Seahawks defense will be the reason Seattle shocks the NFL in 2022
By Boade Rowe
Seahawks CB room has a great mix of veterans and rookies
The defensive backs may be the group poised for the biggest improvement of all. In recent years Seattle’s coverage looked like a shell of its former “Legion of Boom”-standard defense. This may just be the year all of that changes and the Seahawks get back to playing that hard-nosed defense we became accustomed to in the early 2010s.
Initially, it would be easy to look at the ‘Hawks cornerback room and feel a bit underwhelmed. Personally, I see that as an oversight, In my opinion, Seattle has done a fantastic job of retooling this cornerback group. Not so long ago, Pete Carroll had a specific type of cornerback he liked to target. The prototype used to be long and strong corners who were hard to throw over in zone coverage yet could also play the outside run well.
In today’s game, a team needs cover corners who can not only play zone, but you must have the ability to call for effective man coverage as well. That is where I see the Seahawks making the biggest strides for improvement, no longer do the Seahawks target a specific corner. Pete Carroll admitted last year after drafting Tre Brown that the inspiring play of DJ Reed changed his mind on the cornerback prototypes he liked to draft.
Now that the ‘Hawks have supplied the cornerback depth chart with many young talented prospects and seasoned veterans, the coverage should be much more reliable on the outside. For instance, 2021 standout Tre Brown made some stellar plays last season before suffering an injury that would ultimately shut him down for the year. In Brown’s second year, he’s got the chance to be a full-time starter and make a gigantic leap in snaps and production.
As for the returning veterans and the incoming rookie corners in the locker room, there is just as much potential there as anywhere else on the team. Sidney Jones, who the ‘Hawks acquired in a trade with Jacksonville prior to the start of last season, is poised to take a role as a leader in the room. Jones started 13 games for the Seahawks and looked much more comfortable in his role on this defense than he did in years prior in Jacksonville.