Early Training Camp Musings

[tarlhawk]

Well by now we have had the opportunity to hear various news items concerning the beginning of the Seahawks official Training Camp. I am a part of the minority who hasn't worried too much about our QB situation. Geno is getting the lion's share of being with the 1rst string Offense but that should be expected...the rest of our offense benefits from training with a QB already "at home" with running Shane's playbook...and playing with the ones gives him an advantage having both DK and Lockett and even Fant while having Penny in the backfield and our current best "mix" at the O-line so I expect to hear good feedback...however it also "sounds like" Lock is doing just fine with the "2nd stringers" making "target" friends with Marquise Goodwin/Cody Thompson/Colby Parkinson and with our WR rookie Dareke Young. He also has "hooked up" enough with our rookie RB Kenneth Walker III that Walker looks natural making catches (another box ticked).

Saturdays practice had plenty of fireworks in red zone situations/ two minute drill situations featuring both Geno and Drew...with Geno facing the ones in Defense (Sidney Jones and Artie Burns in coverage) and Drew facing the twos (with both rookie DBs Koby Bryant and Tariq Woolen in coverage. Our teams O-lines and D-lines playing without pads but sharpening each other with plenty of speed and athleticism on both sides...Darrel Taylor said the limits were mainly no "bull rushes" allowed yet.

This upcoming Saturday will be a full game in pads which will give excellent feedback on the development of our O-line and D-line in particular. Most of the "talk" has focused on our team speed showing up in bunches from DE/LB and Safeties/Cornerbacks and our many play makers on offense (WR/TE/RB groups). The coaching staff seem impressed with good communication going on with both sides and with our young players quickly absorbing schemes being presented for the Offense and Defense. Clint Hurtt has been getting his baptism of calling plays into our Mike LB Jordyn Brooks.

Optimism abounds in early training camp but we need to avoid costly injuries going forward into pre-season ...and then facing a tough 2022 schedule which will sorely test our earnest beginnings in recapturing some winning "magic".

[Agent 86]

Hey Tarl, any idea on who the "starters" are on the O-line right now?

LT - Cross
LG - Lewis
C - Blythe? or Fuller?
RG - Jackson
RT - Lucas? or Curhan?

[tarlhawk]

Currently its as you wrote with Austin at center and Stone Forsythe the current RT but it was Lucas at RT first then Curhan then Curhan slid to RG while Gabe Jackson rehabbed from injury and Stone getting some reps at RT...the last I heard.

[Hawktawk]

Not sure why Jackson is ahead of Haynes at this point . Haynes insertion into a starting role late last year coincided with Penny going insane and Wilson playing some of his best ball . Wyman had him as our highest graded linemen . At least they signed him . I don’t know that it’s a lead pipe cinch at any position on this line at this point .

[Hawktawk]

I hear Cobe Bryant is a stud and making a name for himself already . Also Pete has rona and will be participating remotely for a bit

[RiverDog]

I don’t know that it’s a lead pipe cinch at any position on this line at this point .

This is true. Jackson and Lewis are our only returning starters and they didn't play well enough last season to justify being a leg up on the competition, plus we haven't brought in any FA talent to speak of. Although there's bound to be some favorites, every spot is up for grabs.

Our first preseason game is a week from this Saturday and we're traveling back to Pittsburgh, which I find a little odd. As a rule, they don't require teams to travel that far in the preseason, but I guess the fact that we play the AFC West in the regular season this year took out those teams as possible preseason opponents.

[NorthHawk]

I don’t think anything can be made of what we see until the 2nd Pre-Season game.
With only 3 now, I think it will be a good indicator of who is going to play where as well as the depth chart.
Of course, if a player stinks out the joint, then depth charts change.

[RiverDog]

Apparently, the offense didn't look too hot in a red zone drill yesterday. Here's a Tweet from Gregg Bell of the TNT:

Seahawks Red Zone Scrimmage: Geno Smith, 0-4, Homer drop, one quick out spiked into the ground in 1's vs 1's. Drew Lock, 2-4, 2 offensive false starts on his hard counts in 2's vs 2's.

No touchdowns in 10 tries from inside the 10-yard line, including 2 false start penalties.

2:31pm 8/1/22 from Renton, WA

[tarlhawk]

Nice to have a defense even in training that makes you earn any scores in the Red Zone. If you've been following camp news the opposite occurred the previous session as both offenses (ones and twos) "lit up" their defensive counterparts for numerous scores...I think Hurtt might have said something to his defense to fire them up and not let that happen again. Who knows?...its camp and appears both sides are getting effective reps...many rookies have flashed already. Go Hawks

[Hawktawk]

Good point about the defense . It takes 2 to tango . Also true both QBs looked sharp Saturday with Geno throwing 3 TDs to rocket . It’s why it is called “ training “ camp . I want to see hitting and real action before drawing too many conclusions

[NorthHawk]

It's so early the sides are going to look great one day and lousy the next.
It's part of putting players in situations they are uncomfortable with and seeing how they react to adversity. Some thrive and some fail and some show promise but need direction. It's all part of the TC process.

[obiken]

Bad teams always look good in practice North Hawk!

[NorthHawk]

Bad teams always look good in practice North Hawk!

No kidding, huh?

The problem with making any assumptions early in TC is you don't really know if it was bad play on one side or the other that gives encouragement.
It can only really be judged by the Pre-Season games or if we had joint practices - which we don't, so I don't put too much stock in anything I see or hear at this stage.
Let's see what happens in a couple of weeks. We may be surprised either way.

[Aseahawkfan]

I could give a flying crap how they look in training camp to be honest. I appreciate the updates. But teams playing with no pads and big funny looking fluffy helmets that make them look like some dork at a paintball tournament won't tell us how things are going to go against professional teams in full pads on the field.

[RiverDog]

I could give a flying crap how they look in training camp to be honest. I appreciate the updates. But teams playing with no pads and big funny looking fluffy helmets that make them look like some dork at a paintball tournament won't tell us how things are going to go against professional teams in full pads on the field.

Agreed.

It's difficult to tell even in preseason games, let alone scrimmages. In 2009, the Mora year, we won all 4 preseason games, and we all know how that one turned out. The only clue we'll get is when they blow the whistle for real.

[Oly]

The only truly important camp news is the injury report.

On the football side, I have a bias (not created based on any real memories, to be honest) that reports of rookies making lots of plays are also worth paying attention to. I've generally taken those reports as evidence of a kind of bulldog/competitor mentality and also some evidence of either super instincts or lots of film/playbook study. Both of those are things that I think are hard to predict from the college game and are often the explanations for why you find HOFers in the 5th round and busts in the first.

[Hawktawk]

Apparently, the offense didn't look too hot in a red zone drill yesterday. Here's a Tweet from Gregg Bell of the TNT:

Seahawks Red Zone Scrimmage: Geno Smith, 0-4, Homer drop, one quick out spiked into the ground in 1's vs 1's. Drew Lock, 2-4, 2 offensive false starts on his hard counts in 2's vs 2's.

No touchdowns in 10 tries from inside the 10-yard line, including 2 false start penalties.

2:31pm 8/1/22 from Renton, WA

At least it sounds like Lock has a good hard count or just a loud voice