chances to make plays at appropriate times (the 2 Jazz catches). However, he had fair OL support whereas Geno was running broken plays half the time it seemed. Let’s elevate Lynch to some better competition and take away the Denver revenge factor and see if he can replicate his performance.

    * ST coverage units were flying. Good to see that returning as a core emphasis and showing their terrific depth.

    * The corner and safety blitzes dialed up. With judicious play calling and the athletes they have at safety and nickel, this could really help augment some pass rush.

    * Blair missed a lot of practices with injury and it showed on a couple plays. Still, he had several tackles and it seemed like a couple times during the game he had a chance to go for a big shot and instead chose to wrap up and make the tackle, which I really liked.

    Need to show more:

    * Shaquem. Running like a demon but often missed the tackle. A couple times he had the guy stone cold but the guy got past him. I might have missed it but I didn’t see any pass rush.

    * Jennings. Jazz made a statement. Jennings didn’t. It appears he’s not a ST player, which teams need from their #5 or 6 WR unless they have undeniable skills in other areas.

    * Green. Hawks need him to step up. He plastered that RB who didn’t have the ball and missed his assignment to contain the edge on the Lock run. That felt like the only time the announcers said his name.

    * Jamarco Jones. Had a DE time the snap and literally run by him, untouched at one point. I hope that’s just a one time thing and not an indicator of the lack of athleticism he showed at the combine.

  12. Volume12

    Green made that TFL on 3rd and short in the red zone. Not Jackson. Would’ve had a sack if he wasn’t held, got a couple pressures.

    Him and every other defender, coach on the sideline, fan in the building, on the couch, in the bar fell for that read option. Hats off to Lock for that one.

    It might sound like I’m disagreeing you, even though he does need to step up and be more consistently, but he had a few impact plays IMO.

    • cha

      Fair enough. I like it when I’m wrong and guys do better than I saw.

    • charlietheunicorn

      That read option play fooled… well.. everyone. Lock hid the ball pretty well, so even the camera got caught watching the RB in the middle of the pileup. I can see what Denver saw in him, but I’m not sure he will be the right QB to save the franchise.

  13. Volume12

    Baffled at Brian Burns showing out early in the pre-season. 10 snaps and 2 sacks.

    • Trevor

      He is going to be a star!

  14. Jamho3

    Really excited we saw what we were supposed to see. Our drafted players “popped”

  15. Denver Hawker

    Nice to see the quality of depth overall, 3rd string vs. 3rd string was a clear advantage for Hawks. Going to be quality guys cut at WR, DB, and LB unfortunately. Wonder what other teams have the same problem at DL…

    Love the rookie play so far too. Reasonable chance Jennings gets cut which sounds ridiculous to say. Probably can’t stash him on the practice squad given his draft position.

    Didn’t catch who got totally owned by Dalton Rizner on the Royce Freeman run. Need to watch again to see what happened there.

    • hawkdawg

      Not sure about the DL’s part in that play, but it was Cody Barton who got walled off on the second level. He needed to stack the OL in the hole, and he didn’t do it. Liked his activity otherwise though…

      • Doug

        Exactly right. I remember thinking that Wagner would have made that tackle easily. Just experience though, and the film room will make Barton better (and hanging with Wagner).

      • Volume12

        Unless I saw wrong, I’m fairly certain Barton got caught flat-footed against Denver’s FB. Not Risner.

        • Denver Hawker

          Just looked at the play. Risner leveled Meder who was engaged on the center’s left shoulder and got turned inside. Barton takes a step back which left him flatfooted to engage the FB rather than hitting the hole as hawkdawg suggests. Wagner would have been two steps inside with his read ability and squaring the FB in the hole or even shedding inside to make a play.

          Like Barton’s overall play and he’ll get better at the read. Wasn’t a good look for Meder though..

          • Volume12

            Barton’s a good one. He blew me away. Gonna be pretty cool to see BWagz future replacement grow.

            Meder made a couple plays that left me scratching my head. That Mone cat is just an absolute unit of a human being.

  16. Brazilian Hawk

    I think the Seahawks should trade David Moore. He has good NFL tape, his contract is an amazing value, but he’s obviously replaceable with solutions within the roster.

    When we had he and Metcalf on the field the team went for Metcalf, so he might be just too good to be a 4th receiver, plus we have two rookies that scream NFL potential in Jennings and Ferguson, specially for us that have firepower to throw proven 2 or 3 TEs packages and running game emphasis.

    We could really use his value to get some help at DE or NCB. I don’t think we should send a 2020 1st or 2nd round pick for Clowney, but I’d do Moore + Martin + 2020 4th round in a heartbeat.

    • Logan Lynch

      Not to be a downer, but there are probably 20 David Moore’s on rosters around the NFL. We could maybe get a conditional 5th or 6th rounder for him, but that’s probably even a stretch. He’s not a proven commodity at all. I like him, don’t get me wrong, but he has little trade value.

      As for Clowney, no thank you. Unless they suffer injuries, I doubt SEA will trade for him. HOU won’t give him up for less than a 1st, maybe drop that to a 2nd after the season starts. SEA will roll with Ansah and rotational pass rushers, with a bigger DE rotation featuring some combo of Q Jeff/Green/Collier/Jackson/Naz on the opposite side.

  17. Thomas Wells

    I think calling Jason Myers’ game a negative is a tad unfair. He missed (barely from what I could see from my vantage point in the nosebleeds) a 56 yarder but he connected from 55 and 43. If he is 50% from 55 yards plus and nails on kicks under 50 then we truly do have a weapon. Really excited for that possibility after the failed Blair Walsh and Sebastian Janikowski experiments cost us games.

