Bumpus: Why Seattle Seahawks will miss LB Cody Barton
Jun 23, 2023, 2:58 PM
Seahawks LB Cody Barton prepares for a snap against the New York Jets during a Jan. 1, 2023 game. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
(Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
There’s been a decent amount of turnover for the Seattle Seahawks this offseason, especially on defense.
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On Thursday, former NFL receiver Michael Bumpus made the case for why one 2022 starter who is no longer with the team will be missed during Seattle Sports’ Bump and Stacy, and it’s not who you’d think.
Bumpus’ co-host Stacy Rost guessed a few names, such as former first-round picks L.J. Collier and Rashaad Penny before Bumpus gave his pic;
“Cody Barton,” he said.
“Wow!” Rost replied.
Barton, a linebacker who the Seahawks took in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft, left Seattle this offseason to go play with the Washington Commanders.
Barton was predominantly a backup and special teams player for the Seahawks in his four years with the team, but started every game for Seattle last season.
With Barton gone and fellow 2022 starting linebacker Jordyn Brooks rehabbing from an ACL tear, that position group’s depth is very thin right now.
“Who are your linebackers right now?” Bumpus asked.
Replied Rost, “Bobby (Wagner), Devin (Bush) and Jon Rhattigan?”
“Exactly,” Bumpus said. “I’m not saying you’re gonna miss him in the sense that Cody Barton was a starter and has to be a starter. I’m saying that Cody Barton was a guy who could come off the bench and help out.”
“Cody Barton was a guy who made plays on special teams … Just a player that you’re gonna feel the effect of (losing),” Bumpus added. “Because you need depth at that linebacker spot and they’re extremely thin (there) and you need to make plays on special teams, and Cody Barton did exactly that. He made plays on special teams. He might not have been the greatest at the linebacker spot, but he had his moments. I’m looking at guys like that and I go those are the dudes who make up the team, the majority of the team. You only have a few superstars getting paid $15 to $17 million a year. So it’s not a name that you will that you expected, but the role that he played in the backup sense, I think. is needed with this team. They’ve got to make some moves at linebacker to bring some guys in and get some special teams (help) in there.”
Listen to the full second hour of Thursday’s Bump and Stacy at this link or in the audio player near the top of this story.
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