Can the Seahawks secondary put out an APB for DeShawn Shead?
The Seahawks won ugly in their home opener, and nothing was uglier than the secondary. The good news is DeShawn Shead is just a phone call away.
I should go back and edit my game-by-game prediction for the Seahawks season. You know, take out any mention of winning in a blowout or dominating another team. I wasn’t exactly on point with my call of a 31-13 domination of the Bengals. Sadly, I thought the Hawks would field a professional secondary. I’m sure you were as surprised as I was when a community college unit squared off against the Bengals. I think it’s time to track down DeShawn Shead. I bet he’s just a phone call away.
Shead was cut in one of the Seahawks most surprising moves to get down to the 53-man roster. He was easily one of the best players in the secondary this preseason. He started with a sack for a safety against the Broncos. Clearly not satisfied, Shead picked Vikings QB Sean Mannion and took it to the house on an 88-yard sprint. Clearly his speed was back. Shead’s football IQ was never in doubt.
So why was he cut? Most of the conjecture is that the Seahawks did it to avoid the guaranteed contract that Shead would receive as a veteran. As he wasn’t on the roster for the first game, Seattle could bring him back for the same dollar amount, but wouldn’t have to guarantee the total amount. Somehow, I don’t think the contract details are paramount for Seattle tonight.
I know Shead doesn’t play free safety, and Tedric Thompson was awful against the Bengals. When he made that terrible attempt at an interception, I found it hard to believe he was on an NFL roster. As far as I could tell, he started his jump for that ball last Tuesday. Thompson finished the game with zero interceptions, zero pass defenses, one tackle, and two assists. For the love of all that is holy, Quinton Jefferson broke up two passes. Pete Carrol said that Thompson plays like a veteran, but he played like a veteran hanging on to a spot with the practice squad tonight.
Three practice squad players that could step in. dark. Next
Thompson was hardly the only offensive defensive back against the Bengals. Tre Flowers badly overpursued on the flea-flicker touchdown to John Ross III. He was called for pass interference as well, but I thought that was a questionable call at best. Regardless, the Seahawks secondary needs plenty of help. This is the one unit I didn’t see as improving over 2018. But even with last year? Mea culpa. DeShawn Shead, you’re a wanted man. Very wanted.