Seahawks could be looking at doomed trip versus Falcons due to cornerback injuries

The Seattle Seahawks are missing Mike Jackson quite a bit right now. The team traded Jackson before the season began to the Carolina Panthers. At the time, Seattle could not have known just how detrimental Jackson's trade would be to the quality of Seattle's depth at cornerback nearly midway through the season.

Seattle trusted Tre Brown to stay healthy and be good in his fourth season. The team needed Riq Woolen to stay healthy and return to the form he had in 2022. Devon Witherspoon needed to take another step forward in a potential Hall of Fame career. Almost none of that has happened.

Brown has allowed a quarterback rating of an astonishingly bad 136.6. Woolen has played pretty well, but he missed Week 6 with an ankle injury. Witherspoon has not been as productive as he was early in his rookie season. He doesn't have a sack or an interception, and he has just one pass broken up while having a quarterback rating allowed of 86.5. Not bad, but certainly not great.

Seahawks could be without Riq Woolen and Tre Brown in Week 7 versus the Falcons

Things might be worse in Week 7 versus the Atlanta Falcons, though. Brown and Woolen have yet to practice this week due to ankle injuries - the final injury report for Week 7 will be released later on Friday - and are looking unlikely to play. That would mean rookie Nehemiah Pritchett, who has major issues tackling, would start. One of the safeties would probably play nickel, likely Coby Bryant, and Witherspoon would play outside instead of in the slot where he can be more aggressive in run support.

Witherspoon is fine, of course. Pritchett and Bryan could be weaknesses. If Pritchett gets hurt, Dee Williams might have to take his spot. Williams was listed as a cornerback in college too, but he rarely played. He was more of a punt returner, just as he is in Seattle. Williams would likely be exposed as a cornerback by the Falcons.

The safety group is weakened as well, though. Starter Rayshawn Jenkins was placed on injured reserve this week and will miss at least the next four games. K'Von Wallace will start in his spot, but after Wallace and Julian Love, there is not much quality depth.

The Seahawks are going to have to stop the run while also getting lots of pressure on Kirk Cousins. If Seattle cannot get quarterback pressure, the secondary is going to have issues limiting Atlanta meaning Seattle will need to try to outscore Atlanta. That all portends a fourth straight loss for Seattle.

More Seahawks news and analysis: