Seahawks camp day 10: Michael Bennett tutors defensive line that dominates offensive line
Michael Bennett stood among the men he knows best. And he bellowed a football fundamental to the defensive linemen.
“Choose violence!” the retired former Seahawks end said at the end of a drill he was helping coach for Seattle’s current D-linemen Monday.
During the 10th practice of training camp, they did.
For much of the last two weeks, they have.
Among the first plays of a red-zone scrimmage of 11 on 11 Monday, rookie second-round draft choice Derick Hall twice stormed through reserve tackle Jalen McKenzie, into the backfield and into quarterback Drew Lock.
On the first two plays of a third-down scrimmage, new nose tackle Jarran Reed was having so much fun he was dancing. While on his back. He rapidly pumped his arms while supine a few feet behind where he would have sacked starting quarterback Geno Smith for the second consecutive play, if defensive linemen were permitted to tackle quarterbacks.
Monday wasn’t the first time in this camp Seattle’s defense has controlled if not dominated the offense.
It’s been an eyes-of-the-beholder situation along the line of scrimmage.
In one sense — and many dollars — this is a positive development for the Seahawks. They spent up to $124.5 million this spring and summer on contracts for new defensive end Dre’Mont Jones, new nose tackle Reed, returning 2022 sack leader Uchenna Nwosu and reunited All-Pro linebacker Bobby Wagner.
That money and the talk from every member of the defense show the key theme to this Seahawks season from coach Pete Carroll on down: Being stronger, more dynamic and just plan better in the defensive front seven. That’s to fix what was the league’s 30th-ranked run defense from 2022. Seattle had problems stopping offenses on third down. The result was long drives against, and thus fewer opportunities for the record-setting Smith and the Seahawks’ offense.
Truer tests await against other teams rather than taking on their own, beginning Thursday in the preseason opener against Minnesota at Lumen Field. The Seahawks aren’t likely to know with certainty before perhaps Thanksgiving night when they play rugged defending division-champion San Francisco for the first time this season if they are better on the defensive line.
Yet so far in training camp, the energy, intensity and most effectiveness across the line of scrimmage has been most often from the defensive line. Monday included a couple of scraps after plays, initiated by defenders hitting after the whistle sounded the play was over.
Tight end Will Dissly says this has been one of the Seahawks’ more intense and spirited training camps in recent summers.
“I think we’re having a lot of fun. I think the competitive spirit is back,” Dissly said. “Even in walk-through (morning practices), guys are getting after it.
“And I think that’s a good thing. I think that’s what Pete wants this program to be about. It’s all about competition, right? So let’s not be afraid of it wherever it presents itself.”
The Seahawks made an uncharacteristically large and early investment in free agency this March in Jones: $51 million for the 26-year-old former Denver Bronco.
Defensive coordinator Clint Hurtt said of Jones so far in his first Seahawks training camp: “He’s just been living in the backfield.”
Yet Carroll says the key to the defense’s revival this season will be Reed. The Seahawks this spring brought back the eighth-year veteran they drafted in 2016 after his two seasons away with Green Bay and Kansas City. He was a 4-3 tackle more outside nearer the offensive guard and tackle in his first Seattle stint. At age 30, he’s the Seahawks’ new 3-4 nose tackle over the center.
How well he makes that move will define how anchored Carroll’s new run defense is in 2023.
The first 10 practices of training camp suggest Reed — and the defensive front — may make the Seahawks a more effective and perhaps entertaining defense this season.
“For sure, we are building the thing around J-Reed,” Carroll said. “He’s such a stud nose tackle. He knows exactly what we’re asking for, and is giving us just what we’re looking for.”
Evan Brown at center
It appears veteran Evan Brown has won the starting center job — or is at least winning it.
He started for the fourth consecutive practice. Until Friday, he and rookie fifth-round pick Olu Oluwatimi had been alternating days as the starter.
The reason it’s Brown, at least for now: Communication.
Brown is 6 feet 3 and 320 pounds. He signed a one-year contract this offseason from Detroit. He is proving better at getting everyone in the right protection calls and changed-play audibles more efficiently and effectively.
“We’re still looking for that player that’s going to replace (retired 2022 center) Austin Blythe and that elite level of communication that he provided for our offense,” offensive coordinator Shane Waldron said.
“Their communication, our ability to get in the right calls up front...(that’s) what we’re looking for in the center position.”
Dissly has noticed the sixth-year veteran’s ability in getting the right adjustments and calls to the entire offensive line.
“Evan brings a lot of experience knowing some defenses. And that’s a big thing at center, if he’s able to pick it up and communicate really well,” Dissly said. “That’s the most you can ask for out of a center, is great communication.
“The guy is a physical dude. Love having him out there in the run game.”
Zach Charbonnet’s sharp cuts
In his first full practice since he injured his shoulder on the second day of camp July 27, rookie second-round pick Zach Charbonnet was running like he was in offseason workouts and the first two camp practices.
That is, a single, decisive, sharp cut at the line, then speed that leaves defenders chasing him rather than squared up for a tackle.
Kenny McIntosh was doing the same — until the rookie seventh-round pick sprained his knee in the team’s mock-game scrimmage Friday.
“I love watching them break off,” Dissly said. “We do these inside run drills and they get fitted up around five yards and they just take off running. If they do break a tackle no one is catching them, so it’s fun to see that. They have fresh legs, and they are making the most of it.”
Sutherland’s chance
Tre Brown on the left and Michael Jackson on the right remained the starting cornerbacks.
Top rookie draft pick Devon Witherspoon watched much of practice on the sideline wearing a wrap over his left leg.
That gave undrafted rookie Jonathan Sutherland a chance to get some first-team reps at nickel defensive back with Coby Bryant.
Sutherland drew his defensive teammates’ howls and roars of celebration during the third-down scrimmage. He zoomed up hard to meet unsuspecting wide receiver Cade Johnson following a short reception outside right. Sutherland likely would have flattened Johnson on the play if it were a full-contact tackling drill.
“BOOM!” defensive teammates yelled as Sutherland got to Johnson.
Carroll was talking about how well Sutherland, a free agent from Penn State, was practicing back in June, during offseason drills. The coach has mentioned him and Jake Bobo, the wide receiver from UCLA, as the two undrafted rookies who have been standing out for one of the NFL teams that play the most rookie free agents almost every season.
“They really stood out and so we’re fortunate that this to get two, three, maybe four guys out of that group that might have a chance to compete to play,” Carroll said in June.
Woolen on Witherspoon
Cornerback Riq Woolen, on the team’s conservative, slow plan back from athroscopic knee surgery in May, had this to say about Witherspoon, the fifth pick in this draft:
“Oh yeah, he’s the new cat on the team. A young buck. can say that now because I feel like I’m not a rookie anymore.
“At the same time, there’s a way he approaches the game. His attitude about the game, he doesn’t care about the whole new level. He just comes in and approaches like he’s a big dog. And I like that because you need a guy like that on your team, especially a young guy. He’s just been balling, through, (in) camp and his confidence has been showing out there.”
Woolen mentioned Witherspoon fitting at nickel for the reason Carroll highlighted last week: tackling against running plays inside. Seattle finished 30th in the NFL in run defense last season. Having Witherspoon as the primary nickel could be a nod toward Carroll wanting to fix that.
“Truly, that’s a big step. A nickel especially in the NFL, a lot of teams want to run the ball to the nickel,” Woolen said, “so he’s been approaching it like a linebacker, actually. He’s going there, sticking his nose in there and getting dirty, making plays and he likes to hit.”
This story was originally published August 8, 2023 at 5:00 AM.
