The 2019 Seattle Seahawks will be on a major mission to retake the NFC West. Ignore any takes that say this team isn’t loaded on offense. They are. Anytime you have Russell Wilson as your quarterback, you’re dangerous (it’s his nickname for cripes sake), but also, this team has weapons. Reason 12 why these Seahawks make the postseason is definitely one of them, and he is poised to take it to the next level.

Wide Receiver David Moore.

Why is Moore poised to make an impact?

He is an freaky athletic receiver who will be in his third year in the league, and that is usually the time when athletically gifted yet raw pass catchers coming out of college click. Think I’m wrong? Just look at the Seahawk’s recent history with wideouts Golden Tate and Paul Richardson. Year three was when it clicked, especially for Tate, and David Moore totally has Tate like abilities to high point balls and run after the catch instincts.

Often times in college, the athletically freakish types make their coaches’ jobs easy. Essentially, they’re kinda just told to go run around and make plays. Then they get to the NFL and suddenly it’s not easy, and if they can’t pick up the basic route trees, they don’t see the field much. That’s why it’s so hard to project receivers coming into the league if they are not coming out of prostyle offenses.

This was the case for Tate as a rookie, and it was even more that way for Moore up until last year, his second year, when he had a bit of an early breakout before things drastically tapered off for him the second half of the season. Still, 26 catches for 445 yards with 5 touchdowns and an average of 17 yards per catch says something. While he was 9 catches shorter than Tate’s in his second year, he had 63 more yards and 2 more touchdowns.

It will be interesting to see what 2019 has for Moore. Will he evolve beyond the go patterns he ran down the sidelines, or will he get lost in rookie DK Metcalf’s impact? My guess is that David Moore will have a breakout this year.

This isn’t just shameless wishful thinking on my end, I think there’s some proof in the tea leaves. When Doug Baldwin called it a career right before the 2019 NFL draft, I thought it was pretty obvious that Seattle would target wide receiver in the coming draft, and to no surprise, they took three. However, I also anticipated that Seattle would be active in the veteran market, especially considering the former Seattle receiver Jermaine Kearse (one of Russell’s favorite targets) was sitting out there available. Well, the Kearse signing never happened, even though Seattle had the cap space to afford him. I found that fairly curious.

Then as their Spring minicamp came to a close last month, the team had Moore give a press conference to reporters. It’s worth the watch to get a vibe on Moore, but more to the point is that this team is very calculated in whom they roll out the pressers with. They’re almost always reserved for star players, core players, and players that they believe are on the verge of being major factors for the team. It was revealed in Pete Carroll’s presser that day that Moore has been taking on a much more expansive roll, now had a grasp of all the routes and roles that the receivers play, and the team’s expecting big things out of him.

Clearly, the team feels he is due a major breakout. My hunch is that Metcalf will be tasked to run a lot of go patterns to threaten the top of the defenses they are playing, and that Lockett and Moore will work more underneath while both having the ability to go vertical. If Metcalf can pick up just enough of the route tree as a rookie, this is going to pose a major problem for defenses. Seattle will have three receivers on the field with the ability to stretch defenses, and also have the ability to work underneath, and with a guy like Moore, they got a guy who has very special run after the catch ability.

Golden Tate, at his best in Seattle, was a level one playmaker once the ball got into his hands, and I think that is kind of Moore’s overall potential. If the team is right, and this guy has a full grasp of the routes, that is a major step forward for him, and it is a huge shot in the arm for this passing attack post Angry Doug Baldwin.

I’m excited about these 2019 Seattle Seahawks, and David Moore is a big reason why. Can’t wait to see what happens.

Go Hawks.

The 2019 Seattle Seahawks will be gloriously bound for the playoffs. Don’t let the notions of having the supposed seventh toughest schedule fool you. This is a tough as nails team that doesn’t fret over such things. My lucky thirteenth reason why this team is playoff bound is the epitome of that toughness.

Safety Bradley McDougald.

Why is McDougald primed to help Seattle return to the playoffs?

Just as I stated above, this dude is tough, but this dude is also a really good football player. He’s tough because he played through last year on a partially torn patellar tendon in his knee (good Lord in Heaven). He’s good because he is versatile enough to play free or strong safety, is good in coverage, and is a solid tackler against the run. If it wasn’t for the fact that his predecessors were Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor, Seattle fans would probably be a lot higher on this guy, frankly, but alas, we’ve been spoiled by our safety play over the past several years. Regardless, he was a pro-bowl alternate last year, and was clearly one of the few bright spots on what was a pretty average Seattle defense in 2018, at best. I also think that his play is a glimpse of what we might expect in the future, and I like it.