    • Rob Staton

      The miss was a long way off. Wasn’t close. The other kicks sneaked inside the right post. Not a bad situation but not one to fill with major confidence either.

      • Thomas Wells

        That’s fair. All made field goals are not equal and close makes can be cause for concern. And I’ll definitely defer to anyone who saw on tv as to how close the kicks were. My buddy and I at the game celebrated that missed field goal for a few seconds because we thought it went in. But I was a few beers deep, he can’t see five feet in front of his face, and we were both in section 336 QQ so not the greatest vantage point.

        Regardless I’m very happy Pete and John put some real resources towards the kicker this year and i obviously hope the signing works out. The bears of last year are proof positive that financial investment doesn’t guarantee excellence in the kicking game. Here’s hoping Myers is money well spent, and that kicking goes from a liability to a major positive. Love and appreciate the blog rob

    • GoHawksDani

      He has huge legs, but precision is questionable. It might be nerves as why he pushed every kick a bit too much (new team, new big contract)

  18. Spencer Duncan

    Would it be unprecedented to go with Lockett, Moore, DK, Jazz, Jennings and Ursua? 4 rookie WRs, I think Russ could make it work. I know Brown has been a standout but I would hate to see any of those 4 go.

    • Rob Staton

      Not necessarily unprecedented but certainly unlikely. Brown has been talked up so much and appears set to be a focal point. A good player will be cut from this group.

  19. Volume12

    lol. Have the Raiders made contact with Antonio Brown yet? Or is he still radio silent looking up thirst traps on IG?

    • Volume12

      Now he’s threatening to never play another down unless he can use his old helmet. This w/o a shadow of a doubt one of the greatest stories ever. God I love the NFL!

      • Coleslaw

        I hope he doesn’t, he obviously has enough brain damage as it is!

      • charlietheunicorn

        AND it is (or hopefully will be) on hard knocks…. making it the greatest season ever for the show.

  20. GauxGaux

    Quick Question: Is there an an EDGE out there that we should be keeping an eye out for come cut-downs? I like Armstrong from Dallas coming of the edge behind Ziggy (or is Marsh/Mingo better)… thoughts?

  21. j

    Given the uncertainty behind Lockett is it possible we roll with seven WR this year?

    • Rob Staton

      There’s always room for one ‘redshirt’

    • McZ

      I don’t see much uncertainty. Lockett, Brown and Moore are pretty much set. Metcalf has a unique physical profile and was overthrown two times; Ursua is the slot target we cannot afford to play without. So, it’s Ferguson and Jennings battling for WR6, and clearly Ferguson has the edge here.

      IMO, Brown should not get the type of guarantee he seems to be getting down to being a couple of years in the NFL.

      But let’s not assume too much down to a skngle and the singlemost irrelevant preseason game.

      • GoHawksDani

        It’s not all that set. Lockett, Brown, Moore, DK will 99% and be the top4. But I doubt Ursua is set or Ferguson vs Jennings for WR6.

        I think it’s the top4, then Reynolds might have the upper hand and Ursua, Wright, Turner, Ferguson, Jennings will battle out for WR6. But I doubt we’ll roll with 6 WRs.
        As for WR5, we’ll take the one with most unique skillset or most to offer in ST.
        Reynolds have the upper hand of exp and slot potential and return specialist.
        Ursua can play the slot and young.
        Ferguson played well and potentially could be also used as a move TE.
        I think these 3 guys will battle out for WR5.
        If someone is not ready or injured from WR1-4 we might roll with 6 WR

      • Rob Staton

        The team have spent a whole summer working with Brown, not to mention all of last year. They’ve put a lot more thought into his role than, ‘he’s been in the league a few years.’

        • Bigten

          I hear that rob. What about Moore’s sport then? He flashed last season, but also showed relatively little aside from the flashes. Do you see him as also a pretty sure lock? Seems that if we had 3 sure fire starters, they would not have went out and drafted 3 WR, 2 of which were decently high and the other we traded back into the draft to get.

          • Rob Staton

            I see Lockett, Brown, Moore and Metcalf as 100% locks. Then it’s up to them to decide who else they want to keep. And a big part of that decision will be them deciding who they think will make it to the practise squad and who they have to protect. Because whatever happens in pre-season —- they’re going to be mostly relying on the four names above.

  22. Sea Mode

    (Just going to re-post, even though Rob incorporated a lot of it into the post)

    PC Post-Game Presser Notes
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1mFAgCuuWk

    In General
    – This game was all about the young guys. Happy for them. First time tackling and hitting full speed.
    – PC’s favorite thing about the game was the statement made by the ST unit. They are going to place the ball and excel in coverage.
    – 18 penalties. Gotta clean that up and we will.

    Offense
    – Jazz Ferguson had a big night. Defense had to adjust their coverage to keep him from dominating. There were “reasons” he didn’t get drafted. He came in 10-12 lbs. overweight the first time, then took it serious and came in fit. We’re giving him a shot.
    – PC just introduced RB Xavier Turner to the team after the game.
    – Paxton did a great job, had a strong run for TD. He’s a load to bring down. Lit up the whole team.
    – Geno “played solid too…” Has a cyst on his knee that needs removed. Not serious, but has bothered him. 5-10 days out. Possible they bring in another QB to practice.
    – DK was just a hair away from spectacular. Got his heel clipped and off his fingertips. But he showed he can burn.

