Darrell Taylor Set to Practice, Could Make Seahawks Debut in Playoffs
As preparation ramps up for Saturday's Wild Card rematch against the Rams, the Seahawks could have some unexpected help coming for their pass rush.
At the tail end of his press conference, coach Pete Carroll confirmed Taylor would practice for Seattle for the first time on Tuesday, opening up the possibility he could make his NFL debut at some point in the postseason.
Taylor, a second-round pick out of Tennessee, has been on the Non-Football Injury list since training camp opened back in August while recovering from offseason surgery to repair a fractured shin. Due to numerous setbacks, he wasn't able to turn the corner enough to practice or play in any games during the regular season.
Initially, the Seahawks hoped Taylor would be able to practice before the end of training camp. Then, after opening the season on the NFI, Carroll remained hopeful he would be back in action after he became eligible in Week 7. But neither of those timelines came to fruition and last month, he had to receive an injection in the surgically repaired leg in the latest effort to speed up his recovery.
Most recently, prior to last week's season finale against the 49ers, Carroll indicated Taylor was battling soreness, the latest sign he wouldn't play at all during his rookie season. But with this latest update, there may be reason for optimism that the athletic edge rusher could provide extra insurance as a rotational reserve during the Seahawks playoff run.
While starring for the Volunteers during his final two seasons on campus, Taylor led all SEC players with 16.5 sacks, produced four forced fumbles, and also added 21 tackles for loss. The 6-foot-4, 267-pound defensive end earned an invite to the Senior Bowl and Seattle met with him for a pre-draft visit prior to the COVID-19 pandemic restricting travel in March.
Even if Taylor returns to practice and doesn't have any setbacks, it seems improbable if not impossible he will be able to suit up against the Rams. He has yet to work a single rep against an NFL offensive tackle at practice, let alone in a game, and there would be plenty of risk to throwing him into the fire in the middle of the playoffs. Plus, there's the whole issue of figuring out who he would replace on the 53-man roster.
With that said, since Jamal Adams remains questionable to play on Saturday due to a shoulder injury, the Seahawks could use pass rushing help anywhere they can find it and bringing him back for limited snaps could be an option worth considering.
More likely, the Seahawks will use this week to assess where Taylor has progressed in his recovery with eyes on him potentially being able to play in the Divisional Round if the team advances. Under such circumstances, he could be activated in time to finally make his NFL debut against the Saints, Buccaneers, or Washington Football Team, depending how the first round shakes out.
Without any practices under his belt, there's no guarantee Taylor will be ready to play in a game at this point. But Seattle has never been afraid to buck conventional trends and if the coaching staff feels he's healthy enough to contribute, there won't be any hesitation about activating him. If they don't, at least he will be able to practice and build a little positive momentum for 2021.
