Film Breakdown: Seahawks LB Cody Barton Shows Promise in First 2 Starts

The Seahawks have been excited about Barton's future since drafting him in the third round back in March. How did the rookie fare in his first two NFL starts as a replacement for Mychal Kendricks?

Going into the offseason, the Seahawks faced several big questions at linebacker. Long-time starter K.J. Wright was set to hit free agency and wasn’t expected to return, while Mychal Kendricks still faced lingering legal issues that clouded his future in the NFL. 

Surprisingly, Seattle re-signed both veterans in March. But the organization also remained proactive planning for the future, using two draft picks on linebackers in April.

One of those two selections was athletic Utah standout Cody Barton, who the Seahawks selected in the third round as a potential replacement for Wright. The 6-foot-2, 237-pound defender quickly learned all three linebacker spots during offseason workouts and training camp, impressing the coaching staff and teammates in the process.

With tons of depth in front of him, however, Barton had been playing exclusively on special teams during the first 13 weeks of the season. But an injury to Kendricks thrust him into the starting lineup in Week 14 and Week 15 against the Rams and Panthers, as he finished with 14 tackles, a quarterback hit, and a pass defensed.

"He was in position more consistency," coach Pete Carroll said of Barton's second start. "Still missed a couple opportunities of just fundamental stuff. Just newness. He had 10 tackles in the game, so he was running around doing some things. Got around the football a little bit in the passing game. He’s a really good pass defender. He made some good breaks. He’s just going to keep getting better. It helped him.”

Though Barton battled inconsistency as expected from an inexperienced rookie, he also showed signs he could be potential starter material down the road. Check out my latest film breakdown as I revisit each of his first two NFL starts.