Seattle, WA
With Seahawks making changes, 3 key players missing OTAs a concern
The Seahawks are actually in OTA mode, collaborating of their annual organized crew actions like the remainder of the NFL. There are three notable absences from Seattle’s on-field work, although.
Huard: How Drew Lock impacts Seahawks’ timeline so as to add Baker Mayfield
Broad receiver DK Metcalf, sturdy security Jamal Adams and free security Quandre Diggs, all Professional Bowlers and three of Seattle’s finest gamers, are coming off surgical procedures and never collaborating in practices presently. Whereas all three have been with the Seahawks for a number of years, head coach Pete Carroll’s crew is making notable adjustments on either side of the ball for the 2022 season, and their absences create some concern for Seattle Sports activities’ Jake Heaps.
On Friday’s version of Jake and Stacy, the previous NFL quarterback and present Seahawks analyst broke down why. Right here’s a take a look at what he needed to say.
Lacking Metcalf on offense
First up, Heaps targeting the facet of the ball that may have a brand new chief taking snaps. With Russell Wilson having moved on to the Denver Broncos, the Seahawks have a contest for the beginning quarterback job happening between multi-year Seahawks backup QB Geno Smith, former Broncos starter Drew Lock, and 2020 fourth-round NFL Draft decide Jacob Eason.
Metcalf, who had offseason surgical procedure to restore a foot damage he performed by way of in 2021, is lacking worthwhile time with whoever can be his new QB, Heaps mentioned.
“It might be wonderful in a really perfect world (that) you get as a lot time with Geno Smith, Drew Lock and Jacob Eason as humanly potential,” Heaps mentioned, “to have the ability to develop that chemistry, to have the ability to work by way of issues, to have the ability to have a very good understanding of how DK goes to run a route and the way the quarterback sees it. You want that chance. It’s not as simple as everybody might imagine it’s or how fast you may develop – it takes time. It takes further time, and in case you don’t have that further time, you’re not going to see the perfect outcomes potential.”
Safeties dropping time in Seahawks’ new scheme
Seattle is shifting to a 3-4 defensive entrance beneath new defensive coordinator Clint Hurtt, however that doesn’t imply it’s simply the defensive linemen and linebackers which have issues to be taught this offseason.
“They’re additionally altering the type through which they play from a protection perspective,” Heaps mentioned, “and never having the ability to have two of your higher defensive gamers and two of your sturdy leaders again there within the secondary working towards with the remainder of the group, that’s troublesome to me.”
Heaps was referring to Adams, who had his 2021 season lower quick by a shoulder damage that required surgical procedure, and Diggs, who additionally wanted surgical procedure after struggling a damaged fibula and dislocated ankle in Seattle’s season finale in January.
“They’ll have the ability to get collectively in coaching camp, and hopefully it’ll come collectively shortly, however this can be a new scheme, this can be a new mindset,” Heaps mentioned. “That is that is one thing that you really want Quandre Diggs and Jamal Adams to be comfy with and comfy speaking with everyone else.”
The truth that Seattle is by and enormous inexperienced at cornerback makes lacking Adams and Diggs harm much more.
“It’s not nearly themselves preparing. It’s about how everyone performs off of these guys, as nicely, particularly if you’re a nook place that doesn’t have a ton of expertise.”
The ultimate phrase
Heaps made certain to level out that there isn’t a getting across the absences of Metcalf, Adams and Diggs proper now.
“Look, they’re injured. There’s nothing they’ll do about this,” he mentioned. “This isn’t me griping about them not working towards or they’re selecting to not apply – it’s nothing to do with that.”
He used a narrative from final season to highlight the significance of getting as a lot time on the sphere as potential earlier than the Seahawks begin enjoying video games that depend.
“We noticed this final yr play out the place (then-Seahawks cornerback) Tre Flowers after the Minnesota Vikings recreation speaks to the media and says, ‘I’ve questions myself.’ I’ve by no means heard of something like that in my total life for an expert crew, and a whole lot of that was as a result of there have been so many communication breakdowns and points, nobody was on the identical web page. That can’t occur once more.”
It received’t be simple for Seattle to be comfy with its adjustments, notably on protection, when the Seahawks need to open the season towards their former QB.
“I’m not nervous it’s gonna be that unhealthy,” Heaps mentioned in reference to the story about Flowers, “however clearly you need them to have the ability to begin from recreation one, day one, towards Russell Wilson and an excellent Broncos offense, and have the ability to say, ‘You realize what, we’re locked in, we’re dialed in. We all know what we’re doing and we belief one another.’ However the extra time that they don’t seem to be capable of apply, the extra in jeopardy that sturdy begin turns into.”
You possibly can hear Heaps’ full ideas within the 4-Down Territory section of Jake and Stacy within the podcast at this hyperlink or within the participant beneath.
Bumpus and Turbin: How the Seahawks’ Day 3 draft picks slot in