Seahawks should make these players part of the new LOB in 2019

The Seahawks’ Super Bowl teams of this decade were led in part by the members of the Legion of Boom. These players could make an L.O.B version 2.0.

When the Seahawks defense was really humming in the early mid-part of this decade, a huge reason for the team’s success was the secondary. Of course, 12s all know the nickname for Kam Chancellor and company was the Legion of Boom. But there hasn’t been a lot of “boom” from the secondary the last couple of seasons.

Seattle isn’t without secondary talent on the current roster, but all of the original members of the LOB are gone. Chancellor is no longer there to intimidate opposing receivers, Richard Sherman isn’t taking half the field away and Earl Thomas isn’t playing centerfield keeping quarterbacks from going deep against the Seahawks.

Seattle chose Marquise Blair in the second round of this year’s draft in an attempt to get some of what they are missing with Chancellor back. Blair can hit hard and has speed. But he doesn’t have Chancellor’s size so assuming Blair can be the next Chancellor is a bit premature. But Blair paired with Bradley McDougald at some point this season is going to happen.

Here is who I think makes up the Seahawks’ secondary in 2019.

Cornerbacks

Shaquill Griffin (Starter)

Tre Flowers (Starter)

Akeem King (Starter at nickel)

Neiko Thorpe

Jamar Taylor

Simeon Thomas

I think Seattle has two good cornerbacks and then a lot of question marks. This is truly a position of concern for the Seahawks. If either Griffin or Flowers perform worse than expected or get injured, opposing quarterbacks could have career days. And Flowers was already beginning to out perform Griffin in 2018 when Flowers was a rookie, so even Griffin may not be as good as Seattle hoped when they drafted him in 2017.

Taylor probably makes the team for his ability to play the slot and to add some veteran leadership. But he isn’t a long-term answer for anything. King was decent covering the slot in the few snaps Justin Coleman didn’t. And I wouldn’t be surprised if safety Delano Hill plays some slot coverage as well.

Safeties

Bradley McDougald (starter)

Tedric Thompson (starter)

Marquise Blair

Delano Hill

McDougald is solid and versatile. He can play either safety position. That is important because when he plays beside Thompson, Thompson is really the free safety. But McDougald has a lot of range so when he gets to play beside Blair, he might be of a greater benefit for the Seahawks defense. McDougald becomes the free safety then and Blair the strong safety.

Safety used to be the position where Seattle was clearly the best in the NFL. That isn’t so anymore. But if Blair can outplay Thompson and Hill, which Blair should really, then he and McDougald form a formidable duo. And that might be one step closer to revamping the Legion of Boom.