The Seattle Seahawks finished their fifth day of training camp - their fourth day of actual practice as the team had a mandated day off on Saturday - and this week will bring some changes. So far, we have basically seen only drills. While important, once players start hitting each other, things will be different.
The Seahawks will start tackling soon and the first preseason game is just a week and a half away. We learned a bit last week in the first week of camp, sure, but we will learn a lot more this week.
On Sunday, one former Seahawk signed elsewhere, one key player for 2023 returned, and one site speculated about bringing in a great player at a position that Seattle does not currently have a need for. It also appears that Seattle already has injury concerns at running back, too. Here's the relative latest.
Seattle Seahawks don't need Jonathan Taylor
Jonathan Taylor is an excellent running back and is among the best in the league at his position. He has reportedly requested a trade from his current team, the Indianapolis Colts. This is likely partly due to the team's owner, Jim Irsay, saying that running backs in the NFL wanting more money is "inappropriate." That's the kind of thing billionaires say about people trying to make generational wealth but are also their employees.
But Seahawks Wire of the USA Today family asked the question in an article on Sunday about whether the Seahawks should entertain trading for Taylor. They brought out the good and bad about the possibility, but mostly the bad was that if Seattle did add a player it should be a defensive player. I agree with that but should also add that Seattle has at least one running back near the quality of Taylor.
It makes little sense even if Seattle didn't need a defensive player to give the Colts a running back (I'm assuming should the Colts trade Taylor they would want an RB in return) who doesn't already have 700-plus carries in the NFL in return for one who does. Taylor's great, but running backs get old fast in today's game. Plus, Taylor is a free agent after 2023 so Seattle is giving up quality, a lesser-used running back, while also creating a cap space issue in 2024 that they don't currently have.
Former Seahawks kick returner Godwin Igwebuike signs with the Atlanta Falcons
I was really hoping that the Seahawks would bring back Godwin Igwebuike. He only signed with Seattle midway through 2022 but made a huge impact with consistently exciting and productive kickoff returns. The Seahawks currently have no kick returners of the ilk of Igwebuike who averaged 28.0 yards per kick return on 11 returns for Seattle last year. He also had a long of 50 yards and several of more than 35.
Godwin Igwebuike, however, is reportedly signing a one-year deal with the Atlanta Falcons. The amount of the deal hasn't been announced, but I am going to assume it's likely around $1 million or less. Seattle could have afforded that and Igwebuike would have resolved a position of need. But maybe Seattle is just going to go back to a better-safe-than-sorry mode of kick returns. Basically, whoever catches the ball should just not turn it over.
All that said, the NFL has implemented a new kickoff return rule where a team can fair catch the ball inside the 25-yard line and the team will start the drive on their own 25. This is exactly likely the college rule and most college teams don't take chances on returns. NFL teams are even more risk-averse than college teams.
Still, let's hope Godwin Igwebuike has a terrific year. He's basically a grinder like most of us in life, so hopefully he will do well for himself.
Update on Seattle Seahawks injuries: One back and two still missing
First, the good news. Tight end Noah Fant, one of six players to begin training camp on the physically unable to perform list (PUP), passed his physical on Sunday and is returning to practice. The good thing about the PUP list in training camp and preseason is that players can be activated at any point. Once the season starts, though, that's when players must be held out for four games at least.
The bad part is that running backs Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet have missed recent practices due to injury issues. Walker has missed three out of the four training camp practices with a groin injury. Charbonnet has missed the last two because of something going on with his shoulder.
Head coach Pete Carroll said after Sunday's practice that Walker is week to week at this point. If I had to guess what that means for the preseason, I would think Walker doesn't play in any of the three warm-up games before Week 1. At least the Seahawks know what Walker can do based on his 2022 production so missing the preseason shouldn't be that big of a concern.
Charbonnet might be the bigger worry at this point. Shoulder injuries can be tricky. It is unclear when Charbonnet hurt the shoulder and Carroll just said the injury "crept up on him." That seems odd. Carroll had no timetable for the running back's return. Charbonnet, if healthy, is likely to be RB2 in the running back rotation.