Analysis: Who Should Start at Strong Safety for Seahawks?
Unlike this time last year when the Seahawks were trying to figure out how they would move forward without Earl Thomas, the team will enter a new season with far greater stability at the safety position.
Returning for a fourth season in the Pacific Northwest, Bradley McDougald will look to build off a strong finish to the 2019 season. Manning center field, Quandre Diggs, who Seattle acquired from Detroit prior to the trade deadline last October, is expected to be even more productive entering his first full season with the team. Waiting in the wings, former second-round pick Marquise Blair hopes to make a major leap forward development-wise heading into his second NFL season.
While Diggs should be entrenched as the starter at free safety, McDougald will need to be prepared for Blair to make a strong push for his job. Who holds the edge between the master and the apprentice at strong safety?
The Case for Bradley McDougald
Since replacing an injured Kam Chancellor in the starting lineup during the second half of the 2017 season, McDougald has been the unsung leader of Seattle's young secondary. Though he's not the most dynamic athlete for his position, he offers the versatility to play either free or strong safety, has been a beacon of consistency over the last three years, and has been durable. Playing in all but one game during that span, including battling through a torn MCL in 2018, he's produced at least 70 tackles all three seasons with 19 passes defensed, five interceptions, and four forced fumbles. Not surprisingly, his performance stepped up a notch after Seattle traded for Diggs, including making 11 tackles in a Wild Card win over the Eagles in the playoffs. Seeing them play together for an entire season could be a major difference maker for the defense as a whole.
The Case for Marquise Blair
Injuries during offseason workouts and training camp prevented Blair from competing for a starting role as a rookie, but the former Utah star offers superior athletic traits in comparison to his veteran counterpart and flashed in limited opportunities last season. An aggressive safety with a propensity for dishing out punishment to ball carriers as a tackler, he forced two fumbles on just 230 combined defensive snaps, including nearly creating a crucial turnover in the season finale against the 49ers. He also had a big third down pass deflection in a start against the Ravens, showing he's capable of being reliable in coverage as well. The Seahawks need to see what they have in Blair sooner rather than later and considering his hard-hitting mentality, pairing him with Diggs as Seattle's strong safety may offer a higher ceiling for the defense in 2019 and beyond.
Final Verdict
Entering the final year of his contract, McDougald seems poised to open the 2020 season in the starting lineup alongside Diggs. Those two played well together in five regular season games and their skill sets compliment one another effectively.
However, this may become one of those situations where McDougald is simply keeping the seat warm until the coaching staff believes Blair, who has a far greater upside, is ready to play. If he's more comfortable with the playbook and has a better grasp of his assignments, he's going to difficult to keep off the field.
Because of his veteran leadership, the Seahawks won't rush into phasing McDougald out of the lineup. They don't have to force the issue transitioning to Blair, but given his athleticism and play making ability, it's only a matter of time until such a move is made and the torch will likely be passed at some point this season.
