The Seahawks have won the first two games of their preseason for the first time since 2017. Wins and losses are mostly irrelevant when starters are played sparingly by both teams, but try telling that to players and coaches. Seattle played an entertaining and energetic home game for the second straight week while dispatching a deep and physical Cowboys squad. One position, in particular, stood out.
Much has been made of the questionable talent on the Seahawks defensive line. What gets lost in the imprecision of that narrative is the emerging crop of talent on the edge of that line. It was once accurate to say that the Seahawks are lacking in talented edge players and pass rushers. That is no longer the case.
Boye Mafe starred again in this game as he spent most of his snaps in the Dallas backfield, while knocking down two passes and making some nice plays in run defense. He was not alone. Tyreke Smith, an Ohio State draft pick from last season who missed all year due to injury, had his best game as a pro. Smith finished with a team-high 8 tackles, a sack, and two tackles for loss. He also had a great special teams tackle. It may have seemed improbable that the 2022 Seahawks draft could get any better, but Smith is doing his part to beat those odds.
It did not end there. Levi Bell, the undrafted free agent, followed up his eye-opening first week with another flashy performance in this game. He set the edge wonderfully and created pressure. There is no room for Bell on this 53-man roster, but he may be playing too well to make it through waivers and onto the practice squad. This looks like a guy with starter upside. He is quick, strong, and plays with a great motor. I am already at the point where it would hurt to see him lost to another roster.
Derrick Hall collected his first sack on his signature rush of powering through the offensive tackle with uncommon strength. Where my initial comparison was to Bruce Irvin, as a guy with speed but a repetitive pass rush repertoire, it is looking more and more like Frank Clark is the better comp. Clark drew attention as a rookie for his power more than his speed or bend. Hall is doing the same.
That is four edge players, if you’ve lost count. That does not include Uchenna Nwosu or Darrell Taylor, who both finished with 9.5 sacks last season. This position group does not have a dominant edge rusher. What it does have is what appears to be a high floor, with quality players who can come in waves.
Even the defensive tackles made a few plays in this one. Jarran Reed had a nice sack. Myles Adams had a hustle sack. Roderick Perry made a nice play in the backfield. The interior run defense was still a problem, and I will not be convinced that issue has been addressed until we see it during the regular season.
I remain skeptical of that group’s ability to stand up to powerful offensive lines. It is at least one sturdy run defender short of being passable. Maybe Cameron Young will prove to be that guy, but the rookie has yet to play in the preseason due to injury.
The linebackers had a decent game, especially rookie Patrick O’Connell. He looks like a slightly more physical and aware version of Cody Barton. This is not someone who is commonly making plays in the backfield, but he is a sure tackler and is rarely out of position. Jon Rhattigan had a better game this week as well.
It was a rough game for Michael Jackson. He was targeted regularly by backup QB Cooper Rush and backup receivers, and was beaten repeatedly. As much as I think Jackson is a decent starting corner, I fear the coaches overestimate his level of play in coverage. This team would be better if someone can beat him out for the spot opposite Riq Woolen.
Tre Brown had an up-and-down game this week. His interception at the goal line was a great example of what he brings that someone like Jackson has not. He made a great break on the ball and showed how fluid of an athlete he can be. There were also what appeared to be some assignment breakdowns that will give coaches pause.
As excited as everyone is about the potential for the Seahawks secondary, the reality is that they have one corner who has proven he can play at a Pro Bowl level. Jackson has not shown that he has more upside. Brown and Devon Witherspoon have yet to play enough to show their ceiling or floor.
Meanwhile, the offense was middling in this game. Geno Smith got a couple of series and played okay. Nothing terrible. Nothing great. Zach Charbonnet had a nice flash play that showed he is not just a bruiser. He saw a crease and made a great cut through the hole and raced ahead for 29 yards. He did little else, however.
The offensive line was up-and-down as well. There were some quick pressures allowed to a backup defensive line and not a lot of running room. Seattle piled up 141 rushing yards, but 60 of that came on two runs and 42 came on QB runs. It is important to see those repeatable 3-7 yards plays that can open up the rest of the offense.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba had a gorgeous catch-and-run that nearly resulted in his first professional touchdown. Jake Bobo had another strong all around performance with two nice catches and nearly a touchdown on special teams after a blocked punt. This guy has done everything he needs to do to make this roster.
I find Holton Ahlers to be highly entertaining. He doesn’t seem to know his own limits. The lefty made a number of impressive throws while also showing some shimmy on the run. He is definitely raw, but Seattle has to see some potential as a future backup.
The Seahawks have one more preseason game to play, and then cuts will be made and the season will be upon us. Most important would be to get some time on the field from players like Young, Mike Morris, and Witherspoon. This edge group may be the most underrated unit on the team, and most slept on across the league. It is time to compliment them with better interior line play and stickier coverage.