    Defense
    – Marquise Blair is a ball player. Was scrambling tonight. Is a hitter, aggressive, tough. Loved what we saw from him, learned a lot about him and can work with that. Decided to switch shoulders on his hit that seemed to bring his helmet into the tackle, but it was close to being done right. He improvised a blitz that worked out the first time, then he tried it again (on his own) and they dumped the ball in the flat for a big gain.
    – Jacob Martin and Mingo put pressure on.
    – Cody Barton was on a pitch count because he hadn’t practiced that much the past 2 days.
    – We want to see which safeties can blitz. Shead’s safety was nice.

    Injuries
    – George Fant sprained his ankle. “Legit”. We’ll see what that means. Unfortunate.
    – Scarbrough got hit on the hand, had x-rays, nothing broken, just bruised.

    • Volume12

      Uh oh. Not good for Fant. Pete using ‘legit’ is a death blow.

  23. Coleslaw

    Anyone else think Amadi is clearly the best returner we saw last night? Dude can MOVE. I want him returning punts at least for sure. Hes electric.

    • Kenny Sloth

      He’s dumb shifty. Love the way he moves. He’s really smart so I wonder how much he has to learn and how high his ceiling can be. He and Blair were really shrinking the field in the second half

      • Sea Mode

        Commentators mentioned Barton highlighting Blair’s ability to close down space as his most outstanding trait. It was easy to see in the game. Once he catches up on the mental side and the game slows down for him, watch out!

  24. Coleslaw

    A couple roster related questions I have:

    There were some people shining at Gunner. Thorpe looked bad against 3rd string at CB. I know hes a captain, but man.. he really doesnt provide much other than being a gunner. Is he going to get pushed off the roster? With how deep we are, I say yes. He might be saved by our lackluster CB group, however.

    Jamar Taylor isn’t gonna make the team. Amadi is too good and we dont need 2 NCBs. Taylor didnt even look good either.

    As much as I am falling in love with Jazz Ferguson (I told myself not to) I dont see how he makes this roster., unless he takes Gary Jennings roster spot.. We just need another slot type. We cant just have Lockett as the only true slot WR. So I believe Ursua will make the team, and either Jazz or Jennings gets cut.

    I also think McKissic makes the roster for the same reasons above. Hes the only RB we have who can line up at WR and actually excel.

    If we choose to keep an extra WR or RB, where do we trim down? Do we just keep Pocic and dump 2 other OL? None of the other OL really impressed so, maybe that is a possibility. I hope not considering how injury prone our OL may be.

    • Rob Staton

      Thorpe is viewed as a vital special teamer, that’s why he’s captain. He will be kept. They love him.

    • Sea Mode

      Honestly, I would rather have arguably the best gunner in the league rather than a #6-#7 WR.

      Yes, cut-down is going to suck as usual, but other teams have to do it too and a lot of these guys will make it to the PS.

    • GoHawksDani

      I don’t even view Thorpe as a mediocre ST guy. And he makes a good amount of money…
      I’d rather cut Thrope and keep at least one of these guys: BBK, Ferguson, Ursua, Kalan Reed, Lano Hill, Mone, T2, Griffin…
      Those guys could be cuts because we need Thorpe’s roster spot.
      Remove Thorpe from the first preseason game. Would we miss him? Griffin, Mingo, Amadi, Blair, BBK, Barton, etc can run and hit too, and all have major ST upside. So yeah, I’m anti-Thorpe.

      I think Taylor is totally out of the question. The better question would be: Do we keep T2 and Lano? Do we keep Kalan Reed or Shead?
      Because Griffin, Flowers, King seems starting CBs mostly. McDougald, Blair could be starting safeties. We need Amadi. That is 6 DBs. How many will we keep? If only 8 than that’s 2 more guys only. We kept 10-11 DBs previously, but also ~15 front7 players which will be really few with so many talents and so many guys out for the DL. Wouldn’t be suprised if we’d keep 17-18 front7 players. Because the DBs are so versatile (Amadi could play nCB, FS. Blair might be able to play both safety spots. McDougald certainly can. King can play nCB and big nickel, Shead can play FS, SS, nCB, CB) I think they can get by only bringing 8 or 9 tops.

      • Rob Staton

        The team values Thorpe for a reason.

        I’m seeing a lot of fans assuming he’ll be cut and they’re ignoring how much value this team places on special teams.

        • GoHawksDani

          I know how much the team values ST. And I know Thorpe was important because of that. But our ST group was decimated during the years. Now we have Mingo, Luani, Amadi, DK, BBK, Barton, Blair, etc. This team got a lot more speedy and better at ST with the last draft and the last year. I think we need a captain for ST. But there’s a solid possibility someone could take that role from Thorpe (Amadi or Blair for example) who’s younger, cheaper and has more potential as a backup/starter

          • Rob Staton

            Are you serious? Carroll values special teams extremely highly. He’s not stopped talking about it since the end of last season.

  25. Coleslaw

    Also just want to point out how it’s becoming ritual for a QB to have a spectacular TD run for us in preseason. First Boykin frontflipped in, then Lynch would not be denied! I love it haha. And I love how PC obviously loves mobile QBs. If RW ever goes down, we can bet on our QB getting like 5 Carrie’s a game lol

  26. CHawk Talker Eric

    Ferguson looks very Seahawky to me. A 1970s throwback Steelers type WR, like John Stallworth. He makes this roster.

    I can see ST being the difference between this team finishing 10-6 or 11-5 with a playoff berth, or 9-7/8-8 and no post season.

    LBs and Safeties are strong, hope the corners can measure up. Speed rush from EDGE is good, but there’s no power. Nobody to collapse the pocket and flush the QB into another defender. Green got fooled pretty badly on that QB keeper.

