Bumpus: How Seahawks are prepared for ‘worst-case scenario’ on D
May 12, 2023, 2:54 PM
Jamal Adams of the Seattle Seahawks attempts to bring down Russell Wilson of the Denver Broncos at Lumen Field on September 12, 2022. (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
(Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
The worst-case scenario for the Seattle Seahawks’ defense in 2023 is a simple one, former NFL receiver Michael Bumpus said, but it’s one that the team did a good job preparing for.
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“Worst-case scenario would be Jamal Adams is not healthy – you don’t know when you’re gonna see him – and Jordyn Brooks is not healthy … you don’t know when we’re gonna see him,” he said during Friday’s Bump and Stacy on Seattle Sports.
Adams, Seattle’s Pro Bowl strong safety, missed all but one game in 2022 due to a severe quad injury. Brooks, meanwhile, tore his ACL in Week 17. He’s been a starter at inside linebacker for the Seahawks and wore the “green dot” helmet, meaning he was the on-field play-caller for Seattle’s defense.
“But they prepared for this. The worst-case scenario for this defense and they prepared for it,” Bumpus said.
How? A few notable offseason acquisitons both at linebacker and in the secondary.
“You bring in Julian Love, who is extremely versatile. He can play safety over the top, he can be that safety in the box, he can also play that nickel,” Bumpus said. “Last year, you found Coby Bryant and he can play that nickel, so you move Julian over to that safety (spot) over the top. And then you drafted Jerrick Reed late in this draft and he can play corner, nickel, safety and he’s going to help on special teams.
“You think of the absence of Jamal Adams and you say OK, obviously you want Jamal out there, but you’ve got some guys out there who can compete and get it done.”
As for inside linebacker, the Seahawks went to an old friend to help at that position.
“We’re not going to see Jordan Brooks (early). What do you bring in? You’ve got Bobby Wagner, you have Devin Bush,” Bumpus said.
Wagner was the Seahawks’ second-round pick in 2012 and was a perennial Pro Bowler and All-Pro in his 10 years in Seattle. He played for the Los Angeles Rams last year and was an All-Pro once again.
Bush, meanwhile, was a first-round pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2019 and signed with the Seahawks on a one-year deal in free agency.
“You replaced your leader with an established leader – that’s Bobby Wagner. And then you rolled the dice on a guy did work out in Pittsburgh for Devin Bush, the 10th overall pick … sometimes that second or third wind is good for these players,” Bumpus said.
“So the worst-case scenario would be your play-caller is out in Jordyn Brooks and the guy you’re paying the most on defense is out in Jamal Adams,” Bumpus later added. “But I think the Hawks have done a great job preparing for this moment.”
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