By Khalid Bennett
The Seattle Medium
The Seattle Seahawks, along with the rest of the NFL, started training camp last week as they prepare for the 2018 season with 90 players reporting to the Virginia Mason Athletic Center attempting to be a part of the 53-man roster going into the regular season.
The vibe seemed a little different from years past without a few familiar faces. Defensive end Michael Bennett was traded during the offseason and cornerback Richard Sherman was released. Strong safety Kam Chancellor was placed on the physically unable to perform list and free safety Earl Thomas has yet to report due to a contract dispute. All four guys had a huge impact on the team over the years going back to their Super Bowl victory in 2014. More than their impact on the field, their leadership roles in the locker room, as well as their presence in the community will be greatly missed. Practice seemed a bit more quiet without those guys, and a void needs to be filled by others looking to take on new leadership roles. Russell Wilson continues to lead the offense along with receiver Doug Baldwin. The defense is now looking for new voices to replace what Sherman, Bennett, and Chancellor brought in terms of leadership. So far, Defensive end Frank Clark has stepped up to lead a defensive line that lost veteran Cliff Avril to a career ending neck injury last season. Bobby Wagner and KJ Wright lead one of the best linebacker groups in the NFL and newcomer Barkevious Mingo, who Seattle acquired through free agency, looks to be a nice fit on the strong side.
The area of most concern last season was the offensive line and a lot of emphasis has been placed on improving that group. Offensive line and assistant head coach Tom Cable was let go at the end of last season and replaced by Mike Solari. Left tackle Duane Brown, who the Seahawks traded for last season, is able to get a full camp in this year, and build on the chemistry needed to be successful this season. Last season, Seattle had one of the worst rushing attacks in the NFL and could not keep their running backs healthy.
“Everyone is getting better individually and getting better collectively,” said Brown after last Friday’s practice. “Right now, it’s about assignment checks, and building that chemistry.”
With a lot of emphasis is being placed on the offensive line, and in particular, the running game. The Seahawks stayed in the first round of the draft this year and used their first-round pick to acquire Rashaad Penny out of San Diego State. In what looks to be a slight change in personnel strategy, pass catching tight ends have been replaced with guys such as Ed Dickson, Nick Vannett, and rookie Will Dissly — tight ends with the ability to block and open lanes outside of the tackles. The formula Seattle used on offense in the past to win the Super Bowl, seems to be the formula they are going back to this season.
“Iron sharpens iron and the best five will start,” said Solari in reference to the offensive line.
Can the Seahawks effectively run the football and what will the “Legion of Boom” look like are the two biggest questions entering the 2018 season. Some fans may not recognize the new faces and may miss the old, but it will be a different team none the less. After not making the playoffs for the first time in six years, Seattle is trying to get back to what they are used to and that is winning the NFC west. It seems like a daunting task, but Seattle will live by its moto…always compete.
