It’s hard to make much of a team two days into training camp. Players are limited to helmets only, no pads, and little contact. It becomes especially difficult to gauge a defense. How effective is an outside linebacker at rushing the passer if both lines can’t have live blocking? Would a corner who sniffed out a run be able to complete the play and wrap up the running back? When tackling is prohibited, you never see the completion of a play. Maybe the corner wraps up the runner, or maybe the halfback – also not at full speed in camp – plows through him. Day two at Seahawks camp required plenty of imagination, but when guessing the most likely outcome of each play, it sure felt like a solid day for defense, which, at least so far, is good news for a team that has ranked 31st against the pass for the last two seasons and is looking to improve on takeaways.

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Rookie cornerback Tariq Woolen, who might be the fastest player on this team, chased down Rashaad Penny on a sprint to the end zone and had another pass breakup downfield (he’ll have his own challenges through the preseason, with the biggest knock out of Texas-San Antonio being that he was an elite athlete but a raw corner). Veteran corner Sidney Jones, starting alongside Artie Burns, made a heads-up play on a run that in a game would’ve saved the Seahawks a few yards. Darrell Taylor would’ve been a headache for Geno Smith were he able to wrap him up for a sack on a few explosive rushes.

“We had a little trouble with the ball today that we didn’t have yesterday,” Carroll said of the offense, which implemented more third down work Thursday. “Cadence and the noise, we were closer to the noise today and it affected us a little bit. Didn’t handle it as well as we’d like. But we got good work so we’re making progress.”

But for all the energy the defense looked to have on the field on a sweltering afternoon, the news that followed practice was deflating.

Safety Jamal Adams, who was absent on Day 2, is seeking additional opinions on an undisclosed hand issue (Carroll described Adams as feeling the hand “wasn’t right” in practice Wednesday).

Jamal Adams leaves Seahawks camp to seek opinions on fingers

It’s the same hand with Adams’ surgically-repaired fingers. Carroll said Adams would be taking “some time” to explore that, implying his absence would continue for at least the immediate future.

“He’s looking into some stuff and he’s trying to get things figured out,” Carroll said, adding that he didn’t know how long Adams would be out.

Offense gets a win of its own… after practice

While the Seahawks await word on Adams’ hand, they were able to get a win after practice: Seattle inked 24-year-old star receiver DK Metcalf to a three-year, $72 million extension.

Metcalf’s average annual salary is below expected (about $24 million per year) but it also includes a record $30 million signing bonus – the most ever by a receiver – and $58.2 million guaranteed.

The move doesn’t just keep one of this team’s most talented players in Seattle – it also solidifies an explosive weapon for any future drafted quarterback through 2025.

Report: Seahawks ink star WR DK Metcalf to lucrative 3-year extension

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