I think the key to displacing the Rams from the top of the NFC West Division is to have a secondary backfield featuring safeties that can play successfully in the box, but also be able to play really soundly in coverage. This is just my hunch, but as I’ve mentioned in some previous pieces, I think the New England Patriots showed a great blue print has to how to defend the Rams passing attack during this last Super Bowl. It requires safeties that can come up and contain on the run but also be able to bail on a dime into zone coverage. New England might have scouted Seattle’s use of McDougald because that was essentially his game against the Rams in 2018, and Seattle might have gleamed from the success New England had against the Rams, and are now going to put even more emphasis on their safety play.

When Seattle drafted Utah safety Marquise Blair in the second round last April, my immediate thought was that he was the replacement for Earl Thomas, but now I’m not quite so sure. Blair is a lot like McDougald in that he plays the run really well but is also rangy in coverage. It’s possible that Blair might have been drafted to eventually take over for McDougald if the team feels that McDougald’s knee situation is perhaps something that is degenerative. Pete Carroll has mentioned a few times that they see Blair as a strong safety.

If Blair has a strong training camp, I think it is entirely possible that Blair does take over for McDougald at strong safety, and McDougald shifts to free safety. This would give safety two safeties that can play very similarly and that could pose more of an issue for Jared Goff and the Rams.

In this scenario, Seattle might essentially abandon some of its more traditional single high look for a more two deep look with both safeties playing some strong and free depending on what they are seeing from the offense. This would give Seattle more flexibility, and they showed this look a bit with McDougald and Tedric Thompson, and then Leno Hill towards the end of the season. It’s interesting that Seattle also drafted Oregon’s Ugo Amadi last April, and he’s very much another player that can also play the run and play coverage.

However it works out, expect Bradley McDougald to be the leader of it, and expect him to continue playing really well. He’s a good ball player.

Go Hawks.

The 2019 Seattle Seahawks are going to be a force to be reckoned with. In fact, I think they will snatch the division away from those flashy Los Angeles Rams. I just know it. Do you know why I know it? Because they drafted this guy, and he is my fourteenth reason why this Seahawks will make the playoffs.

LJ Collier; Rookie Defensive Linemen out of TCU.

Ashley Landis/The Dallas Morning News

Why is Collier poised to help Seattle topple the Rams?

Because this guy is a BAMF, and if you don’t know what a BAMF is, look it up because we are trying to keep things PG on this site. He is also the guy I first mocked to Seattle a few months back when I was doing a series of mocks. This makes me look smart, and looking at his game tape and the way he owned Senior Bowl practices last winter, I was quite convinced he would be well on Seattle’s radar. Why, you ask? Simple. This team missed Michael Bennett last year.. a lot.

You see, in hybrid defenses like New England, and Seattle, these schemes ideally call for versatile players. I would argue that there is more value in a player that can play multiple roles up front well enough than a player that can man one spot really well. Bennett was that guy in Seattle and it is no shocker that Bill Belichick traded for him this last offseason to have him in New England. The more that you can effectively do up front allows you to scheme better against your opponents. When Seattle’s defense was at it’s very best, they moved Bennett up and down the line, playing both end spots, tackle, and nose when rushing the quarterback.

I think Collier definitely can be a Michael Bennett in this league. I think he has the traits to play up and down Seattle’s defensive line much the same way. He can play edge, he can play tackle, and he can and most likely will play the five-technique position that Bennett owned when he was a Seahawk. At 6-2 and 290 lbs, and with long arms, and strong, violent hands, Collier can set an edge against the run, but he is also explosive and can win pass rushing with speed/power moves that can put blockers on skates.

I think more than any other rookie in this class, he is most plug and play, and I think playing next to Jarran Reed will give Seattle a pretty intimidating front four on early downs, and I would expect him to be the leading candidate to slide inside and pass rush next to Reed on third downs.

As you can probably tell, I’m really excited about this player, and if you have not done so yet, I highly suggest checking out his senior year highlight tape. When you do, I think you’ll like what you see a lot. This guy plays with a tone setting intensity that this front four needs, and it’s going to be really interesting to see how Seattle uses him this season. He might not be a huge sack guy, but he should be a tone-setting guy, and I would expect him to be quite productive with quarterback pressures. In short, he might create the pressures that turn into sacks and turnovers for other guys. That was Michael Bennett at his best. Relentless, disruptive, and instinctive.

I don’t care if it was a reach taking Collier where they did in the first. I’m just really glad that they grabbed him. He screams Seahawk defensive lineman.

OMG. Im excited. Aren’t you? I am.

Go Hawks.

The 2019 Seattle Seahawks are poised for playoff greatness. Tough schedule? Tough schedule’s are for losers, and this team is not that. I am projecting eleven wins, and in a tougher NFC West division, that could be enough to win it. I am giving you twenty player related reasons why this team can and should come out on top. Here is reason number 15.

Edge rusher Jacob Martin.

Otto Greule/Getty Images North America

Why will Martin make an impact?

