Which two position groups are the thinnest on the Seahawks’ roster?
Aug 31, 2020, 11:01 AM
Brock Huard isn't sold on David Moore and many of the Seahawks wide receivers. (Getty)
(Getty)
The Seahawks are less than two weeks away from their regular season opener in Atlanta against the Falcons, and though many expect the team to build off its 11-5 record from 2019, there are still some key areas of concern on the roster according to former NFL quarterback Brock Huard.
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Two position groups in particular stand out to Huard because of the lack of depth Seattle has built up. The first position is on the defensive line.
“Defensive tackle and I don’t think there’s much debated about that,” Huard said on 710 ESPN Seattle’s Danny and Gallant on Monday. “You go beyond (starters) Jarran (Reed) and Poona (Ford) and it’s merry (DeMarcus) Christmas and (undrafted rookie Cedrick) Lattimore and (Bryan) Mone, Mone, Mone.”
Reed has shown he can be a top defensive tackle in the NFL and had 10.5 sacks in 2018, but he missed the first six games last year because of a suspension. Ford is also a capable starter, but with Christmas, Lattimore, Mone and the recently signed P.J. Johnson, Huard doesn’t see much from that group.
“I think a lot of fellas if they get released on Saturday or were to get released probably don’t get picked up in this league,” he said. “That is a razor-thin position and it’s going to require Jarran and Poona have to stay remarkably healthy, which is hard for interior defensive linemen to do and both of those guys have been nicked up in their careers. You sure would love to have four different guys who could rotate in there.”
On offense, Huard said that a position group that actually has a lot of players on the roster is pretty thin as well.
“I would say No. 2 – and you see this on the transaction wire – is wide receiver,” he said. “The fact that you go out and bring Paul Richardson back at this time, that’s a minimum move and there’s really no risk to it … And you even made another move with the former Dallas receiver (Lance Lenoir) and bring him in or at least sign him yesterday and bring him in to give him a physical and everything else.”
Richardson was the Seahawks’ second-round pick in 2014 and in his final year in Seattle had over 700 yards. He signed a long-term deal with Washington but was cut after two seasons as he couldn’t stay healthy, which was an issue during his first run with the Seahawks as well. Lenoir has been in the league since 2017 but has yet to record a reception.
Huard likes the one-two punch of Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf, but he isn’t sold on the rest of that group.
“David Moore is still up and down and I think remarkably inconsistent,” Huard said. “John Ursua has had a hard time staying healthy. I know Cody Thompson the first couple weeks of camp was a shining star and now he has been sidelined. Phillip Dorsett has a foot injury, and it’s a foot injury that I think they knew (about) coming into this and probably limited some of his market (in free agency) and that continues to flare up and be an issue. So if Tyler or DK go down, who is your go-to guy? Who is your difference maker? Who’s going to get open against San Francisco? Against the Rams, who’s going to beat Jalen Ramsey in one-on-one coverage? Who’s going to beat man coverage?”
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