    Lynch looked good. It’s nice to see him play to his promise (even if for a preseason half against another team’s 3rd stringers)

  27. charlietheunicorn

    I thought Amadi is working himself onto the team, if there was really any doubt. He showed up on defense and had several nice plays on special teams. He looked quick and had some nice “fast” once he had the ball in his hands and was returning punts. Made some nice tackles and reads as well.

    I was very pleased by Lynch. Not only did he protect the football, but he made some very nice “trust” throws to WRs. He also displayed way more mobility than I thought he might have…. very impressive on the move. The escape from the jailbreak DL off the left side of the OL, rolling right, then making a 1st down out of it….. very very very impressive. He also looked very decisive and one of my favorite plays was when he either checked down the RB out of the backfield or tossed a few nice passes to the TE/FBs near the middle of the field. He also looked pretty calm and in control of the plays being called. I also liked his leadership in being able to get Xavier (RB) into positions to succeed, even though he had only just recently joined the team.

    Ferguson did everything he could make some very difficult catches look somewhat easy. He keeps this up, he will make the team, not sure where or how, but he will make the team.. Imagine a Jazz and DK package near the endzone….

    And it goes without saying, Blair lit up a few guys during the game. The hit on the WR/TE down the seam got me to jump out of my seat. He also displayed some really fine tackling. He is a bit of a wildcard player and reminded me of a Troy Polamalu when he tried to jump routes or blitz (off schedule).

    Overall, the most impressive aspect was…. the passion and physicality displayed in all 3 phases of the the football game. Kudos to JS, as the depth also looks pretty good in most areas on the roster.

  28. Kenny Sloth

    Thought Jordan Roos and Bo Scarborough looked like serviceable backups. I’m gonna try to do a 53 man projection after each game. I usually put more stock in what Pete says about practice than what I see in the games but it’s nice to see how players grow week to week.

    • charlietheunicorn

      The projection at WR Safety and LB will be the most difficult to project.

      I have this funny feeling TT or DH (at safety) is going to get traded or cut.
      If McD’s, Amadi and Blair can ball out…. they bring more upside long-term…. their job to be had.
      We also know from experience, Seattle might go really young now, to make for a solid group late in 2019 and more importantly 2020. I just love that Blair Amadi and McD’s could possibly all be interchangeable and perhaps make the defensive scheme less predictable. They also all three can drop the hammer when they hit people.

  29. Tony

    I thought bo Scarborough looked good as well. Seemed slimmer. RB has a logjam too. Really excited to see homer. Does he push mckissic? Keep a FB? Lots of questions. Really enjoyed the game yesterday. Was there watching. 40 yr line, 20 rows from field hawks side.

    Noticed fant was severely upset limping after injury. Could tell right away hes gonna be out awhile.

    Wagner’s presence is what kams was. He is the leader, hands down. Russ is great, but Wagner leads.

    Jazz looked like a slower DK out there. Please play them.together with moore on trips.

    Paxton looked really good. He was calm and loose all game. I think hes gotten to legit backup level.

    I watched Dickson kick 6 straight punts 60+ yds in the air. From 10 to 30, 1 kick he punted before other punter did and landed a second after. Then switch to sideline punts, switch sides back and forth, which bounced yds from out of bounds and stayed in. Guy looks even better. I think this year will cement him as best in NFL by a wide margin.

  30. adog

    is that a drop of dew on the side of my beer? could it be the tear drop of a queen painted absurdly on the keel of a pirate ship… bloated with boory? alas… the sadness of the preseason has parted our sweet suspense.

  31. charlietheunicorn

    This is one hell of an NFL story

    https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/09/us/nfl-rookie-sheehy-guiseppi-touchdown-trnd/index.html

  32. Kenny Sloth

    Just going to do a quick 53 man projection. I’ll put a few notes on the roster battles.

    QB: Russell Wilson

    Paxton Lynch struck the first blow in the battle for backup QB. After an anemic performance in the first half, the offense got to work with Paxton under center. Despite his solid performance, the staff seems to really like Geno’s veteran presence behind Russ. If his surgery goes well, he still has the upper hand on the backup position.

    RB: Chris Carson, Rashaad Penny

    With Prosise’s injuries finally getting to be a major problem, the race for the #3 spot is more uncertain than ever. I’ve always liked Bo Scarbrough and thought he showed well on Thursday. Xavier Coleman found some holes, but he doesn’t bring much to the stable and having a big, bruising, old-school runner seems right up Pete’s alley.

    FB: Nick Bellore

    WR: Tyler Lockett, Jaron Brown, David Moore, DK Metcalf, Greg Jennings

    I’m only keeping 5, but Jazz Ferguson took strides towards changing my mind on that. John Ursua showed well, too, and both are potential PS candidates.

    TE: Ed Dickson, Will Dissly, Nick Vannett

    Nothing I saw yesterday is changing my mind about the TE’s we’ll keep.

    OT: Duane Brown, Germain Ifedi, George Fant, Jamarco Jones

    Fant has some kind of knock which may make room for someone else to secure a spot on the active roster.

    OG: Mike Iupati, DJ Fluker, Ethan Pocic

    Jordan Simmons has shown that he can keep up at this level and that might keep him on. I’ve always liked Jordan Roos and decided I could find a place for him here after seeing him jawing with the Denver DL. Phil Haynes will start on PUP.

    OC: Justin Britt

    I’m bringing Joey Hunt. He’s someone I want on my football team. He’s job responsible and in command. I want to bring even more OL but I’ll stick with 9 and Phil Haynes

    DE: Ezekiel Ansah, Barkevious Mingo, LJ Collier, Jacob Martin

    This may change depending on Ansah and Collier’s injury troubles, but for the time being, I’ll stick with them for my week 1 projection. Martin had some decent rushes and Mingo is making the transition back to a hybrid DL

    DT: Al Woods, Poona Ford, Nazair Jones, Quinton Jefferson, Earl Mitchell (cut for Reed after week 4)

    Maybe only 9 DL is too few with the amount of time being missed by higher string players and the lack of pressures generated by the group in the past, but I’ve mainly focused on guys that can play multiple positions and know the scheme.