As a rookie in 2018, he was a quarterback pressure machine. Yes, he only had three sacks and seven tackles, and yes, he is only listed as 6-2 and 242 lbs, but I’m here to advise you not to get caught up into these numbers. On third downs, this dude was cat quick off the edge, displaying an impressive bend mixed with super fast explosion. In fact, the coaches trusted him more than the more highly touted rookie pass rusher Rasheem Green when it came to live games, and Green was the preseason darling. That’s not to say that Green won’t blossom into a good player (I actually have him listed as my twentieth rated impact player for 2019), I think it just more of a glowing testament to how good Martin actually is, and where he projects.

One thing that I trust about Pete Carroll and John Schneider is their ability to scout defensive linemen, and pass rushers. Whether it is through the draft, or free agency, or trade, they usually find their guys that they can mold. Bruce Irvin, Chris Clemons, Michael Bennett, Cliff Avril, Frank Clark, Jarran Reed are all players that came into Seattle and blossomed into better players. When Clark was traded to Kansas City (who are now going to pay him a fortune), I had a hunch that Seattle saw something, or some things on this roster that they felt could mitigate the loss of his production. I suspect that a combination of Green and Martin was a determining factor, and when they only took one passer rusher in the draft, LJ Collier, it kind of solidified it for me.

So, I’m here to tell worried fans to relax about the pass rush. It will be there in 2019, it might be better than last year’s, and I fully anticipate Martin to be a big factor. Pete Carroll keeps bringing his name up, and he should. Some players just have a knack.

I’ve read or heard some folks comparing Martin to Bruce Irvin from a few years ago, but for me, I will go further back. To me, Martin has serious Rufus Porter like traits, and if you are too young to remember Rufus, or simply weren’t alive when he was playing and pops never spoke to you about him, I suggest viewing some old YouTube clips of his, and then compare with Martin ; very similar explosion off the edge, sharp bend and dip under the shoulder of the much taller blocker. Fun to watch stuff.

I can see a scenario where Green is a starter on base downs, and maybe reduces inside on third downs while Martin comes off the edge, and there is a chemistry there. Now think about this rush when you factor Ziggy Ansah getting healthy to play again, Cassius Marsh being available, Jarran Reed continuing his inside pass rush, and maybe even Shaquem Griffin getting involved. All of this isn’t even factoring in 2019 first round pick LJ Collier who has nifty inside/out pass rush moves of his own, and is a player that I also think is poised to make an early impact.

So, yeah. I’m saying don’t waste too much energy worrying about Seattle’s pass rush. It will be there, and I expect Martin to take on a significantly bigger role. He might not be a starter, but the way Carroll prefers to rotate players, starting doesn’t matter. Let us always be reminded that when Seattle won the Super Bowl in 2013, Michael Bennett and Cliff Avril were both coming off the bench.

Rotation, rotation, rotation. When Seattle decided not to pay Clark the big bucks, this theme of rotation started to play louder in my ears.

Don’t worry about Martin. Don’t worry about Seattle’s pass rush. They will all be just fine. Can’t wait to see it. We can all enjoy it together.

Go Hawks.

The 2019 Seattle Seahawks are going to be a playoff team. I just know it. Kind of like I just knew Jon Snow was going to kill the Mother of Dragons four episodes before he actually did the terrible deed. The writing is so telegraphed that you find yourself talking yourself out of reasons why it won’t happen, but it does… to no surprise by anyone paying attention. This is reason 16 as to why the 2019 Seattle Seahawks are playoff bound.

DK Metcalf, Rookie Wide Receiver out of Ole Miss.

Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Why is Metcalf in position to make an impact?

Have you seen pictures of this guy? It seems like he was created in a laboratory five miles below EA Sports just in time for Madden 20. At 6-3 228 lbs, this dude runs 4.3 speed and has an INSANE vertical jump. In his rookie season, his job will be pretty straight forward. Literally. It’s to use that big body to run block, and then use that speed to get down field, and out jump safeties and corners for one of the best deep passing quarterbacks in the game. It still baffles me how this guy slid to the bottom of round two in the draft where Seattle traded up to take him. I know he was injured in college, and ran a limited route tree at Ole Miss, but, however, folks, please, there are some things that you simply can not teach, and that size and speed combination is one of them.

I was wavering quite some as to where I would be placing him in my top twenty list for impact Seattle Seahawk players. I have to be honest, I had a decent impulse to place him much closer towards the top ten, but the only thing that gave me pause is that, in general, it can take a lot of receivers time to adjust to the NFL game coming out of college, and in Pete Carroll’s system, he tends to favor players that have been in his system a bit longer, especially on the offensive side of the ball. This is how Jermaine Kearse kind of stayed ahead of Paul Richardson even though Richardson had more flash and draft pedigree. It might well be a situation where Metcalf picks things up quickly though camp and forces his way onto the field early like as the cases were for Doug Baldwin and Tyler Lockett as rookies, or it could be like Golden Tate, and essentially his first year is a red shirt.

