One of the more interesting storylines going into the Seattle Seahawks’ preseason opener was rookie quarterback Jalen Milroe making his on-field pro debut.
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There’s a ton of intrigue about the speedy Alabama product, a third-round NFL Draft pick who could figure into Seattle’s offensive plans right away this season and may have a chance to be the Hawks’ QB of the future.
In Thursday’s 23-all tie with the Las Vegas Raiders, the Seahawks handed the keys to the offense to Milroe for the entire second half. He finished with 61 yards on 6-of-10 passing, ran three times for 38 yards, and took a sack for a loss of 10. And while he didn’t throw for a touchdown like backup Drew Lock did in the first half, he also didn’t get picked off like Lock was, either.
The next day, Seattle Sports’ Michael Bumpus – a former NFL wide receiver and current host of the Seahawks Radio Network pregame and postgame shows – shared his view on Milroe’s debut.
“I thought it was productive,” Bumpus said on Friday’s edition of Bump and Stacy. “I thought it was pretty much what I expected for his very first time out there being a professional quarterback. He showed a little bit of everything.
“He ran the football for a 27-yard gain. He had a couple passes he completed – 6 for 10 for 61 yards, was sacked one time. … He looked like a guy who took the necessary steps.”
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Bumpus pointed out the importance of keeping expectations in check with Milroe, especially since the last time the Seahawks drafted a quarterback in the third round was Russell Wilson. The Seahawks struck gold when they picked Wilson in 2012, but his story of immediately becoming the starter and winning a Super Bowl in his second year is a huge outlier in NFL QB history.
“We saw him struggle a bit in training camp at times, and it’s expected. He’s supposed to struggle,” Bumpus said of Milroe. “Everyone doesn’t come out and have that rookie year that Russell Wilson had. But I thought it was very productive, and I like the way he handled the postgame conferences, as well.
“He’s a clear leader. He is realistic with his expectation in who he is, and I can’t wait to see what he looks like the following week after he goes back, watches film and makes these corrections.”
Bumpus called Milroe “one of the most intriguing stories to follow this preseason.”
“I thought he looked exactly the way he should,” Bumpus said. “Like a guy who can make some plays, also has some learning to do, but there’s no denying the talent that he has physically. I was happy for Jalen Milroe. He had a decent first day.”
Hear the full discussion in the second segment of the podcast at this link or in the player below. Catch Bump and Stacy live from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays on Seattle Sports.
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