Analysis: 5 Defensive Players to Watch in Seahawks' Preseason Opener Versus Raiders
Two days remain until the Seahawks kick off the preseason down in Las Vegas. When they face the Raiders, fans shouldn't expect to see too many starters—at least, not for any significant amount of time.
With two other exhibition matchups coming up, there will be plenty of opportunities for some form of "dress rehearsal" for the likes of Bobby Wagner, Quandre Diggs and others if they so wish. But in the meantime, the spotlight falls on the back end of the roster, where handfuls of players are competing to make the team's—or someone else's—53-man roster or practice squad. Plus others that are seemingly locked into a roster spot but are trying to carve out a larger role for themselves or at least leave a lasting impression heading into the regular season.
Here are the five players on defense to keep an eye on when Seattle hits the field at Allegiant Stadium on Saturday.
DE Rasheem Green
Even with Aldon Smith's release, Green is very much on the bubble. Kerry Hyder, Robert Nkemdiche and L.J. Collier all appear ahead of him on the depth chart at the big end spot, so he may be playing solely for the attention of other teams around the league. Overall, these three preseason games are going to be big for his future, whether that be in Seattle or elsewhere.
DE/LB Darrell Taylor
Missing the entire 2020 season with a lingering leg injury, Taylor is finally healthy and will play in his first-ever NFL game on Saturday. With Smith out of town, the SAM linebacker position looks to be the Tennessee alum's for the taking. Saturday should answer some questions about how he'll adapt to the new role and the change in level of competition.
LB Aaron Donkor
Allocated to the Seahawks via the International Pathway Program, Donkor will get a chance to try his hand at NFL competition this weekend. The German sensation will certainly have a ton of fans cheering him on from overseas as he aims to earn a job as a special teams player for Seattle.
CB Tre Brown
Right now, it doesn't appear all too likely that Brown will factor into the starting left-side cornerback job. However, the fourth-round pick is coming off a strong performance during the Seahawks' mock game this past Sunday and should be among the few players the team tries out on kickoff returns.
S Aashari Crosswell
An undrafted free agent out of Arizona State, Crosswell has taken Seahawks training camp by storm. Alongside Ryan Neal and Marquise Blair, he should get a real long look at safety Saturday night.