Based on OTA’s and minicamp reports, I’m going to guess Metcalf is going to be much more closer to the Baldwin/Lockett camp than the Richardson/Tate camp this year, though. In his press conferences, you could sense Carroll’s excitement in this guy, and it seems like the early impression is that he is a lot better route runner than scouting reports were giving him credit for. He is also a dedicated worker, and folks are saying that he’s generally a smart football dude. My gut is telling me that Metcalf didn’t like that big slide at all, and has come into Seattle with the mindset to prove 31 other teams just how bad of a mistake they made not drafting him earlier.

Before the draft, it was believed he would probably be taken at some point in the first round. When that didn’t happen and he almost slid out of round two, anyone watching the draft could sense his mammoth frustration. It was almost difficult to watch. This was a guy with ridiculous size who destroyed the NFL Combine two months earlier, and teams were shying away from him. Were they out thinking themselves?

Yeah, the safe bet is that he will make an impact his rookie year. I think the dude will be on a mission, and it just so happens that he is paired with possibly the best QB in the league to uncork his particular skill set. Russell Wilson loves the deep ball. Everyone in the league knows this. All defensive coordinators know this. That is why having Metcalf on the field matters. Defenses have to account for this. I wouldn’t be surprised if a couple other receivers have more catches, surely Lockett and possibly even David Moore or someone else, but I think a lot of that will be because of the Metcalf factor. With him on the field, Seattle has a legitimate split end with a monster frame.

I am really excited about this guy.

Go Hawks.

The 2019 Seattle Seahawks will make the playoffs. Not only will they make the play offs, I suspect that they will host a playoff game, and make a run. I can feel it in my fingers, and feel it in my toes. It’s all around me. It’s everywhere I go. I am giving you twenty player related reasons why. This is player related reason Number 17.

Cornerback Tre Flowers.

Why will Flowers make an impact?

He played right corner pretty well as a rookie, especially considering that he converted to the position from the free safety he was in college. At 6-3 and 203 lbs with a ridiculously long wingspan, Flowers is built like a long line of Pete Carroll Seattle Seahawk corners over the years. What’s better is that he plays like some of them; tough against the run, and decent in coverage. In fact, Pro Football Focus had him graded out better than his more touted and experienced mate, Shaquill Griffin in 2018. As the season went on, teams targeted him less and Griffin a bit more.

What I like best about this guy is that he is still growing into the position, and the style that Seattle famously likes their corners to play. It feels like his ceiling could be fairly high. The only thing lacking in his game last year was interceptions, but again, as the season went through, he was targeted less. In a few games towards the end of the season, he made some timely pass defenses with his athleticism, and with that, you could sense that this guy was getting it.

I think Seattle senses it too because they ended up with eleven picks in this last draft class, and they didn’t use a single one on a cornerback. With Griffin and Flowers, Seattle might be much happier about their cornerbacks than you are.

We shall see, but one thing I know, I wouldn’t bet against Flowers. His physicality fits their prototype, and he seems to have a really good head on his shoulders. He’s humble, and he’s a hard-worker. Hearing him in interviews is a delight because you sense that the guy just gets it, and he’s not going to take anything for granted. He’s in a great position to be Seattle’s next highly talked about corner, and with that brings a big time second contract. I’m sure he knows that. That’s why I think the safe bet is for him to take major steps forward this season.

In fact, I think he could be in for a breakout year, and that could be just enough to put Seattle back on top of the division again after a two year drought. Gonna be fun to watch, and find out.

Go Hawks.

The 2019 Seattle Seahawks will make the playoffs. I just know it. I can feel it in my bones. I can see it staring back at me in my coffee cup. Thus, I am giving twenty solid player related reasons why. This is number 18.

Safety Marquise Blair out of Utah, drafted 47th overall in the 2019 NFL Draft.

Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

Why will Blair make a big impact?

If I were to take the DNA of Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor and mix them in a blender, what would pour into my cup would be Marquise Blair. Simply put, he has the range of Thomas and the knock-you-into-next-week mentality of Chancellor. He might not be a starter right away, but I suspect he will still see the field a lot, especially in the matchups against wide-open offenses like the Rams and Cardinals. I also wouldn’t be shocked if he’s starting by the season’s end. He is the highest drafted defensive back taken by Seattle since Thomas was drafted round one in 2010, and that says something to me. That says Seattle saw something special in this guy and they wanted him badly, and if you look at their division opponents, it makes a ton of sense.