    LB: Bobby Wagner, KJ Wright, Mychal Kendricks, Cody Barton

    What a group of players. I think you have to keep Griffin because of what he brings on special teams and I’m also hesitant to cut Ben Burr-Kirven or Austin Calitro. My choices at DL give me the room to keep on all 7 LB

    CB: Shaquill Griffin, Tre Flowers, Akeem King, Neiko Thorpe

    I’ve chosen to go light on CB, because the group is very underwhelming. Simeon Thomas might be the closest thing to making the roster at this position, but some of the other DBs have CB versatility.

    S: Bradley McDougald, Tedric Thompson, Marquise Blair, DeShawn Shead, Ugo Amadi, Delano Hill

    Shalom Luani could sneak in here with Shead and Amadi being considered CB depth, as well.

    K: Jason Myers

    P: Michael Dickson

    LS: Tyler Ott.

    Overall, this isnt really what I expect to see as I’ve gone really slanted with some of the numbers for each spot keeping 11 OL, 6 Safety, and 7 LB while only bringing 5 WR, 9 DL, and 4 pure CB. But this is a fun exercise and really makes you think about what you would sacrifice for a given player.

    • Sea Mode

      Good stuff, Kenny. I don’t know how they can bring themselves to cut so many talented players each year, but it has to be done. And usually they even manage to free up one or two extra spots to poach from other teams’ cuts as well. If it’s hard for us as fans, imagine what it is like for the scouts and front office who found and brought in these players. Churn, churn, churn!

      I guess they just have to hope most of them can make it to the PS or be picked up again later after having a great experience in Seattle.

      Calitro, for example, would be a really tough cut, especially with Kendricks’ hearing still looming. I’m thinking Shaquem is on the outside looking in at this point. Ceiling just doesn’t seem very high. They might keep him just for ST value and for what he brings to our team culture. The latter might be worth more than we think.

      Fant might start the season on PUP too if his injury was as “legit” as PC said.

    • Rob Staton

      I’m not sure they’ll keep a FB. Only if they’re short on TE’s IMO.

      • Kenny Sloth

        I can see that. Bellore’s a bit of a journeyman as well. Not bringing a ton to the table but seems reliable and it’s nice to have that skillset on the team

    • GoHawksDani

      I think/hope Lynch will win out.
      Only 3 RB? That seems a bit thin. I think Carson, Penny, Homer, McKissic wil stay. And maybe Scarbrough (trying to use him as backup RB and FB if they can teach him for that).
      I think Bellore will be cut. Didn’t see much of him apart from some penalties.
      As for WRs, I think Jennings will be PS candidate, and not on the 53. Lockett, Metcalf, Brown are the WR1-3, I think 2 more can stay. It’ll be between Ferguson, Moore, Reynolds, Ursua. I think Moore will stay, so mostly between Ferguson, Reynolds, Ursua. And because they have a ton of bigger-bodied receivers I think it’ll come down to Ursua and Reynolds, and probably Reynolds will win because of ST.

      I agree with TE group, but I think they might add +1 as Dissly had the injury, Dickson is not young and battled some injuries. So I’d add Hollister (or if he cannot get well then Saxton)

      I’d definitely keep Simmons. Too much injuries between Fluker and Iupati and there’s no way I want Pocic as OG. I might even keep Roos, but I have to keep Pocic as an emergency everything, so I’d probably cut Hunt as he can only play OC. Or I’d keep 11 OL (Fant, Brown, Ifedi, Jones, Fluker, Iupati, Simmons, Roos, Haynes, Britt, Hunt). But because I think we’ll need all the spots we can get, I’d go with: Brown, Iupati, Britt, Fluker, Ifedi, Fant, Simmons, Pocic, Haynes. 9…bit light, but Pocic can “play” all positions and we have backup for every position. I think Jones can be stashed at PS and Roos, Hunt didn’t show anything that I’d totally want to keep them.

      As for D/EDGE, these are my names:
      Reed, Ansah, Collier, Mone, Woods, Ford, Marsh, Jackson, Martin, Mingo, Jefferson, Griffin
      (4 more classic DTs, 3 inside-out guys, Ansah is more of a pure DE I guess, 4 EDGE rushers – 12 total)

      I’d keep your top4 LB and BBK (Griffin is EDGE, Calitro is good but we have so many good players before him)

      For DBs I’d keep: Griffin, Flowers, King, McDougald, Blair, Shead, Amadi, T2
      Lano, Thorpe, Reed are hard cuts… But McDougald and Blair/Shead/T2/Amadi all can start at safety and potentially play well.
      Griffin, Flowers can start outside with King as nCB or Shead, Amadi also can start at nCB.

