The Seahawks left Arizona with a 31-7 road win, and one of the clearest takeaways from Week 2 was that the rookie class already has a few different tracks forming. Some first-year players flashed, some were slowed down, and a few are still waiting for their shot.
Jadarian Price was the rookie most likely to turn this into a breakout afternoon. Instead, the Seahawks’ first-round running back saw his outing interrupted by an early fumble and a shoulder injury.
He still put together 52 yards on 13 carries and added one catch for eight yards, but the game never fully opened up for him. There’s no reason to doubt his upside, though Seahawks fans may need to cool the talk about him as an Offensive Rookie of the Year favorite.
If there was a rookie who should come out of Week 2 with momentum, it was guard Beau Stephens. He split right guard duties with Christian Haynes, who started for the injured Anthony Bradford, and Stephens held up well in his own work. Haynes was the more efficient blocker and handled 61% of the snaps there, which came out to 43 plays, but Stephens still logged 27 offensive snaps and looked solid in his role.
The Seahawks also kept leaning on cornerbacks Julian Neal and Avery Smith on special teams for a second straight week. Smith played 14 special teams snaps against Arizona and Neal played 10.
Neal also got onto defense for the Cardinals’ final offensive drive. Smith recorded a tackle on special teams, while Neal finished with a tackle on defense.
That kind of usage is helping both players build confidence and good habits whenever they get on the field.
There are still plenty of rookies in the pipeline. Six first-year players, including the four Seattle drafted, remain on the practice squad.
Cornerbacks Andre Fuller and Michael Danbsy still need to prove they can contribute on defense and special teams. Emmanuel Henderson faces an uphill climb to get snaps at receiver when the Seahawks rarely go beyond three wideouts.
Up front, defensive tackle Deven Eastern could become a backup if Brandon Pili is not back from his Week 2 concussion. Undrafted rookies Evan Beerntsen, a guard, and edge rusher Aiden Hubbard are also looking for ways to climb the depth chart.
The biggest long-term hit among the rookies is Bud Clark. The second-round safety is out for the season, and that stings even more with starting free safety Ty Okada missing his second game already. Rodney Thomas II has done well as a starter, but the Seahawks may still want their young, eager, dynamic playmaker on the field.
In Other News...
Seahawks Suddenly Face A Sam Darnold Decision They Wanted Soon
The Seahawks have spent the first two weeks of the season building momentum without ever really getting their quarterback situation settled. They opened with a close win over the Patriots, then backed it up with a more convincing result against the Cardinals, and in the process Drew Lock has done enough in Sam Darnolds place to keep Seattle moving while the starter works back from the glute injury that kept him out of the opener.
Now Darnold is expected to return to practice this week, according to NFL insider Ian Rapoport, which means the conversation the Seahawks hoped to delay is suddenly here. Lock has handled the job well enough to keep the team unbeaten, but Seattle remains committed to Darnold as its starter, so the next step is less about whether the team likes what it has seen and more about how quickly it wants to hand the offense back to the quarterback it planned to build around. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Suddenly Have A Bigger QB Decision Than Fans Expected
Sam Darnolds availability has quickly become the Seahawks most interesting storyline heading into Week 3, even with Mike Macdonald making it clear the job belongs to the starter if hes healthy enough to go. Darnold has been dealing with a glute injury suffered in Week 1, and Seattle has had to weigh the value of getting him back on the field against the reality that Drew Lock has looked steady in relief.
Macdonald said Darnold is expected to practice in some capacity before the team makes its final call, which keeps the situation in motion for now. For a Seahawks offense trying to settle in early in the season, the question is no longer just whether Darnold can suit up, but whether Seattle has a reason to keep riding the hand the backup has given it if the starter is close but not quite ready. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Face A Drew Lock Decision They May Not Afford
Sam Darnolds injury absence has already reminded the Seahawks how much value there is in a dependable No. 2 quarterback, and Drew Lock has filled that role well enough to keep Seattle afloat. In limited starts, he helped the team go 2-0, giving the staff a level of comfort that is hard to find once a season starts to turn on depth and availability.
Now comes the part Seattle would rather avoid: interest from the outside. With the Giants suddenly in need after Jaxson Darts season-ending injury, Lock is a name that could come up, but the Seahawks may be wiser to treat him as more than a movable asset. A reliable backup is one of those pieces teams only miss once they no longer have it, and Seattles situation makes that lesson feel especially current. [Read more 🡒]