3 Seahawks veterans who should worry about their jobs ahead of 2024 training camp

The Seattle Seahawks are less than a month away from training camp beginning. Rookies will show up on July 17. Veterans will arrive on July 23.

Between when this article is posted and training camp starting, nothing much will happen with the Seahawks. That does not mean many players won't be nervous. 90 players are trying to earn 53 spots in Week 1 of the regular season.

Two of the players that follow are going to make the roster, but they need to be aware that they need to prove themselves again to the new coaching staff in training camp. Few starting spots are more or less guaranteed. One player might be looking for a new place to work before the season, though.

Three Seahawks veterans who should be nervous ahead of training camp

Defensive tackle Jarran Reed

Reed is a good pass rusher. He did that in 2023 when he got to seven sacks even though the overall defense was fairly weak. Possibly because he was playing out of position, Reed was not good against the run, however. His presence at nose tackle meant Seattle lacked a lot of strength on the inside so offensive lines could push the Seahawks around a bit.

Of course, Reed did not help himself as he missed a ridiculous 16.1 percent of his tackle attempts. A defensive back missing that much isn't great, but at least those whiffs happen more in the open field. Reed does not have the same excuse.

Head coach Mike Macdonald will flex his fronts quite a bit, but the base is a 3-4. This definitely means Leonard Williams at one spot on the end, and Dre'Mont Jones, when he isn't set up as an edge rusher, at another spot. Reed could lose snaps to rookie Byron Murphy II who should already be better in run defense than the veteran.

Cornerback Tre Brown

There is no way of knowing how the Seahawks' cornerback room is going to shake out. Even before the 2024 NFL draft, Seattle had a bit of a glut at the position. Riq Woolen should be one starter on the outside, and Devon Witherspoon will start in the slot. The other outside corner would likely be Brown, Mike Jackson, or possibly Artie Burns. Then Seattle took D.J. James and Nehemiah Pritchett in the draft so every corner except Witherspoon and Woolen should be nervous.

Brown was given the opportunity to start at the beginning of 2023 even though Jackson had been the full-time starter in 2022. Brown could not keep the spot, though, as he does struggle at times against taller receivers. He is good in coverage and has athletic ability, but on 50-50 high-point balls, Brown gets beat too much.

He might simply need a bit better direction in positioning and then to stay healthy enough to get consistent reps. That dismisses the quality coverage that Jackson has provided, however. Plus, the new coaching staff might want to give priority to the rookies who were drafted on their watch.

Running back Kenneth Walker III

This is not to imply Walker is a bad player because he certainly is not. His problem is that he is a boom-or-bust back who is capable of breaking off a 60-yard run or being stuffed for no gain on three straight downs. In both of his first two seasons, Walker had a stuff rate of more than 20 percent. This means on one of five runs, he got nothing.

The biggest issue might have been the quality of the run-blocking Walker got in front of him. With better blocking, the running back could rush for 1,400 yards as long as he is more consistent. The question becomes whether the line is really the problem with Walker being all or nothing or his running style is.

If he has the same tendencies to begin 2024, the Seahawks could give Zach Charbonnet increased reps. Charbonnet does not have Walker's breakaway speed, but he can pick up the dirty yards better. That may be what Seattle's offense needs to be more efficient and stay on the field longer than in the past two seasons.

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