      ST is the same as yours 🙂

      And that is 53 🙂
      2 QB, 5 RB (with McKissic as a RS/WR/RB combo), 5 WR (3 bigger guys, 2 smaller), 4 TE, 9 OL (3 OT, 1 C, 4 OG, 1 general), 12 DL/EDGE (3-4 DT, 3-4 inside-out, 1 DE, 4 EDGE), 5 LB, 8 DB (3 CB, 3 S, 2 guys that could play both easily), 3 ST

      • Kenny Sloth

        I think they’re comfortable with Hunt as an emergency swing guard behind Pocic. He’s just a really solid guy and probably the second best C on the roster. I really trust him to deliver the consistent snap to Russell

  33. GoHawksDani

    Don’t forget about Bryan Mone. Had 3 tackles and a TFL and a big space eater who draws double teams and probably helped some of those blitzing. I want him to stay especially with the limited iDL status.
    To me Amadi and Blair were the highlights. I was sceptical about themand both shined.
    The biggest mehh, negative for me was Penny. He was not bad or awful, but I hoped he’d dominate against mostly 2nd string guys. Yeah, he had a nice catch and we mostly played backup OL too… But 2,5 avg is pretty awful. Everyone had better avg than him (yeah, those guys ran against 3rd string defenders, but we also pulled Britt and Ifedi and Fant got hurt…so…)
    Solid game with some highlights, some things that need to be fixed and some issues. It’ll be a good year but this game emphasized your “lower your expectation” post. It’ll be most likely a 9-7, 10-6, 11-5 probably some postseason action but no SB year

    • Rob Staton

      I can’t believe anyone’s complaining about Penny in that game. He had a handful of carries playing without the starting OL or starting QB, had one great play. Cut the guy some slack.

      • GoHawksDani

        As a 1st round pick, expectations will be high. He had a couple of nice runs last year, but most of those were because he improvised and turned the field completely. That worked because of the element of surprise. He has speed, but that’s not enough. I want to see him having vision and strength too. Not saying he’s a bust…but he need to show he can be a solid starter this year. Yeah, last year was his first, yeah he had some injuries. But there were a ton of rookie RBs recently that were drafted later than him and produced much better in their 1st year. So if he won’t have at least 4yards avg (hopefully without the huge breakout runs), 400-500 yards, 4 TDs, and have some good catches (like at least 20 catch for (screens plus routes) 200+ yards and 1 TD) I’ll be disappointed

        • Rob Staton

          I was bored last year of people being overly critical and too quick to judge on Penny.

    • McZ

      Ursua is the only slot threath. You cannot omit that capability from the roster.

      Luani is firmly in my final 53. Solid watch, good ST play. Perfect S5.

      • McZ

        Aww, crap… wrong thread to reply.

      • Rob Staton

        Lockett will play a lot of snaps in the a lot.

        • Kenny Sloth

          I think Brown and Jennings can take snaps there as well.

          Ursua more of a PS candidate than Jennings imho.

      • GoHawksDani

        I can’t see a way to fit Luani onto the 53…too many great S with ST upside (Lano, T2, Blair, McDougald, Amadi, Shead… All of these guys seem better safeties and more flexible (Amadi, Shead can play nCB also), and ST potential

  34. EranUngar

    Re DK vs Jazz:

    Jazz did what many other training camp champs did in the past – He caught the type of 50/50 balls that backup QBs throw against 2nd/3rd string CBs. Those catches are great fantastic highlight reel that RW & PC will cringe watching.

    DK had just 1 catch for 8 yards. It was on a safe hitch route that speedy WRs use to make defenses pay for the large cushion they use. It was a throw that RW would love to make. He also missed two deep balls when he was open leaving the chasing CB way behind. Those are the throws RW salivates for.

    In short, wait with Jazz hype train. We have seen many of those derail when facing top NFL CBs and RW’s reluctance to pull the trigger when his target is not OPEN.

    • Rob Staton

      Jazz Ferguson didn’t just win 50/50 balls. He ran an exceptional route across the middle, showing genuine skill to get open and create massive separation.

      • jdk

        Completely agree here. I think we are so accustomed to seeing WRs flash and then get cut that many are just throwing Jazz into that group. He doesn’t seem like those guys to me. He has more than just raw physical talent. There is something about the what he showed that seems like he instinctively gets the game at another level.

        • Hawktalker#1

          Agreed. Nice post

  35. Spireite_Seahawk

    What’s the deal with the Seahawks and 4th round receivers? Have we in recent history had one that has stuck? I jokingly said that Jennings was screwed but it genuine looks like he could be a cut down casualty.

    Obviously only one game deep but Ferguson, Ursua and even Wright look to be ahead of him.

  36. Chris

    The hawks fanbase always has to have a whipping boy. It gets really annoying

    • Jamho3

      True! Keep fighting the good fight.

  37. Frank

    Rooster cut down day is going to hurt this year, and that’s a good thing. Veterans TE Dickson edge Mingo, as well as WR Moore and Brown have to be sweating bullets about now. Thorpe, Griffin, Luani all seem like they have equal or better replacements on the team at the moment but Rob thinks Thorpe and Brown are safe and he’s rarely wrong about those things. Griffin is such a feel good story I’d imagine he has a longer leash than most. I still am not quite sure why the DK Metcalf hype train is so crazy, yes he can replace Moore/Brown and be a moderate upgrade but he’s not the next Calvin Johnson or Julio Jones as his hype would indicate. Essentially I see Metcalf/ Brown/ Moore/ and Furgeson playing the same role as deep ball jump specialist and not sure why they’d want more than two of them since we’ve been quite successful without having more than one of that type of player on the team since the beginning of the PC JS era. First BMW, then Kearse, then Cris what’s his name who had the great half in the Super Bowl against the patriots. Maybe it’s due to moving to more blocking type TEs, and the sign of a philosophical shift. Jennings imo has an upside the rest of that group lacks as an all around Wr, but missing most of camp worried we won’t get to see enough of it to justify keeping him, although in my opinion the third best pick of this Draft after Blair and Barton.

    • Rob Staton

      Moore and Brown will not be sweating. They will make the team. Just because the younger guys showed up when the veterans had minimal or no snaps doesn’t mean they’re going to cut veterans. It just means they have depth and if certain players continue to play well, they’ll need to work out who they definitely don’t want to lose.

