The Seahawks don’t need a masterpiece against the Titans. They need something cleaner, sharper, and a lot closer to what this roster is supposed to look like.
Seattle opened preseason with a rough 17-7 loss to the Dallas Cowboys, and the issues went well beyond a bad scoreline. The second- and third-string units got pushed around, and that carried into practices that were decent without ever really settling things.
The joint work against Tennessee brought more uneven stretches, and then the Seahawks took another hit when wide receiver Jake Bobo suffered a season-ending knee injury. With the regular season approaching, this is the kind of game that can help calm everything down.
The biggest problem against Dallas was right where games are often decided: the line of scrimmage. For a few early drives, Seattle looked like the aggressive team that won the Super Bowl. After that, the Cowboys started controlling both sides up front.
On offense, Christian Haynes again did not look like a player who has taken the next step, which is a bad sign for a former third-round pick. Bobby Hart and Logan Brown also had outings that raised real questions about whether either belongs on the Seahawks’ 53-man roster, or even on the practice squad.
The defensive front had its own mess to sort through. Seattle struggled to stop the run and never really generated consistent pressure. Second-year defensive tackle/end Rylie Mills had a rough night, and edge rushers Jalan Gaines and Jared Ivey had trouble getting into the backfield.
That’s why this game against Tennessee matters for more than just the final score. Seattle is expected to give the starters a drive or two to get some live reps, but the entire roster needs to show better consistency up front.
The backups have to protect the quarterback better, and the defense has to avoid getting overrun again. Dallas went 11-of-15 on third downs, and that kind of number is exactly how players can lose ground fast in August.
There’s also a real competition brewing at cornerback, and it has become one of the more important storylines of camp. Seattle’s offseason question at No. 3 corner started after Riq Woolen left in free agency. The front office brought in Noah Igbinoghene and drafted Julian Neal in the third round, while head coach Mike Macdonald challenged Nehemiah Pritchett to take a step.
That battle has not settled cleanly. Neal has been injured for most of camp, Pritchett has bounced between the first-team defense and the second string, and Igbinoghene has taken the lead in the race. Even so, the Seahawks have also agreed to eventually sign former first-round pick Terrion Arnold and signed former two-time Pro-Bowler Trevon Diggs, who is still learning the defense.
Pritchett and Igbinoghene do not have much time left to make their case, and the Titans give them one more chance to separate themselves. Pritchett needs to prove he can handle a meaningful role, especially with nickel Nick Emmanwori still recovering from ankle surgery in July. Igbinoghene has to hold off the long game against Diggs and maybe Arnold, too.
Beyond that cornerback fight, Seattle still wants answers from a handful of role players who can make or break the back end of the roster. Linebacker Tyrice Knight turned in a solid showing against Dallas and should be one of the players worth watching again. Mills needs to be much more steady than he was in the opener, especially after all the offseason buzz around him.
The Seahawks also want more than a flash from second-year tight end Elijah Arroyo, even if the route running and catch were encouraging. Running back George Holani needs more carries and better blocking before anyone can really measure where he stands.
And then there are the players who are still trying to force their way into the conversation: quarterback Drew Lock and Jalen Milroe, defensive end Mike Morris, rookie safety Bud Clark, and linebackers Chazz Surratt and Patrick O’Connell. For them, this is less about polish and more about showing the real potential Seattle needs to see.
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Seahawks Suddenly Have A WR Concern They Cant Easily Solve
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Montorie Foster Jr. and Cody White are the names the Seahawks can turn to if they need more bodies in the mix, but this is the kind of injury cluster that tests depth fast. For a team trying to keep its passing game on track, the concern is less about one absence than the possibility that the position could stay thin for a while without an easy fix. [Read more 🡒]