Seattle Seahawks training camp: 3 Most important position battles
By Samuel Teets
2. Outside linebacker
Seattle relied heavily on its linebackers last season, keeping all three on the field even in obvious passing situations. Ordinarily, teams swap out a linebacker for a fifth defensive back, but the Seahawks stuck with their base defense. It’s a decision that burned the team several times throughout the year and could continue to do so now that Mychal Kendricks is no longer on the roster.
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The Seahawks placed a lot of faith in Kendricks during passing situations last season. With the athletic linebacker gone, those duties fall to either Cody Barton or first-round pick Jordyn Brooks. Barton started two regular-season games and both of Seattle’s playoff matchups last season in place of Kendricks.
There’s another element at play here. K.J. Wright traditionally plays weakside linebacker. The position sees more snaps than the strongside linebacker in Seattle’s scheme. However, Wright could move to the strongside this season in an attempt to phase the veteran out as he enters the final season of his contract.
If the Seahawks shift Wright to the strongside, either Barton or Brooks will fill his old role. As a first-round pick, Brooks has the edge over Barton, but the lack of a preseason could make 2020 a difficult year for rookies. Seattle doesn’t have a great track record recently when it comes to their first-round selections either. So, I’m not closing the door on Barton.
Free-agent signee, Bruce Irvin could also receive some time at strongside linebacker. During his previous stay in Seattle, Irvin saw many snaps on the strongside, and he could split time between playing linebacker and defensive ends this season. The Athletic’s Michael-Shawn Dugar even suggested that Seattle’s starting trio could be Irvin, Bobby Wagner, and Wright.