Seahawks Legend Kam Chancellor Taking Marquise Blair Under His Wing
Since a neck injury forced him to retire following the 2017 season, former Seahawks safety Kam Chancellor has kept a low profile for the most part with the exception of occasionally being seen at practice and raising the 12 flag prior to a game in 2018.
But while Chancellor hasn't gotten the itch to join an NFL coaching staff - at least not at this stage - the four-time Pro Bowler has taken on an advisory role of sorts for second-year safety Marquise Blair. In recent days, images have surfaced of "Bam Bam" working with the young defender on a local practice field.
Earning a reputation as one of the NFL's biggest thumpers, Chancellor served notice as the enforcer of Seattle's defense for nearly a decade. In eight seasons, he amassed 607 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, and nine forced fumbles, truly putting the boom in the "Legion of Boom" secondary.
Considering Blair's similar hard-hitting tendencies and aggressive playing style, there couldn't possibly be a better instructor to help him get the most out of his talents.
In some aspects, Blair's first season with the Seahawks proved to be a disappointment. Missing key practice time due to multiple injuries during offseason workouts and training camp, he struggled to gain a full grasp of the playbook and earn the trust of Pete Carroll and the coaching staff.
As a result, Blair opened his rookie season primarily playing special teams, as he logged just 12 defensive snaps in the first six weeks of the season. But with Bradley McDougald nursing an injury, he finally made his first career start against the Ravens in Week 7, flashing his play making ability with a key third down pass deflection and producing six tackles.
The next week, Blair earned his second straight start in place of McDougald and finished with a team-high 11 tackles and a forced fumble during a win over the Falcons. He remained in the lineup the next week, this time replacing Tedric Thompson, and posted five tackles.
With the arrival of Quandre Diggs before the trade deadline, however, Blair quickly returned to the sidelines after Week 9. Though he continued to excel on special teams, he only played 19 defensive snaps during Seattle's final eight games and missed the divisional round against Green Bay with an injury.
Despite not seeing the field much in the second half of his rookie season, expectations remain high for Blair heading into year No. 2. Though the team hasn't been able to practice on the field yet due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he's had another offseason to continue mastering his playbook and get stronger in the weight room.
From the outset, Diggs and McDougald will resume their roles as Seattle's two starting safeties. But Blair will have a chance to compete at both positions, and with McDougald entering the final year of his contract, it'll be interesting to see if the former Utah standout can push the veteran for playing time.
In an ideal situation, the Seahawks will find a situational role for Blair to get him on the field. It's possible he could see some snaps as a "big nickel" safety working against tight ends similar to how the team used Akeem King in recent seasons.
Seattle could even start to phase McDougald out of the lineup as the season progresses, depending on how training camp goes, thus opening the door for Blair to take over as the starting strong safety at some point next season.
Ultimately, Blair will have to prove he has a better grasp of his assignments than he did as a rookie to earn the trust of the coaching staff. He will also have to stay healthy, as durability has been an issue for him dating back to college.
But as images of Blair picking Chancellor's brain on the practice field indicate, he has the right people in his corner to help accelerate his progression, which should bode well for his future with the Seahawks.
