Four Seahawks with most pressure entering 2024 training camp

Sam Howell might never again enter a training camp where he has less pressure but with a bigger potential upside. The Seattle Seahawks added Howell this offseason to be a backup to starter Geno Smith. The trick is that both Howell and Smith are on a team where the new coaching staff has never worked previously with either quarterback.

This means that Howell has just as much opportunity to prove his value as Smith. At least, on the surface he does. He has some advantages as well. He is 10 years younger than the more veteran quarterback, and Howell has a season of being a full-time starter behind him. He is either on the precipice of becoming a long-time backup or possibly a long-term starter.

One thing is certain and that is that Howell will make the team. He knows he will get paid either way and his inexpensive contract makes keeping him even better. He is one of the lucky ones with little pressure, but several other Seahawks can't feel the same way.

Four Seattle Seahawks facing a ton of pressure at 2024 training camp

Quarterback Geno Smith

This is a make-or-break season for Smith in Seattle, which makes this possibly his most important training camp since he became the starter in Seattle. One might point to two seasons ago and say that was more pressure and it might have been except that Pete Carroll was still in charge of many facets of the team. He knew Smith well, and he trusted him. He didn't know 2022 acquisition Drew Lock as well and there was no built-in trust.

Smith has a long-time rapport with receivers DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett and that is important. That is the one advantage Smith has over Howell and that might lead to a smoother transition under new offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb for Smith. If for some reason there are hiccups, though, Howell could look a lot better early on to Grubb.

Smith also gets expensive next offseason. Seattle could release him and save $25 million. If Howell and Smith have a close competition in training camp, a team that is tight in cap space next year might go with the more financially feasible option this season in hopes of a grand future. Howell is the better option financially.

Head coach Mike Macdonald

Macdonald was hired this offseason and given a six-year contract to be the new head coach for the Seahawks. The franchise is taking on a big risk with Macdonald, though. While he has been an excellent defensive coach in the league, he has never been a head coach anywhere. This will be his first training camp as the man in charge of the on-field product and he will need to show he has a grasp on, well...everything.

In two years, this shouldn't be an issue. Macdonald will be a veteran head coach long enough to know what he needs to fix and what he can relax about. There will be more black and white and less gray so if Macdonald chooses to go down a path, he will know how to correct it well before a season begins. He doesn't have that luxury in this camp.

Like anything new, time will probably go by far too fast for the new coaching staff. How well prepared they are each day and for each change is going to have an impact on how successful the season begins. If Seattle gets off to a slow start, that might be enough to doom any potential success this year.

Cornerback Riq Woolen

Woolen has had an odd two seasons. A fifth-round choice in 2022, he became a rookie Pro Bowler based on his ability to create turnovers and use his height and speed to change how a quarterback threw to a receiver. The cornerback also did not miss a bunch of tackles and seemed to relish the rare opportunities he had to smash a ball carrier.

Before last year's camp, though, Woolen injured his knee and he seemed to play more gingerly. He was healthy enough, but he played scared at times. This showed itself extremely well, unfortunately, in terms of run defense where Woolen seemed incapable of setting a hard edge.

The glow of being so successful in his first year is now gone. The new coaching staff will want Woolen to prove himself again, especially as the team took two corners in this year's draft. Woolen's job is not safe. He has bulked up this offseason so he appears to be aware his spot might be in danger. Now, he just needs to be aggressive in practice.

Right tackle Abraham Lucas

When healthy, Lucas is a good right tackle with a mean streak. The issue is that he has had a knee issue that required offseason surgery and he still isn't ready to practice. The team placed him on the physically unable to perform list to begin camp.

Seattle also signed veteran George Fant this offseason and if Lucas can't play, Fant is a solid fill-in. If Fant plays well enough, there is no reason to risk the offensive line cohesion by forcing Lucas into playing. He should hope he can practice before the start of the season or the Seahawks could simply let him walk and assume he will never truly be healthy again.

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