Seahawks camp day 7: Darrell Taylor hurt, Boye Mafe c’mon down; Jaxon Smith-Njigba savvy
Darrell Taylor is out again.
Boye Mafe, come on down. Again.
Last season, opponents exploited the charging Taylor with running plays inside and past the linebacker on the edge of the line so often the Seahawks eventually benched him in those situation. Coaches replaced him with Mafe, then a rookie second-round pick more heralded as a pass rusher.
Taylor rebounded late last season in what he does best, get upfield into the face of quarterbacks. He finished the 2022 season tied with Uchenna Nwosu for the Seattle team lead with 9 1/2 sacks.
Thursday, two days after defensive coordinator Clint Hurtt said “there’s no reason he can’t be a double-digit sack guy,” Taylor was in sweat clothes instead of a uniform. He watched practice with his left arm in a black sling. Taylor joins Kenneth Walker, Seattle’s 1,050-yard rusher as a rookie last season, as out injured indefinitely from training camp.
“He sprained his shoulder and we got to wait to figure out how long it’s going to take,” coach Pete Carroll said following camp’s seventh practice. “It’s not a surgery; they’re not requiring surgery. But, we just got to see how he responds.
“He felt way better (Thursday) than he did (Wednesday). So that’s good, early progress.”
Taylor participated what appeared to be fully in Tuesday’s practice, before the players’ day off Wednesday. Carroll said he believes his second-round pick from 2020 hurt his shoulder landing awkwardly during the sixth practice of camp.
Taylor has been the primarily outside linebacker opposite Nwosu in Seattle’s 3-4 scheme during this camp and in offseason practices.
Thursday, that became Mafe’s role.
Boye Mafe, c’mon down
Hurtt and Carroll think Mafe, the former University of Minnesota pass rusher, is ready to become an every-down outside linebacker, against the run and pass.
“I always want to see the big jumpers from year one to year two,” Hurtt said. “This is the kind of stuff I was talking about run defense and, Mafe is starting to show that, with coming along with that, and starting to see things and taking some shots. That part has been really good to see. It’s been encouraging, so I want to see him keep growing.
“I expect big things out of him.”
Carroll often says the greatest improvement in a college and NFL player’s performance comes between years one and two — exactly where Mafe is right now.
The 71-year-old coach says the clarity and understanding Mafe has now compared to any point last season makes it a wonder he was able to play 37% of Seattle’s defensive snaps as a rookie in 2022.
“Mafe probably appears to be the most improved guy from last year,” Carroll said. “It’s really early, but he’s shown so many bright moments out here, (versus the) run and pass.
“If you talked to Boye, he’ll tell you the difference between where his mind is compared to last year, he can’t even imagine how he played last year. He felt like he knew so little compared to what he is aware of now. That’s the sophomore jump we’re talking about. He’s really made it. So, I’m hoping that it will continue. And right now he is battling to be one of the featured rushers as well as be a feature guy on early downs, too. So he’s doing great.”
It appears he’s going to be need to be greater for the foreseeable future, starting with the team’s annual mock-game scrimmage Friday night at Lumen Field.
Kenneth Walker’s injury
Walker missed his fifth consecutive practice. The team’s lead running back has a groin injury the team continues to slowly treat instead of testing by returning him to practice just yet.
“It’s just a groin. With a running back that’s got to sprint and do the things that he does,” Carroll said. “We just have to make sure that it goes away before we get him back out. It’s not a serious injury. It didn’t show a ton on MRI, but we got to take care of him.
“This is the kind of thing we worry about being a nagging type of injury. We don’t want that to happen. So, we’re going to be over cautious right now this early in camp.”
Zach Charbonnet is back
Days after Carroll said rookie running back Zach Charbonnet was out indefinitely with a shoulder injury, the second-round pick from UCLA fully practiced.
He had a sharp, one-cut-and-go run inside at the line on the second running play of 11-on-11 scrimmaging Thursday.
“Now you know what indefinite means,” Carroll said, chuckling.
Charbonnet missed four practices.
Center competition update
The Seahawks’ alternating practice days for who starts at center continued. Thursday it was veteran Evan Brown’s turn. Rookie fifth-round pick Olu Oluwatimi was the starter Wednesday.
On Friday night, Carroll and offensive line coach Andy Dickerson are going to deviate from the alternating of the first seven practices. Carroll said Brown is going to start the mock game snapping to quarterback Geno Smith. Oluwatimi will be the center for backup quarterback Drew Lock.
“It’s taking shape. Both of the guys are battling,” Carroll said of Brown and Oluwatimi.
“You’ll see Evan (Friday) He’ll get the first shot at it and we’ll see as we go. We’ve alternated them and we’ll see how long we’ll continue to do that. (Friday’s) a really big day for both of those kids to show us.”
Jaxon Smith-Njigba knocks on wood
Rookie first-round pick Jaxon Smith-Njigba was asked Thursday what he’s learned about the NFL in his first week of training camp that he didn’t know coming out of Ohio State this spring.
“They like to take your money. Whatever happens, they will fine you,” he said.
What’s the wide receiver been fined for?
“I haven’t been fined yet,” Smith-Njigba said. “Maybe something is coming down the road, but I’m good so far.”
Then the 21-year-old knocked his knuckles on the wooden table top above which he was speaking.
What’s his secret to avoid being fined?
“Being a professional,” said Smith-Njigba, who has absolutely been that with his smooth catches and even smoother route running during practices. “I’m a rookie, so being on time, doing the little things, and doing things right.”
This story was originally published August 4, 2023 at 5:00 AM.