During this last Super Bowl, the New England Patriots stymied the high powered offense of the Los Angeles Rams by taking away the miss-direction plays. The miss direction is what the Rams’ offense is predicated on. Their offense is all about confusing the defense, but they only run so many different plays out of it, but they show a ton of different looks and motions. To defend it, tackling in the open field is key. What the Patriots did was to put extra safeties on the field to contain the edges. That took away LA’s ability to attack the perimeter’s with miss direction, and forced them to attack more north and south. What was key for New England was having smart sure tackling safeties and who could also cover.

Enter Marquise Blair. He was an extremely dedicated run defender in college with the fast range of a free safety. I believe that this pick is everything about beating the Rams, and seeing Seattle double down at safety again in the middle round with Oregon’s Ugo Amadi spoke volumes to me because that guy has a fairly similar skill set; strong against the run, and rangy in coverage.

Does this mean the LOB is back? Maybe. I don’t know. Doesn’t matter. Don’t even care.  They will be much deeper at safety this year than last year, and personally, I would be cool to let the whole LOB thing die, and let these guys on this defense create their own mark and moniker.

This guy, though, I fully expect to blossom into a player that fans will get genuinely excited about. When Pete Carroll takes a defensive back early, he’s seeing something special. Outside of Thomas, they are have more than been comfortable waiting until the later rounds to find their guys. Carroll wanted this guy.

Cannot wait to see what he does.

Go Hawks.

The 2019 Seattle Seahawks will be a playoff team this year. I am sure of it. In fact, I will go one further than that. I say that not only will they be a playoff team, I think they are going to do some damage in the playoffs, and other teams and fans of those other teams won’t like it. Nope, not at all, and I am giving twenty player related reasons why. This is Player Related Reason Number 19.

Mike Iupati; Offensive Left Guard.

Why is Iupati poised to make a big impact?

Well, for one thing, he’s massive. At 6-5 and 331 lbs, Mr. Iupati is the human definition of a road grader built to move other big humans out of the way. Another thing is that he is seasoned veteran who, when healthy, adds veteran leadership and savvy. But perhaps the most exciting reason to be optimistic about the addition of this guy is just how much further the commitment of the team is to get more physical at the line of scrimmage.

Seattle wants to run the ball. There is no secret about this. This is been the stable of the Seattle offense for nearly a decade now. But the way they are going about things over the last season to this point it quite different. When Tom Cable was coaching the offensive line, they preferred quick moving lighter players at guard to incorporate a zone blocking scheme. For a while, it had it’s effects, but the league caught up to it, and Cable was unable to adjust, or unwilling, however you want to view it, and that led to his firing. Enter Mike Solari, and a power blocking scheme.

Last year, Seattle was dominant running the ball, and the addition of DJ Fluker (6-5 342 lbs) at right guard was a revelation. Seattle brought Fluker back this season on a two year deal, and reached a one year deal with 32 year old Iupati. That one year deal just made Seattle’s offensive line considerably even bigger considering who Iupati replaced, and I would expect this to be a trend that continues.

Seattle drafted  Phil Haynes (6-4 322 lbs) in the fourth round this year probably likely with the intentions of developing him into a starter, but with Iupati, Haynes has the luxury of learning from a veteran, and Seattle has the luxury of not rushing a rookie. Yes, Iupati might well just be a veteran stop gap, but that’s a huge stop gap of a player, and while his recent injury history suggests that he may not play a full sixteen game season, Seattle showed last year with relatively unknown youngster Jordan Simmons thrust into the starting lineup for a few games, that they have a type that they look for to be effective in their power scheme, and with that type, size most definitely matters.

With Iupati, Seattle’s offensive line will boast four former first round picks, and a second round pick at center. The average weight of these five players is about 324 lbs. That’s a group of some pretty big men. The average of the projected backups is at about 320 lbs. Yeah, big boys.

Simply put, for Seattle to win in the trenches this year size matters, and this Iupati signing shows even more clearly that they want to be the bully of the division again, even if that means that they might only get Iupati for ten games, or so. Based on last season, they might be onto something.

They played the Los Angeles Rams tough in their two close losses to them. They had success running against a defensive line that included top self defense linemen Aaron Donald, Ndamukong Suh, and Michael Brockers. During one match, Fluker owned Suh in the run game, and in another match they got under Donald’s skin, which isn’t an easy thing to do.

I suspect 2019 is going to very much be a continuation of that. Is it sexy and innovative? Nah, it’s about as unsexy old school as you can get, but I gotta admit it, a big part of me applauds this approach.

Seattle doesn’t have the exotic weapons to likely match LA in a shoot out, but that isn’t how they want to play it. Seattle wants to hit LA in the mouth repeatedly on offensive until LA is forced to take away the run, and New England might have just given the league a blue print on how to slow down LA’s offense. If Seattle can execute that blue print a bit better in 2019, that offensive line could pave the way to a victory or two over LA, and might just put Seattle in the driver’s seat in the division again.

