Three things from the Seahawks’ 2015 preseason

The Seahawks finished the preseason 2-2. Whether that was half good or half bad depends on your perspective. Here’s an attempt to sort out what we know and what we don’t heading into the regular-season opener.

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Three things we learned:

1. The Seahawks are deeper than they were a year ago.

The Seahawks had exactly six regular starters on the field in Thursday’s preseason finale: quarterback Russell Wilson and his five offensive linemen. The Seahawks’ speed remained evident, though, especially among the front seven on defense. Kevin Pierre-Louis and Brock Coyle played exceptionally well throughout the preseason, and Frank Clark, Cassius Marsh and Jordan Hill are going to make an impact along the defensive line this season. While tight end Jimmy Graham was the most important offseason addition, the depth that Seattle once again possesses along the defensive line is the single biggest are of improvement.

2. It’s going to be really tough to leave B.J. Daniels off the team.

He might be the best all-around athlete on the team, someone who could be the ultimate wild card for an offense, capable of throwing passes or catching them when he’s in the game while also serving as a backup kick returner. He showed what an absolute menace he can be as a read-option quarterback. For a coach who loves unique talents, I just can’t see Pete Carroll leaving Daniels off the 53-man roster, especially when you consider how hard-nosed he proved himself to be on special-teams coverage units.

3. Christine Michael is not going to stop carrying the ball in his right hand.

Not after the coaches point it out to him. Not after his position coach points it out on the radio. And not now, when everyone recognizes that he refuses to shift the ball to his left hand when he’s running to the left even though it’s safer that way as it puts his body between the defender and the ball. Yet there he was in the first half on Thursday, running to his left – parallel to the line of scrimmage – with that ball in his right hand. I’ve joked somewhat meanly that he’s like “Can’t Get Right” – a character from the Eddie Murphy movie “Life” – when actually he could more accurately be called “Can’t Carry Left.”

Three things we’re still trying to figure out:

1. Is Frank Clark going to be this good in the regular season?

There are plenty of NFL players who look awesome in August only to recede into the background when the starters begin playing big minutes in September. It’s not realistic to expect Clark to be the one-man wrecking crew that he has been – from multiple positions – during Seattle’s four exhibition games. But he quite simply had the most eye-popping performance of any defensive player I’ve seen in any preseason for the Seahawks over the past 10 years, whether it was shooting a gap to get into backfield from inside or chasing down running backs on the opposite side of the field or running right by a left tackle on an outside speed rush Thursday to sack Raiders quarterback Matt McGloin and force a fumble that Seattle recovered for a touchdown. Clark is not your quick-twitch edge rusher, either. This is a guy whose strength is just that: his strength and the way he fires off the line. He won’t start for Seattle, but he could be the team’s 2013 version of Michael Bennett.

2. Is Chris Matthews going to make the team?

The guy may have been one completed pass away from being Super Bowl MVP, but his consistency was a question early in training camp and then he missed two games with a shoulder injury. He played on Thursday, but he didn’t get many opportunities and there was one second-half play in particular where he gave up on his route. We’ve seen what Seattle can do with a big receiver who has great hands (See: Williams, Mike circa 2010). We’ve also seen what Seattle can do with a big receiver whose effort isn’t always described as top notch (See: Williams, Mike circa 2011). My guess is that with Kevin Smith and B.J. Daniels, the Seahawks cut Matthews loose.

3. Who is Seattle’s nickel cornerback?

Seattle gave three different cornerbacks a chance at the position this August with Jeremy Lane on the Physically Unable to Perform list and certain to miss at least the first six games. Marcus Burley has to be considered the leader in the clubhouse at this point, but Will Blackmon offers the versatility of being able to play outside, too. Tye Smith is a rookie who has got the right mentality for the position, but his top-end speed is something that will be a question for him going forward. Seattle’s nickelback position is important given the frequency the Seahawks use it, and it’s one of the only positions that could be considered still up in the air.

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