      The same goes for Dickson and Mingo. Dickson is very likely to make it and I suspect they’ll go with four TE’s seeing as Fant probably ends up on IR to start the year. Mingo is a key special teamer and one of the few with some rushing history.

  38. cha

    Post Week One 53

    QB (2) – RW, Geno Smith
    Notable Cut – Paxton Lynch

    RB (5) – Carson, Penny, Homer, Prosise, McKissic
    Notable Cut – Scarborough, Bellore

    OL (9) – Brown, Iupati, Britt, Fluker, Ifedi, Fant, Pocic, Nkansah, Simmons
    (Hayes on PUP)
    Notable Cut – Hunt, Roos, Jones

    TE (3) – Dissly, Vannett, Hollister
    (Dickson IR Return, if he’s OK he gets one of the 3 spots)

    WR (6) – Lockett, Brown, Moore, Metcalf, Reynolds, Ursuah
    Notable Cut – Ferguson, Jennings, Darboh

    OFFENSE (25)

    DL (10) – Mitchell, Ford, Ansah, Mingo, Woods, Jefferson, Green, Martin, Marsh, Collier
    (Reed suspended 6 games)
    Notable Cut – Naz, Christmas, B Jackson, Mone

    LB (5) – Wagner, Wright, Kendricks, Barton, Shaquem
    Notable Cut – Calitro, BB-K

    CB (5) – Flowers, Griffin, Thorpe, King, Amadi

    S (5) – McDougald, Hill, Blair, Thompson, Shead
    Notable Cut – Luani

    DEFENSE (25)
    ST (3) – Ott, Dickson, Myers

    • Rob Staton

      I would caution against the suggestion that Ursua is going to make it and they will cut guys like Jennings. As noted earlier, the veteran receivers are set. The key is who do they think is most likely to get snatched up if they try to stash them on the PS. And let’s be right here — they’re a lot more likely to lose a guy like Jennings who went in R4 than a seventh rounder or an UDFA who had major character concerns in college.

      They don’t need impact plays from Ursua as a rookie. Lockett will play snaps in the slot and they seem to have found a dynamic pass catching TE to work the middle. This will be about trying to retain as many of the guys they like as possible. If they cut Jennings he will be somewhere else the next day.

      • Kenny Sloth

        Completely agree re PS candidates. Homer and Ursua are squarely in that bubble imo.

    • charlietheunicorn

      Pocic did himself no favors in preseason game #1. Keep a sharp eye on him, because if he keeps getting dominated at the LOS, he might be trade bait or cut at the 53 man cutdown. Hunt might stick one more season.

      Moore is the wildcard cut for me. Especially if Ferguson keeps doing what he is doing. I agree, Reynolds may very likely make the roster.

      I mentioned earlier that I thought either TT and DH at safety will not make the cut.

      I’m also of the opinion that Prosise is a dead man walking right now. He absolutely has to be available the last 3 preseason games, or his fate is sealed.

  39. Volume12

    Seahawks have had scouts at James Madison 2 days in a row. A little unusual considering all the schools they hit this time of year. Scouted them a couple of times last summer too. Could be nothing, but we know they attach themselves to prospects very early on according to JS.

    TCU was one of the 1st schools they scouted last summer. LJ Collier. Same with Texas A&M in 2016. Germaine Ifedi. 2017 with ‘Sparty’ and Malik McDowell

    DE Ron’Dell Carter and CB Rashad Robinson are the big names at JMU.

    • Sea Mode

      Noted. 👍

    • Jamho3

      Thanks Volume12

      🌍

  40. Sea Mode

    Seahawks Sign QB J.T. Barrett & LB Juwon Young; Waive SS Marwin Evans & LB Chris Worley.

  41. Sea Mode

    Surprise, surprise… Antonio Callaway suspended. I truly feel for kids like this, wasting such a golden opportunity set before them in life. I know it may partly not be his fault due to upbringing, just hope he can get his act together.

    http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000001040493/article/browns-wr-antonio-callaway-suspended-four-games

  42. LouieLouie

    When I watch these preseason games I look to see how the bottom end of the roster plays against the bottom end of the other roster. This indicates what kind of depth the teams have. For the last few seasons it wasn’t the case that the Hawks showed well.

    I remember the 2012 preseason when the lower end of the roster would dominate the other team’s counterparts. I saw some evidence of strong depth in this first preseason game. Let’s see how this plays out in the rest of preseason, but it was a good start.

    • Rob Staton

      Agreed.

  43. Hawktalker#1

    Call me crazy, but I’m not really a fan of either of our previous bu QB option and would love to see J.T. Barrett come in and take that spot. Would sure send a great “compete” message through the organization as well. Go JT. Go Hawks

    • Kenny Sloth

      They’re bringing in JT to spell Geno after his surgery.

      Would love to see any of these guys stake their claim tbh.

      • Hawktalker#1

        Yes that is the reason he will be getting some reps, but as much as Paxton and Geno have been underperforming in general, the door is wide open for that QB2 spot. IMO both Geno and Lynch and not good options and I’d like to at least get more of an upgrade there.

        • Henry Taylor

          I don’t know how you can say Lynch has been under performing, he exceeded all reasonable expectations in that game.

        • Kenny Sloth

          JT Barrett is younger and shiny, for sure, but I’m not sure what he’s ever shown to warrant any belief that he’s on par with even the likes of Smith and Lynch.

