Three Seattle Seahawks that deserve more respect
By Lee Vowell
Every team needs guys who don’t always get the glory but still might be the glue to a successful season. The Seattle Seahawks have three guys just like that.
The great thing about the three players that follow is that a lot of their production is not noticed but if they were to miss time their absences would definitely be felt.
The Seahawks do still have superstars in DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett and others (though they will not have Russell Wilson or Bobby Wagner in 2022) but there aren’t really supporting roles in the NFL. A player either does his job well or something bad will happen. The three players on this list do their jobs well.
These three Seahawks need more respect
Seahawks safety Ryan Neal
Neal isn’t a starter on defense. That is, he isn’t expected to be one. That said, in each of the last two years, he has stepped in for an injured Jamal Adams and finished seasons as a starter. And let’s be real, there wasn’t much of a dropoff between Adams and Neal.
In 2021, Neal started five games, had 3 tackles for loss, 3 quarterback hits (3 more than Adams had) and a sack (1 more than Adams). In 2020, Neal started four games and a QBR-against of 72.1 (which is good).
It wouldn’t be surprising to see Neal have to fill in as a starter again at times in 2022 and he will be good if he does start. He needs to be extended next offseason for a few years. Neal is just 26 years old.