@Dago_keeper expresses concern about the defensive line, only in less friendly language.
A: Look, I get it, there is a real reason to have questions about the defensive line. That unit struggled to provide constant pressure last year, and Clowney remains a free agent, while Quinton Jefferson and Al Woods signed elsewhere. And while the Seahawks can’t guarantee anything, they feel good about the pieces they’ve added to that position group, both in the draft and in free agency.
I’ll also add this regarding the Adams trade, an elite high school can absolutely make a pass race better without the pass race really adding any talent, though again the Seahawks like the talent they have added. Assuming Adams upgrades the Seahawks’ high school, a fair guess for a first-team All-Pro, which will make things easier for players from the start. The Seahawks hope young corners Shaquill Griffin and Tre Flowers will only continue to improve, Quinton Dunbar’s status is uncertain after he was added to the commissioner’s Exemption List on Monday, and with Adams joining Quandre Diggs on the back of On defense, it’s reasonable to think that overall coverage will be better, which in turn can generate more pressure if opposing quarterbacks have to hold the ball a little longer.
And it’s also worth noting that Adams can help fast pass not only through coverage, but also his own fast pass abilities. Adams had 6.5 sacks last season, and according to Pro Football Focus, he has the most sacks, quarterback shots, and pressures of any defense since joining the League in 2017.
Finally, there is also the very real possibility that the Seahawks have not finished adding to their defensive line. Several talented veteran free agents remain unsigned through Tuesday, including Clowney, and as Clowney’s addition last year proved, the Seahawks are also always eager to explore exchanges before the start of the season.
And finally, a couple of non-Adams questions …
@ Destroyer15_YT asks: “Do you think DK Metcalf will make a big improvement this season?”
A: Metcalf exceeded many expectations in 2019 by catching 58 passes for 900 yards and seven touchdowns as a rookie, but despite those impressive numbers, I do see Metcalf being even better in 2020. Metcalf showed continued growth throughout the season, and After a full NFL season, plus extra time working with Russell Wilson in the offseason, Metcalf should just feel more comfortable on offense. Just as important to a catcher, Wilson will have even more confidence at Metcalf because the rookie earned that confidence last year, and that should only lead to more goals in 2020.
“There are several ways it will get better,” said Carroll in the NFL Scouting Combine. “He is a very diligent worker and that is why he has already made steady progress throughout the season. He would return, I think with a new level of confidence after spending the year and having a good season of successful rookie and all that.” Consistency, taking advantage of your opportunities with the confrontations you have and the calls we have. Really getting more opportunities to develop chemistry with Russ; that’s so important, just the little tweaking things. He has a great example working with Tyler (Lockett) showing him all the ins and outs of what it is like to work with Russell and understand that. So it’s just a great climb he’s on and we’re excited about that. “
@UnintendedMax asks: “What is Tre Flowers’ perspective this year?”
A: The Seahawks commercial acquisition of Quinton Dunbar earlier this season caused some fans to cancel Flowers a bit, but it’s worth remembering that, despite some patchy stretches, he showed considerable improvement from his rookie season to last year, and the growth should again be significant in year 3, considering he only switched security to cornerback as an NFL rookie. Regardless of Dunbar’s status, Flowers was going to push for a major role, and with Dunbar currently on the commissioner’s Exemption List, Flowers will be heading to camp in the same position he’s been for most of the past two seasons: cornerback. Seattle top right. And don’t discount what competition can do for a player too. There’s no way Flowers isn’t motivated by the Seahawks adding another starting caliber player in his position, so between that added motivation and the growth that should continue in his third season in a new position, he would expect Flowers to do so. . be an improved player in 2020.
Avondale’s Michael McBride asks: “With both centers having no initial experience (Justin Britt and Joey Hunt), who do you think will hold that position for the Seahawks in 2020?”
A: For those who missed it, the Seahawks pitched multiple players on Sunday, including Hunt, who along with Britt’s pitch earlier this season, leaves the Seahawks without the two centers they started for them last season, as Michael points out.
The Seahawks’ current roster lists three players as center / guard, BJ Finney, Kyle Fuller, and Ethan Pocic. I imagine everyone will have a serious look at camp in the center, but of those three, Finney could be the favorite by now as the most experienced lineman, having started 13 games in four seasons in Pittsburgh, and has experience in the center, to the right guard and left guard. Pocic also has versatility to play multiple places, although his last game action in the center was when he was at LSU. The Seahawks also have a lot of depth on guard, so there’s always a chance they’ll test one of those players in the middle at camp if they see it as a way to get the top five linemen on the field.
Also, it’s always worth noting, depending on whether Hunt signs elsewhere, that the Seahawks almost always keep the door open to meet with the players they’ve let go, so if the Seahawks didn’t like what they were seeing from other players at the end of camp, and if Hunt was still available, that might be a possibility, too.
@ Rich0364 asks: “What happens if a player tests positive and has been in contact with the entire team?”
A: No one knows how the NFL season will unfold in terms of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the league is taking many precautions to try to keep everyone as safe as possible. As Carroll has detailed in a couple of interviews in different media, much will still be done in terms of meetings to minimize the time players are in close contact, and the tests will be rigorous, but again, there is no way of knowing for sure what will be occur.
As NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell wrote in a letter to fans this week: “Players and coaches will be screened regularly for the virus, even every day for a while. Pre-season games have been canceled. All Rigorous health and safety protocols must be followed in the team environment to keep themselves and others safe. When there is a positive test, strict standards will be applied to isolate and care for that individual and contain the virus before it spreads. Even the line Side will look different. And, state and local health guidelines will help determine if fans will attend games. These adjustments are necessary to reduce the risk for everyone involved. “
Will those protocols guarantee that no player loses time this season due to COVID-19? No, but the Seahawks, like the rest of the league, will take many steps to make sure everyone stays healthy and that procedures are in place to prevent the virus from spreading if there is a positive case.