          If Lynch and Smith are beaten out by someone like JT Barrett it means they’re worse than we ever thought. And I’m even more scared to lose Russ for any amount of time. JT Barrett will have to do more than lead a handful of scoring drives to beat out these veterans. He’ll have to be a dominant personality throughout camp (and, realistically, until Geno comes back and his snaps start to dry up). I think it’s not unsupported to say they prefer experience at the backup QB spot.

          • Rob Staton

            JT Barrett will simply be a camp arm until Geno is back.

  44. charlietheunicorn

    I thought it was refreshing to see.. Lynch put together a nice game. I wasn’t expecting much, but he really did exceed all reasonable expectation his first time out as a Seahawk. Hopefully he keeps it up, because you could end up seeing one of the shortest and tallest QB tandems in NFL history. 😀

  45. Coleslaw

    Heres my crack at a 53 man roster projection as of today

    QB: Russell Wilson, Paxton Lynch 2

    RB: Chris Carson, Rashaad Penny, J.D. McKissic, Travis Homer, Bo Scarbrough 5

    OL: Brown, Iupati, Britt, Fluker, Ifedi,
    Jones, Simmons, Hunt, Roos, Nkansah 10
    (George Fant and Phil Haynes PUP)

    TE: Will Dissly, Nick Vannett, Jacob Hollister 3
    (Dickson IR)

    WR: Tyler Lockett, Jaron Brown, David Moore, DK Metcalf, Gary Jennings, Keenan Reynolds 6

    Offense: 26

    DL: Ansah, Martin, Jefferson, Green, Marsh, Jackson, Ford, Woods, Mitchell, Mone 10
    (Collier PUP, Reed SUS)

    LB: Wagner, Wright, Kendricks, Barton, Griffin 5

    DB: Griffin, Flowers, King, Thorpe, Amadi, McDougald, Blair, Shead, Hill 9

    Defense: 24

    Special Teams: Tyler Ott, Michael Dickson, Jason Myers 3

    – I would love for them to know Fant will be back early so we dont have to keep Nkansah, and can keep someone else instead.

    – Reynolds > Ursua IMO. Hes friends with Russ, and is a better returner. Also more likely to be picked up off waivers.

    – Griffin > Calitro for 3 reasons: Special teams and to keep the twins together and happy. And Griffin has more pass rush upside, which could come in handy if we are gonna blitz more.

    – (when I said I wish we didnt have to keep Nkansah) I wish we could keep Tedric Thompson in this scenario, but I picked Hill because of Amadi, Shead, and Blairs ability to play FS. Plus PC has been talking Hill up. However, I hope they both are kept and we just roll with 3 OTs until Fant returns.

  46. Coleslaw

    Another thing about Delano is that hes a box safety. He could probably act as a hybrid S/LB for us.

  47. Coleslaw

    JK, I read some stuff and I personally like this one more lol. Fant is only out a couple weeks according to Pete and T2 is “playing like a vet” and still starting.
    I included a practise squad projection and a list of all the guys I think we’ll try to get through waivers, so it’s less of a repost. Check out that list, though. We can surely get a nice PS outta that.

    QB: Russell Wilson, Paxton Lynch 2

    RB: Chris Carson, Rashaad Penny, J.D. McKissic, Travis Homer, Bo Scarbrough 5

    OL: Brown, Iupati, Britt, Fluker, Ifedi,
    Jones, Simmons, Hunt, Roos, Fant 10
    (Phil Haynes PUP)

    TE: Will Dissly, Nick Vannett, Jacob Hollister 3
    (Dickson IR)

    WR: Tyler Lockett, Jaron Brown, David Moore, DK Metcalf, Gary Jennings, Keenan Reynolds, Jazz Ferguson 7
    PS: Ursua

    Offense: 27

    DL: Ansah, Martin, Jefferson, Green, Marsh, Ford, Woods, Mitchell, Mone 9
    (Collier PUP, Reed SUS)
    PS: Jackson, Meder, Mingo, Naz Jones

    LB: Wagner, Wright, Kendricks, Barton, Griffin 5
    PS: Calitro, BBK

    DB: Griffin, Flowers, King, Thorpe, Amadi, McDougald, Thompson, Blair, Hill 9
    PS: Shead, Simeon Thomas, Luani

    Defense: 23

    Special Teams: Tyler Ott, Michael Dickson, Jason Myers 3

    Cuts / Practise Squad Candidates:

    Branden Jackson
    Jamie Meder
    Austin Calitro
    Deshawn Shead
    Eli Nkansah
    Wes Saxton
    John Ursua
    Simeon Thomas
    BBK
    Terry Wright
    Nick Bellore
    Nazair Jones
    Shalom Luani
    Barkevious Mingo
    C.J. Prosise
    Ethan Pocic
    Kalan Reed
    Geno Smith
    Jamar Taylor

    • CestrianHawk

      A small point, but my understanding from elsewhere is that only Haynes is eligible for PUP, and Dickson & Collier would have to be on the 53 (or waived) before being eligible for IR. Only affects how you’d play it if you didn’t want to risk losing either of them.

      • Kenny Sloth

        Christmas is on PUP rn too

    • GoHawksDani

      Mingo is not PS eligible. I think Mingo over Woods or Mitchell (I know, DT vs EDGE, but still)
      I’d also keep Jackson. He seems like having some pressure every game (not putting up big numbers. Jackson over Mitchell or Woods and might be Mingo over Marsh for me.

      I’d try to keep BBK on 53, he’ll be picked up and not make PS imo. I’d “trade” him for Ferguson or Jennings (doubt team will roll with 7 WRs)

      Shead also not PS eligible. I’d keep him. He played ton of different positions and he’s a good blitzer. I’d rather cut T2 or Hill or Thorpe.

      Otherwise I agree with the rest 🙂

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