Five Seahawks for Comeback Player of the Year
With all the injuries they had in 2017, the Seahawks have no shortage of comeback candidates. These five really stand out.
The Seahawks didn’t have the greatest of seasons in 2017. A better 2018 could well depend on the following players coming back with a better year too. In some cases we’re talking about fulfilling glimpsed promises. In others, a return to Pro Bowl performance. And maybe just getting back on the field would be good, too. On to our top five comeback kid candidates!
5. George Fant, offensive line. Fant missed all of 2017 with a torn ACL. He was expected to make a big leap forward in 2017 after getting 10 starts at left tackle as a rookie in 2016. That’s pretty good for a guy who got into just two games in college, and those at tight end. Once Fant is healthy, he can push Germain Ifedi to start at right tackle, let alone supplant Rees Odhiambo. Just seeing Fant back on the field will be a pretty big comeback.
4. Brandon Marshall, wide receiver. Yeah, this one is a bit of a cheat as he wasn’t with the Seahawks last year. Regardless, he’s a prime candidate for a comeback. Marshall is a six time Pro Bowler who had just 18 catches last year. We’ve already written about how big a role he could play for Seattle. If he can be the red zone target the Seahawks need, he’d certainly be a great comeback candidate.
More from 12th Man Rising
- 4 prospects Seahawks could reach for at No. 20 in 2023 NFL Draft
- Seattle Seahawks Mock Draft: Post-first wave of free agency
- Seahawks podcast: A review of the first week of free agency
- 4 experiments the Seattle Seahawks could cut short in 2023
- 3 pros and cons of Seattle Seahawks drafting Anthony Richardson
3. Tyler Lockett, wide receiver/returner. It’s hard to say that Lockett even needs a comeback in one sense. He did have 45 catches last year, and a career high 949 yards in kickoff returns. But he had six touchdown catches in his Pro Bowl rookie season. Between the new kickoff rules for 2018 and a complete return to health, Lockett could have a huge year. And that counts as a comeback to me.
One candidate on defense, one on offense
2. Dion Jordan, defensive end. This was a close call for me between Jordan and linebacker Barkevious Mingo. Even if Mingo has a great year, he’ll only be in for 30 percent of the defense. His predecessor Michael Wilhoite was in for less than 28 percent of the defense last year. In 2016 Mike Morgan and Brock Coyle combined for less than 25 percent of the defensive snaps. If Jordan has the kind of season I expect after collecting four sacks in just five games last year, he’ll be in for three times as many plays as Mingo. It’s just the structure of the defense in the pass-happy NFL. I can definitely see Jordan with a dozen sacks in 2018, and that would certainly be a huge comeback for him.
1. Chris Carson, running back. Shocker, I know, picking last season’s starting running back as the top candidate for a comeback. He’s facing recovery from his injuries, but stiff competition from rookie Rashaad Penny. I think there’s room for both men to flourish in the Seahawks revamped running attack. Carson is definitely a prime candidate for Comeback Player of the Year.
Kam Chancellor would be the comeback player of the decade, of course. If that happens, you may be reading about it in the American Journal of Medicine. Well, here’s my five. What say you, 12s? Who did I miss?