Seahawks’ Bradley McDougald can play both safety spots, but which does he prefer?
Aug 6, 2018, 3:46 PM
Seahawks S Bradley McDougald on playing strong safety: "I like being in the mix." (AP)
(AP)
Bradley McDougald’s calling card is his versatility.
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When the Seahawks needed him to start at free safety for two games due to Earl Thomas suffering a hamstring injury last season, McDougald was ready. And when Kam Chancellor suffered a presumably career-ending neck injury in Week 11, McDougald was just as ready to take on the strong safety spot.
Now both Thomas and Chancellor are gone, the latter due to his neck injury, the former holding out with no sign of a return. That makes it more important than ever for the Seahawks to have McDougald, who signed a three-year deal with Seattle over the offseason, because of his ability to play both spots.
But if it was McDougald’s choice, where would he rather play?
The 27-year-old Kansas product answered that question while talking to 710 ESPN Seattle’s Bob, Groz and Tom at Seahawks headquarters in Renton on Monday.
“If it was up to me, I would be a strong safety,” he said. “I like being in the box, I like being in the mix.”
A big part of that is that playing strong safety is close to another position he used to play.
“I used to play linebacker back in the day – way, way back in the day. Being a strong safety gives me that feel again because I get to play the run as well as the pass,” McDougald said.
He also likes getting to cover more than wide receivers as a strong safety.
“I get to play man to man on these different tight ends, and looking at our schedule, we got a lot of great tight ends we’re going against.”
You can find the full interview with McDougald on the Bob, Groz and Tom podcast page.
