Strong offseason has Seahawks’ Kevin Pierre-Louis in line for snaps

RENTON – With K.J. Wright and Bruce Irvin flanking Bobby Wagner in the middle, the Seahawks have one of the NFL’s better starting linebacker trios. The fact that Kevin Pierre-Louis has already been penciled in for playing time in that group shows how strong of an impression he’s made as he enters his second season.

“Kevin is doing great,” coach Pete Carroll said. “I’m so excited about the way he’s playing. He’s playing smart, he’s really fast, he’s got special athleticism.”

It was evident how high the Seahawks are on Pierre-Louis from the moment they chose him in the fourth round out of Boston College in 2014. Area scout Todd Brunner called him his favorite player in the draft and went so far as to compare him to San Francisco’s NaVorro Bowman, who was one of the league’s top inside linebackers before seriously injuring his knee.

Pierre-Louis was the fastest linebacker who ran at the scouting combine in 2014. His speed was one of several skills that Carroll mentioned following a recent practice, during which Pierre-Louis had worked with the starters as Irvin took a scheduled day off.

“We’re really fired up with what he can do,” Carroll said. “He is so fast and he plays so quick. He’s a real smart player. He studied really hard so he knows his stuff. What he has been able to do is he makes things happen. He gets off blocks really well. He’s got great speed to chase the football. He also has good instincts in the throwing game.”

Which is why the Seahawks expect him to find his way into the rotation this season. Last year, Wagner and Wright hardly ever came off the field. Seattle plans to mix Pierre-Louis in.

“If we were playing today, we would get him into the rotation and have him playing some, spell the guys who have to play so many snaps,” Carroll said. “We wouldn’t hesitate at all.”

One of the reasons for the jump that Pierre-Louis has made is his health. He missed time early last season with a hamstring injury, then a shoulder injury ended his season in December and required surgery. He’s healthy now.

“He’s had these injuries that have made him come and go, so he’s had the chance to show us he’s had a great offseason, and you can tell,” Carroll said. “So it’s just great to see him. We really had hopes that he would fit in just like he is, and he’s certainly showing it.”