DeeJay Dallas EXCLUSIVE: 'It's Gonna Get Scary' For Seahawks Opponents in 2023
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GLENDALE, Ariz. - When Super Bowl LVII kicks off this weekend at State Farm Stadium, the Seattle Seahawks will be bystanders like 29 other teams watching a new champion earn the right to hoist the coveted Lombardi Trophy.
But following an unexpected playoff berth this season behind the leadership of coach Pete Carroll and stellar play of quarterback Geno Smith, count running back and special-teams ace DeeJay Dallas among those who believes Seattle has only scratched the surface of its potential. With a dynamic 2022 draft class poised to take a giant step forward in year two and a bevy of quality veteran stars around them, the team should be a viable threat to play in the big game a year from now in Las Vegas.
"If you look across the board, we've got the veterans with the experience, now we've got young guys with experience," Dallas said during an interview with the Locked On Seahawks podcast with AllSeahawks.com's Corbin K. Smith from Radio Row in Arizona. "So I feel like it's the perfect mix of veteran leadership with youth."
After trading away Russell Wilson and releasing Bobby Wagner in the offseason, the Seahawks entered the 2022 campaign projected to win only 5.5 games according to Vegas Odds. Without their two future Hall of Famers and numerous rookies such as tackle Charles Cross expected to play significant snaps right away, they were supposed to compete for a top five draft pick, not a playoff spot.
But all along, even after jettisoning two of the most popular players in franchise history, Carroll never envisioned 2022 being a rebuilding year. Eager to prove critics wrong, he challenged his young squad to answer the call during the offseason program and training camp and the results showed on the field, as Seattle raced out to a 6-3 start to jump into first place in the NFC West.
When the Seahawks lost five out of six in the second half to nearly play themselves out of playoff contention, Carroll again masterfully pushed all the right buttons to get the most out of his team. Able to right the ship at the closing hour of the season, they won their final two games to secure a winning record and thanks to the Lions upsetting the Packers at Lambeau Field, they clinched the NFC's final playoff berth.
Though they came up short against the 49ers in the wild card round, Dallas and the Seahawks had plenty to be proud of vastly exceeding external expectations and setting the tone for what should be a very bright future in the Pacific Northwest.
"Everybody was counting us out as far as like saying, 'Oh, this is a rebuild year.' But Pete said to heck with the rebuild year, we're gonna go win it all," Dallas remarked. "And that's what he set out to do. Every day, he challenged us to bring our best selves, to bring our best focus, to bring our best competitive nature. Pete really was the main person pushing that this is not a rebuild year. And next year, he's probably going to push the notion that this is our year to do it. And a lot of the guys in the locker room, 99 percent of the guys in the locker room, do believe that this year coming up is going to be our year."
Looking towards 2023, the optimism from players such as Dallas isn't unwarranted. As he pointed out, Cross, tackle Abraham Lucas, electric running back Ken Walker III, cornerbacks Tariq Woolen and Coby Bryant, and edge rusher Boye Mafe will all be a year stronger and a year wiser after outstanding rookie seasons. With four draft picks in the first 52 selections in April, including the No. 5 overall pick courtesy of the Wilson trade, Seattle has the ammunition to add more blue chip young talent to the fold.
Aside from the youth movement taking another step forward, the Seahawks will have a strong foundation of veteran leaders returning on both sides of the football. Along with assuming Smith will be re-signed after winning NFL Comeback Player of the Year succeeding Wilson under center, the team will welcome back a healthy Jamal Adams at safety alongside Pro Bowler Quandre Diggs and star receivers DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett will be back to go with a deep, talented tight end corps.
Headlined by the recent re-signing of kicker Jason Myers, Seattle should also have most of its elite special teams unit back in action. While Nick Bellore will be a free agent and his future remains unknown, other key cogs such as punter Michael Dickson and Dallas himself remaining under contract for 2023, so coach Larry Izzo's group shouldn't miss a beat either.
"We've got two tackles that'll be in their second season, a running back will be in his second season, the game will slow down for those guys. You got Tariq Woolen and Coby Bryant and Boye Mafe on defense, the game will slow down for those guys too," Dallas specified. "Then you got Q Diggs, you got Jamal Adams coming back, Geno [Smith], our whole interior, core special team guys like me and [Nick] Bellore. Just seeing what that mix without the experience did and now coming up into this next season. Those guys will have a year under their belt. It's gonna get scary for a lot of folks, so I can't wait."
Entering the final year of his rookie deal, Dallas himself has plenty at stake on an individual level rolling into next season. An unsung hero in Seattle's success last season, he averaged a career-high 5.3 yards per carry and produced 106 rushing yards after contact, emerging as a capable change of pace back alongside Walker down the stretch. He also continued to make key plays on special teams, registering eight tackles and returning 27 kicks and punts for 372 combined yards.
Set to turn 25 in September, Dallas credited his immense improvement in part to implementing Omorpho's Gravity Sportswear into his training regimen. The micro-weighted apparel helped boost his speed, quickness, and power without restricting his natural movements in workouts and practices, better preparing him for game situations in the fall.
Aiming to continue his ascendance in a contract year while coinciding with the Seahawks rise back to contender in the NFC, Dallas hopes to get even faster and quicker thanks to his revamped routine this offseason. With Rashaad Penny and Travis Homer set to be free agents, he could see a larger workload on offense as a complement to Walker and if granted another opportunity, he's eager to show he can get the job done as a return specialist, particularly on the punt team.
"It's a lot of stuff that you have to worry about when fielding a punt. But I enjoyed my time back there. I enjoyed fielding punts. And it's kind of like an adrenaline rush. I will say this, I'll improve. I see everything. I'm going to improve back there. If I get the chance again, I'll be better. And yeah, it's fun. I have fun back there. Whether it be kickoff return or punt return, I just take every rep and just try to have fun with it."
At the end of the day, the selfless Dallas will be ready for whatever roles the coaching staff asks him to do. Whether he's handling third down duties in the backfield, blocking for Dickson as a protector, or fielding tricky punts on game day, he wants to do whatever he can to help his team fulfill their potential and make a deep playoff run next year.
You can follow Zach Dimmitt on Twitter at @ZachDimmitt7
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