Seahawks preseason puzzle number two: pass coverage

The Seahawks first preseason game should answer quite a few questions. For instance, how does the defensive backfield look?

So, we mentioned the pass rush personnel for the Seahawks won’t exactly be at the optimum tonight. That happens when one end has broken bones in both hands, and the other has his shin practically falling apart. Seattle needs to generate a good pass rush with two players who were penciled in as backups for 2018, Branden Jackson and Quinton Jefferson. As this is the first preseason game, they certainly won’t be the only players to see any action at defensive end.

But for the moment, I’m more concerned about how the back end of the defense will play tonight. Like the defensive line, we’ll see two new starters at safety, compared to who the Seahawks played with for most of 2018. We’ve known for a while that Kam Chancellor wasn’t going to be back, as sad as that is. And we’ve known for just about as long that Earl Thomas wouldn’t be showing up to play any reindeer games for Seattle – at least not preseason reindeer games.

That’s what makes tonight’s contest against the Indianapolis Colts a big deal for the starting safeties. It’s almost certain Bradley McDougald will be one of the starting safeties for the Seahawks this season. He filled in for Chancellor at strong safety last season, and played pretty well. Depending on the health of other players, notably Mo Alexander, McDougald could slide to free safety as we get closer to the regular season. Alexander won’t be in the game tonight, so expect McDougald to play right where he did last year.

Seattle Seahawks

Seahawks need Thompson to take center stage

Taking the center fielder role that Thomas perfected will be Tedric Thompson. There’s a very good chance Thompson will be the starter all year, as Pete Carroll has been slathering on the praise for his second year player. I’d say it’s a fifty-fifty shot that Thomas ever plays another down for the Seahawks. Chancellor held out two games into the 2015 regular season, but played lights out when he returned. Seattle gave him an extension after he came back, not as a condition for his return. On the other hand, Duane Brown forced the Houston Texans into a trade just last year. Of course, Seattle was the team that took advantage of the power play, not the team that folded.

Whether Thomas returns or not, Thompson has looked really solid throughout the long offseason. He shows every sign of being a big part of the future of the Legion of Boom. He should get a pretty good test tonight, facing off against Andrew Luck. The former first round pick hasn’t been healthy for the past few years. I suppose that’s an understatement when you miss all of 2017, right? Luck has looked great in camp so far, but training camp is miles away from real contact. Even if it is preseason and you can’t lead with your helmet.

I hope Luck is at his best tonight. How else can you tell how your defense is playing? If Luck is sharp, making crisp throws, and the Seahawks still shut him down, then we know we have something. With any luck – yes, that was intentional – Tedric Thompson will have the Colts thinking number 29 snuck out there tonight. I think Thompson is up to the task. As long as the makeshift defensive line gets some pressure on Luck, that is. And we’ve talked about that already. Hey, what are you doing? The game’s on! You better be reading this at halftime!