Getting Ready For Preseason Week 2
The Seahawks are getting ready for their second preseason game at Lumen Field against the Kansas City Chiefs on Friday and Seahawks.com has stories to get you caught up on news that happened this week and what to look for heading into the matchup.
Starters Playing In Second Preseason Game & Other Takeaways From Mike Macdonald's Wednesday Press Conference
After holding out most of their veteran starters for last week's preseason opener against the Raiders, the Seahawks plan to give starters, with a few exceptions, at least some playing time on Friday night.
Macdonald said, "there might be a couple of guys" who won't play, but that most will.
"We're still kind of working through it right now, but our guys are going to start the game out and we'll see how long it goes," he said.
Sam Darnold And The Starting Offense & Other Things Watch In The Seahawks' Second Preseason Game vs. Kansas City
Do any receivers fighting for roster spots separate from the pack?
There is no doubt who sits atop the depth chart at receiver for the Seahawks; Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Cooper Kupp have those starting jobs locked down. Beyond that, however, the competition is pretty wide open for playing time and for roster spots, which make these last two preseason games, and the practices in between, a big opportunity for the rest of the receivers on the roster.
Rookie Tory Horton, who is having a great camp and he backed it up with strong play in last week's game, including a touchdown reception, is very much in the mix for the No. 3 receiver job, but so too is speedy veteran Marquez Valdes-Scantling. Behind that four, there is some really good depth battling it out, including Jake Bobo, Dareke Young, Cody White, rookie Ricky White III, as well as, when healthy, veteran receiver and return specialist Steve Sims.
And as always, special teams will be a big factor for those players competing for spots, making game action in the preseason an important part of the evaluation process.
Seahawks Mailbag: Competition For Roster Spots, Rivalries Uniforms & More
Andrew from Seattle asks, "Christian Haynes entered camp as the presumptive starter at right guard, and looked to be buoyed by a new scheme that matched his talents. But during against the Raiders, he played second-string LG behind The Immovable Grey Zabel. Is he still in the running for starting RG, and if not, is that a result of Bradford taking a leap or Haynes himself stagnating/regressing?"
A: First off, I'd push back on the notion that Haynes, or anyone else, was the presumed starter coming into camp. Anthony Bradford won the starting job last year and started the first 11 games of the season before being sidelined by an injury. Macdonald made it clear at the start of camp that those two were competing for the starting job, and then Jalen Sundell worked his way into the mix, and if Haynes was seemingly getting more work early in camp, my guess is that that was just part of the planned rotation. As for why Bradford, who did indeed start the opener, seems to be taking the lead in that competition, which Macdonald said still isn't settled, it seems to be more about his play, particularly since pads went on, than with anything Haynes is doing wrong.
"AB has made great strides," offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak said earlier this week. "Obviously he's a physical presence, but you see more consistency in his game throughout camp. So I see a guy that's playing more confident."
That competition isn't settled yet, according to coaches, but could be soon if Bradford continues to show that consistency, especially in Friday's game.