We shall see, of course, but personally, I like this Mike Iupati signing. I like it a lot. Add in the fact that Iupati will be reunited with his old O-line coach from his San Francisco days in Solari, and I think he’s poised to fit in really nicely here in Seattle.

I’m looking forward to it.

Go Hawks.

The 2019 Seattle Seahawks will make the playoffs again this team. I’m sure of it. Absolutely. In fact, I am so sure of this, I am going to give you twenty reasons why by way of player personnel. Starting today, I will profile a player a day that I think will make a major impact on this team either as a starter or major contributor this year.

Are we ready for this? Sure, we’re ready for this. Let’s do it.

Number Twenty: Rasheem Green, Defensive end.

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Why is Green going to make an impact?

He was an extremely athletic defensive lineman heading into his college football days at USC from high school. There was a vibe around the draft circles in 2018 that had he had stayed another season in college, he would have probably been a first round pick this year, but, he left USC early, and entered the league at 21 years of age, and Seattle eventually landed him in round three. He flashed mightily in the preseason, but as predicted by some, the regular season proved more or less a redshirt year for him. The scouting vibe was that he probably needed to redshirt to get more NFL strong.

Why I believe he will make an impact this year is that he has now benefitted from a full offseason in Seattle’s strength and conditioning program, and organized team activities. While Seattle took LJ Collier in round one this year, I wouldn’t be surprised if a healthy more built up Rasheem Green is ready to make perhaps a bigger impact sooner. They could both easily become starters on this line by the end of the season, but I, for one, am pretty excited to see what year two has in store for this former Trojan.

Some think that Green is best suited to play the five technique spot that Michael Bennett once held, but I kinda see potential at the other end spot. Yes, Green has played both end and tackle in college, but I wonder if they don’t give him looks at the LEO end position this training camp while free agent addition Ziggy Ansah is mending from his shoulder injury. He reminds me of former Carolina Panther intimidator Greg Hardy a bit, especially in terms of body type. For five tech, the team has Collier, Naz Jones, Brandon Jackson, and Quinton Jefferson. In short, it’s a crowded spot, but if Green plays up to his athletic potential at LEO, he could give Seattle a massive and intimidating looking base front with tackles Jarran Reed, Al Woods/Poona Ford, and Collier/Jones/Jackson/Jefferson, etc. That’s potentially the biggest d-line we’ve seen Seattle roll out with in the Pete Carroll era, even when they had Red Bryant and Alan Branch. Ansah could be preserved to coming in on passing downs like Cliff Avril did in 2013. Some interesting stuff to consider.

It’s easy to be dismissive when thinking of Green. They drafted Collier with their first pick, and former seventh rounder Jacob Martin flashed more than Green did in the regular season of 2018 when they were both rookies. However, when they traded away Frank Clark, and only used one draft pick on a defensive end when the position was a perceived big area of need for the team prior to trading Clark , yeah, something sort of smelt like they might think they got something waiting in the wings already on this roster. Even with the one year rental signing of the still on the mend Ansah, it feels like they aren’t in any rush to add more. Why? Could it be Martin? Shaquem Griffin? Cassius Marsh? Maybe.

But I gotta hunch that they might be waiting for Green to blossom. If he does, I think he has got the potential to an interesting every down player. So, I’m calling it here. I think he is going to be a surprise player this year, and he’s going to make an impact. I’m looking forward to it.

Go Hawks.

Could the return of Cassius Marsh be what the Seattle Seahawks need to get back to the Land of Milk and Honey? Maybe, yeah. (Patrick Smith/ Getty)

Baseball. The reminder of summer, and all that is America’s national pastime. Also, the one thing out there that really makes me realize just how much I love football. So much so, that I am poised to type out this State of the 2019 Seattle Seahawks June Mini Camp Edition. Why not? We all know the truth. This town and region bleeds blue and green, and the Mariners are, well.. yeah.

So, what is this piece about? Well, it’s in the title. It’s the State of the Seahawks during their final mini camp before the league requires the players to break from their teams for a month before they must reconvene with the programs at the end of July. For those not terribly in-the-know about these league wide mini camps, allow me to describe. For the players, there are no pads involved, except for leg pads if you want to wear them, and you wear your helmets. There is also obviously no hitting involved, and defenders aren’t even allowed to make a contested play on the ball. Basically, it’s hard to gage how well defensive and offensive linemen are doing, how well secondary players are doing, and Russell Wilson makes a lot of really beautiful deep throws to receivers who don’t have to worry about a defender playing them aggressively. The coaches are looking at how well the players are into their assignments, routes, positioning, etc. It’s just mini camp. In the theater world, we would call these “table top reads.”

So what can we gleam from all this mini camp stuff? Well, I’m not a reporter. I’m just an overly obsessive type who wants to be a blogger. So, I don’t get to go out there and see, but listening to Pete Carroll, the other coaches, and veteran players during their press conferences, and I think I can still parse a few things. I can read the tea leaves.

