Three Seahawks who are already turning heads at OTAs

The Seattle Seahawks have gone through just two practices in organized team activities, and what 12s see now is likely not going to look the same by Week 1 of the 2024 season. Players are still learning the new offensive and defensive schemes, for instance. Plus, OTAs are voluntary so a veteran player does not have to show up.

This was the case on Wednesday when receiver DK Metcalf was not seen at practice. There are no concerns about this, however, as Metcalf was at team facilities on Monday. There is no drama happening between the Seahawks and the player.

There is one concern, though. Right tackle Abe Lucas is not at OTAs and new head coach Mike Macdonald had no timeline for his return other than to say not until training camp. One can probably assume free agent signee George Fant is going to see a lot of playing time at right tackle during the season.

These Seattle Seahawks might already be making their mark in OTAs

Guard McClendon Curtis

Curtis probably is not going to battle for a starting spot, but he has the same chance to make the roster as any other player. There is no built-in bias with the coaching staff since the team has a new staff except for defensive backs coach Karl Scott. This means that all the work Curtis can get in now will only prove to the coaches he belongs on the team.

In Wednesday's practice, Curtis played the first team reps at right guard. 2024 draft pick Christian Haynes was available but played on the second team. Sometime-starter in 2023, Anthony Bradford, did not participate with an ankle injury. Again, Curtis might not practice so well from now until the beginning of the season that he starts at right guard in Week 1, but since he is getting some first-team snaps means he has shown offensive line coach Scott Huff that he has potential.

Linebacker Jon Rhattigan

Rhattigan could be a cut candidate because he is presumed to be a backup linebacker who carries a one-year deal of $2,985,000. That might be a bit too high unless he revamps his deal to get some guaranteed money but a lower overall maximum. This is what cornerback Mike Jackson did in the same situation this offseason.

Due to assumed starters at inside linebacker, Jerome Baker and Tyrel Dodson, missing at least some of practice - Dodson was limited and Baker is still recovering from offseason ankle surgery - Rhattigan got a bunch of first-team reps. Most accounts had him picking up the new defensive scheme really well. If nothing else, Rhattigan is proving he is deserving of a roster spot to help on special teams.

Quarterback Geno Smith

The Seahawks could have started some immediate drama and had Sam Howell, the quarterback Seattle traded for this offseason, get some first-team reps on Wednesday but that did not happen. Smith got all of them and appeared to be accurate and fully in control of the offense. If there is going to be a quarterback battle for Seattle this offseason, Wednesday was not a good indication that was going to occur.

Moreover, Smith spoke with the media after practice and was fully confident in his role as the starting quarterback. He clearly is not going to sink into answering questions and giving provocative quotes about a potential QB competition. Instead, Smith talked about a trip to Cabo he took this offseason with many offensive players, including Howell.

Smith said, "Sam, we (have) been hanging out playing Booray (a card game), went to Cabo, did some golfing, developing our relationship. Sam is a really, really talented young player. He played a lot of football to be that young. Did a lot of great things and showed a lot of great things on tape. For me, the whole starter/backup thing, I don’t ever wrap my mind around that. It’s about that group. The quarterback group has to be a collective unit."

The Seahawks' QB1 certainly did not sound like someone at risk of losing his starting spot. He came across as a veteran who is also a team leader. In other words, exactly what Smith is.

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