Seahawks Setting 'High Bar' For Marquise Blair in Return From ACL Tear
RENTON, WA - During the first eight weeks of the 2020 season, though they got off to a 6-1 start and sat atop the NFC West, the Seahawks were on a blistering pace for an undesirable record to allow more passing yards than any team in NFL history.
While there were plenty of other reasons behind the struggles, including a dormant pass rush, injuries in the secondary played a significant role in Seattle's inability to slow down opposing passing attacks. In the first four weeks alone, the team lost safety Jamal Adams to a groin injury and cornerback Quinton Dunbar suffered a knee injury that eventually required season-ending surgery. With those two players missing and quarterbacks comfortably sitting in the pocket, the Seahawks were surrendering more than 350 passing yards per game.
But no injury may have had a more negative impact on Seattle's defensive woes than the loss of versatile, hard-hitting defensive back Marquise Blair, whose season came to an abrupt end during a Week 2 win over New England when linebacker K.J. Wright's helmet inadvertently struck his knee on a tackle attempt and his leg buckled. He had to be helped off the field and shortly after, the team announced he had suffered a torn ACL and would need reconstructive knee surgery.
Now nine months removed from the procedure, Blair finally returned to practice for the first time towards the end of Seattle's OTA sessions last week and participated in Tuesday's first day of mandatory minicamp. Though Carroll admitted he doesn't think the young defender is fully recovered from his injury, he has been very encouraged by what he's seen on the field thus far.
"I think he's going to be a great addition, just everything that we've seen from 'Quise," Carroll remarked. "He's smart, he's fast, he's flexible and that he can do a lot of things. We're really excited to have him back. I don't think he's 100 percent yet in terms of the whole comeback, but he's plenty good enough to be practicing and working and he should really be able to make a difference."
Prior to the injury, Blair looked poised for a breakout 2020 season with the Seahawks. The former second-round pick out of Utah had transitioned from safety to nickel cornerback at the start of camp and dominated on the practice field, creating big plays and forcing turnovers on a daily basis. Whether he was being credited with a sack of Russell Wilson on a blitz, blowing up run plays in the backfield, or jumping a route for a pass deflection or interception, he seemed to be in on every play and drew raving reviews from teammates and coaches alike.
By the time camp wrapped up, Blair had secured a starting spot in the slot and with his physical presence in the lineup, Seattle expected to play a lot more nickel packages with five defensive backs on the field. In a Week 1 victory over Atlanta, he logged 56 defensive snaps, playing 70 percent of the team's plays and making seven tackles. He also forced a crucial fumble on a fake punt, leading to a touchdown pass from Wilson to tight end Greg Olsen to extend their lead in the second half.
"What we saw from him at last year's camp, we were really fired up about his addition," Carroll reflected. "He was gonna play a ton."
Unfortunately, instead of emerging as a difference maker as Carroll believed he would, Blair spent the majority of last season launching his rehab program with sights towards 2021. Ugo Amadi stepped into the lineup in his place and as the rest of the secondary got healthier, the Seahawks did manage to turn things around in the second half defensively, avoiding making the wrong kind of history in the process.
Nonetheless, it's worth wondering how last season would have played out if the Seahawks would have enjoyed a full season of Adams, Blair, and Pro Bowl free safety Quandre Diggs playing extensive snaps together as planned. With each player offering different, complementary strengths along with positional versatility, the trio seemed to play well off one another during camp and created great flexibility for defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr.
Looking at Blair in particular, he brought a vastly different skill set to the field than his predecessors in the nickel role. Known for his propensity to deliver bone-jarring hits and his aggressive mindset, he provided an instant upgrade as a run defender and opened up the playbook for Norton in terms of exotic blitz packages. During camp, he also displayed improved discipline in coverage compared to his rookie season, which helped him regularly get his hands on the football.
While Adams remains away from the team due to personal reasons and Blair himself will have to beat out Amadi once again, Carroll hopes to see those three players stay healthy this time around. Following a strong finish to the 2020 campaign, he's optimistic Blair will pick up where he left off before succumbing to injury and provide another impactful playmaker on defense, which could be vital to the team reaching its full potential next season.
"He's stronger now than he was a year ago at this time, more physically fit in general. Really, really a high bar that we're shooting for and we're really expecting him to be a big factor."