Here’s the nutshell that I am piecing together; I think this team is more capable of winning the division than a lot of people think. I think they are another year fuller along in a new offensive system, and they might be deeper on the defense than many think. Let me walk you through the position groups to explain.

Quarterback

The most important position in all of football, and Seattle has one of the very best in Russell Wilson. I know football is a team game, but that it literally half the battle. I also know that Seattle wants to be a running team, but one of the reasons that they run with such success is the threat of Russell Wilson that defenses face. I think last year was likely Wilson feeling out offensive coordinator Brian Schottenhiemer’s version of the vertical Air Coryell offense. I would suspect a major step forward this year. Wilson’s deep ball is elite, and Seattle just added more deep ball targets with this last draft class. Put these things together, and I suspect Wilson is due a monster year this year even without Doug Baldwin on the roster. I would say take that to the bank.

Running Back

Chris Carson is an athletic freak and a beast, but my money is on Rashaad Penny taking a major step forward in 2019. Don’t be shocked if Seattle has the best one two punch at running back in the league this year. Rookie Travis Homer is an interesting dark horse as a change of pace and third down back, and if they finally get a healthy season from CJ Prosise, this could be an incredibly deep position group.

Wide Receiver

This is the group that will likely enter the official training camp in late July with the most question marks. The retirement of Doug Baldwin is a massive loss for the team, and they didn’t look to add veteran help to lessen the blow. They might be using these mini camps to determine whether to add one during the real camp later. What they do have on the roster is Tyler Lockett who has developed a terrific chemistry with Wilson. Also coming back is David Moore who flashed a bit in 2018 and Jaron Brown who Carroll has been praising lot lately. They also drafted the big, physically freaky and fast DK Metcalf, along with another big fast receiver in Gary Jennings, and a slot player in John Ursua. A sleeper name to watch out for is undrafted rookie free agent Terry Wright from Purdue (he has been getting a lot of organized team activity buzz the last few weeks).

It could be quite possible that Seattle like their receivers a lot more than you do. Also, interestingly enough, Seattle has quietly gotten a lot bigger and faster at receiver. These are the types of pass catchers the New Orleans had surrounded Drew Brees with for years, and are more traditional prototypes for the Air Coryell offense that Shottenhiemer calls.

Tight End

There are no names in this position group that are going to put the fear into defenses, but they do what Seattle wants them to do. Ed Dickson, and Nick Vannett are guys who are decent blockers and who can catch. Two possibly more interesting younger players are Will Dissly, who was promising last year but is coming back from a serious knee injury, and Jacob Hollister, who Seattle traded for after the draft. Hollister has been steadily praised by Wilson, Carroll, and Schottenhiemer, and might be a dark horse candidate to break out this year as a pass catcher.

Offensive Line

Outside of Quarterback, this might be the strongest area of the team, and that hasn’t been said about the Seahawks since Mike Holmgren was the head coach. Four for the five starting offensive linemen are former first round picks, and their center was a second rounder. They are set at left tackle in Dwayne Brown, but also, with Mike Iupati, Justin Britt, DJ Fluker, and Germaine Ifedi, this line is HUGE. My dark horse is 6-4 322lb rookie guard Phil Haynes. They don’t need to rush this player along, but if Iupati or Fluker get injured and he steps in and holds his own, Seattle might feel compelled to keep going with the youngster.

Defensive Line

On paper this feels like another thin area, especially after they traded Frank Clark, but I’m actually not to sure. Rookie defensive end LJ Collier feels like he could be an automatic plug and play sort at both end and tackle. Free agent Ezekiel Ansah is likely the other “on paper” starter. Second year player Jacob Martin could further become an important pass rush specialist, but for my money at end though, I think second year player Rasheem Green might become the big surprise story player of 2019. I think he has that kind of talent.

Also, another dark horse I want to suggest is the return of Cassius Marsh. Marsh had a decent year for the 49ers in 2018, plays with sound technique, and has the twitch to rush the passer. Folks might be writing him off as a bit of camp fodder. I wouldn’t. He’s only 26 years old, and likely still carries some upside. With Clark gone, and Ansah on the mend, there is a opportunity for Marsh to establish himself in a second go around in Seattle, and considering how he has bounced a bit since Seattle traded him to New England, he might view this as his last chance to salvage a long playing career. I like him coming into Seattle with that edge. I’m just going to toss there words out there now; don’t sleep on Cassius Marsh.

Defensive tackle I am not worried about in the least. Seattle has one of the best young DTs in the game in Jarran Reed playing on a contract year, and they have a promising young player in Poona Ford ready to play along side him. The vibe around the team feels like they really like Ford a lot, and think they got a steal there. I’m excited to see how his game progresses. Pro Football Focus loved him at the end of last year.

Veteran Al Woods is possibly my favorite free agent signing, though. He’s not a sack guy, but at 6-4 330lbs, he is a big powerful space eating DT that will soak up multiple blockers to make those around him more able to make the play. During Seattle’s recent Super Bowl runs, those were the kind of players Seattle had inside. My dark horse is undrafted rookie free agent Bryan Mone of Michigan. The dude is 6-3 and 366lbs of man mountain. The thought of having Woods and Mone in the game together on run downs is absolutely fascinating. If these two guys make the final roster, Seattle is very much committed to taking away the run in 2019. In my opinion, this is potentially a fascinating under the radar storyline.

Linebacker

I think this is by far and away the deepest unit on the defense. Seattle has the best linebacker on the planet in Bobby Wagner, and they have two very good veteran players in KJ Wright and Mychal Kendricks. If these three are all playing together healthy, Seattle might have the best 4-3 linebacking unit in the league, no kidding. Seattle also drafted Cody Barton, and Husky fan favorite Ben Burr-Kirven. I was high on them drafting BBK, but all the early praise seems to be landing on Barton and how quickly he has picked up on things. If Seattle were to lose Wright or Kendricks for a stretch, Barton might have the talent take one of their jobs away. Second year player Shaquem Griffin is moving to SAM linebacker and will rush from the edge, which is what he did in college. Griffin could be an interesting ex factor as an extra rusher on third downs. There’s not another position switch on the roster that I am more intrigued with.

Secondary

This is probably the area on the defense that stresses out most fans. In large part, I think it has more to do with who is no longer on the roster than who is. I think Bradley McDougald is a solid safety who can man both spots, and I think rookie safety Marquise Blair is a player that if you took the DNA of Kam Chancellor and Earl Thomas and mixed it up in a blender, you would get this guy. I also think Tedric Thompson and Lano Hill are both safeties that can factor and take further steps forward.

As for the corners, here is my bold prediction. Shaquill Griffin is going to have a major breakthrough year after his somewhat sophomore slump, and Tre’ Flowers is going to take a major step forward as the other starter. I love the athletes that both of these guys are, but I think the characters of both of these guys propel them forward into a much better 2019 campaign.

Nickel corner is a bit up for grabs, but this is a Pete Carroll coached team, and I suspect they will figure out who their nickel player is by the start of the regular season. Akeem King seems like the early favorite, but my dark house is rookie Oregon Duck Ugo Amadi. He’s listed as a free safety, but if you parse Pete, it feels like they want to get a long look at him in the nickel, and the dude was a flat out baller for the Ducks. Amadi has me intrigued.

Special Teams

Seattle is set in the teams. They have a pro bowl punter (Michael Dickson) and a pro bowl kicker (Jason Myers). Not worried at all here.

Final Thoughts

It’s early. It’s not even preseason yet. There are things that will change once we get into the regular season. There will be surprise cuts, surprise players that step up, and probably a disappointment or two of players who won’t. There also could well be a player or two coming in via trade or free agency still.

However, the plain truth remains. Seattle has one of the very best head coaches in the game matched with one of the very best quarterbacks. They have an immensely built up offensive line that powers a highly productive run game, and I think they are potentially really underrated in a few areas on the defensive side.

In a league that increasingly loves to air it out and get the ball out to playmakers in space, Pete Carroll still believes firmly that ultimately the truest battle in football is won and lost in the trenches. If you can run, you set up explosive plays downfield. If you take away the run, you make an offense one dimensional and you can rush the passer and force turnovers.

I think Seattle might have a unique situation at defensive line with a blend of size and rush ability that many folks are not seeing right now because of the lack of name recognition beyond Jarran Reed and Ezekiel Ansah. There is a reason why they felt no need to pursue Gerald McCoy when he recently hit the market. I think they might like what they got.

I also think that with the drafting of linebackers, and safeties, Seattle is positioning themselves to defending better against the Rams. Tackling in space is key to beating that team as demonstrated by New England. This is my homer take, but I think Seattle is poised to overtake the Rams for the NFC West division this year. I know San Francisco is going to likely be the sexy pick in the West, and they might be pretty good, but I have yet to see their franchise quarterback play a full healthy season, and I am not as sold on their head coach as some are. He will be going into his third year there, and with that, there is pressure to win. The vibe I get from that dude is that maybe his temperament isn’t the best when the pressure is on, but we shall see.

It just has a feel like this is a year in the division where a veteran head coach matched with a veteran quarterback, with a veteran offensive line, and a defense led by veterans mixed with youth is going to win the day more times than not. I also think relying on some key underdogs like Cassius Marsh, Al Woods, Shaquem Griffin, and Poona Ford, they might be bringing back the “we all we got, we all we need” chants full throttle. I could be wrong, but I don’t think I am. I like it.

One thing I am certain about, I will be writing a lot more about this team soon enough. Oh, yes. I will.

Go Hawks.