Seahawks Training Camp Observations: Olu Oluwatimi a Starter?
Hitting the practice field for a second straight day as they ramp up activity for upcoming padded sessions and preseason games, there was no shortage of offensive fireworks in the Seattle Seahawks second training camp session on Thursday.
Due to the practice being closed to the public, reporters cannot provide specifics on formations, offensive/defense alignments, snap counts, and other details for competitive reasons.
With that being said, here's a look at five observations that can be reported from Seattle's latest training camp practice at the VMAC:
1. Already rotating in with the first-team, impressive rookie Olu Oluwatimi gets an early opportunity to win the starting center job.
For the third time in as many seasons, the Seahawks will have a new starting center following the retirement of Austin Blythe. While veteran Evan Brown took first-team reps on Wednesday, however, the team wasted little time giving Oluwatimi his first chance to shine by rotating him in with the projected starters, a clear sign that the competition to win the job is wide open.
Speaking with reporters after practice, quarterback Geno Smith indicated the transition working with Oluwatimi has "been seamless" thanks to his extensive experience playing over 3,500 snaps at the college level. During scrimmage time, his snaps to the quarterback were crisp and he could be seen making calls at the line of scrimmage, displaying his early command of the offense.
But Smith also was complementary of Brown, who Seattle signed as a free agent after starting more than 20 games at center and guard in Detroit the past two seasons, lauding him for his football smarts. At this point, regardless of who snaps the football to him, he hasn't noticed a difference thus far.
"Both guys are doing a great job," Smith said. "I've been impressed by Olu with just the way he's picked things up. Evan is a vet and versatile, he's really smart in there. They've both been doing a great job."
Just two practices into the season, Brown and Oluwatimi should continue to split reps with the first-team offense for now. But the fact that the rookie already is receiving such opportunities speaks volumes on the coaching staff's confidence and trust in him, setting him up with a prime opportunity to become the latest rookie starter for the Seahawks in the trenches.
2. Letting the pigskin fly, Smith and Drew Lock launch an aerial attack, showcasing Seattle's impressive receiving depth in the process.
With defensive players unable to aggressively play the football during non-contact practices, the offense should be expected to light it up through the air in the first few sessions of camp before the pads come on. Nonetheless, Smith and Lock connected on several excellent completions downfield to a bevy of receivers, putting several touchdowns on the board during the team scrimmage portion of practice.
Though he's only two practices into his NFL career, the hype train continues to accelerate for first-round pick Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who followed up a strong session on Wednesday with a highlight reel grab against cornerback Mike Jackson. Leaping to high point the ball in traffic, the electric rookie extended his left arm to snag a one-handed reception with Jackson contesting the downfield throw from Smith, managing to haul in a spectacular 35-yard catch.
Earlier in the session, Smith hooked up with Tyler Lockett for a 50-yard touchdown catch and quickly followed up that moon ball with a long completion to DK Metcalf on a fade route just short of the goal line. Lock got into the act too, throwing a pair of touchdowns to third-year receiver Cade Johnson, including firing a dart off his back foot while rolling out to his left for a long scoring play.
3. Seeing action as the first-team nose tackle, Jarran Reed played the role of frequent disruptor at the line of scrimmage.
Dishing out one of the more noteworthy comments from Wednesday's post-practice press conference, coach Pete Carroll indicated Reed would be playing some nose tackle and so far, he has been seeing the majority of snaps alongside Dre'Mont Jones in that role with the first-team defense. Along with being a respected veteran in the locker room, he has gotten off to a quick start to his first camp since re-signing with the Seahawks this spring.
On numerous occasions over the past two days, Reed could be seen in the backfield with a chance to make a tackle, but due to non-contact rules, he obviously wasn't able to finish the play. He also collapsed the pocket inside out a couple of times on Thursday, turning up the heat on Smith and Lock on separate occasions, albeit with limited resistance without pads in the trenches. His burst off the line of scrimmage has been noteworthy through two sessions.
Until real football begins later this month, it remains to be seen how effective the 30-year old Reed will be as an anchor for a new-look defensive line. But early returns suggest he has plenty left in the tank and even at under 310 pounds, he may be an interesting option starting the year at nose tackle while rookie Cameron Young gets up to speed in a reserve role.
4. It's early, but even at 33 years of age, Bobby Wagner continues to look spry chasing down speedy skill players.
Now in his 12th season, Wagner isn't quite as fast or quick as he once was. But during the first two practice sessions since making his triumphant return to the practice field donning his popular No. 54 jersey, he hasn't looked like an 11-year veteran flying all over the field to position himself to make plays.
Called a "specimen" by Smith after practice, receiver Dareke Young stands out as one of Seattle's most athletic players at 224 pounds with 4.45 speed, and the former college running back could factor into the offense getting a few carries this year. However, he wasn't able to turn the corner on Wagner, who impressively hunted him down behind the line of scrimmage on a jet sweep during the scrimmage session.
Such pursuit has become an expectation from Wagner over the years stacking up more than 1,500 career tackles. Nonetheless, it still is impressive to see a player with 11 years of wear and tear on his body making such plays in camp and even if he isn't the same athlete he was earlier in his career, he continues to show he has enough juice to chase down ball carriers all over the field.
“He’s the consummate leader and he just understands how important it is to send that message. That’s why he did it," Carroll said of Wagner's relentless effort on Wednesday. "He wants to make sure the guys see him and he shows them how to play."
5. Capping off a remarkable comeback from a devastating knee injury, Ben Burr-Kirven made an unexpected return to the practice field.
Nearly two years ago, Burr-Kirven suffered a brutal knee injury during a preseason game for the Seahawks, tearing his ACL and suffering nerve damage. After his knee didn't progress following his initial surgery and he wasn't able to make it back healthy for the 2022 season, he underwent two additional procedures, including an experimental nerve surgery at Cedars-Senai Hospital in Los Angeles last July.
Back in March, Seattle released Burr-Kirven, as the former Washington standout had not yet made enough progress to return to the field. But the team and player kept the option open for him to return if his health improved enough to play again and sure enough, almost 24 months after the injury, he worked out for the team on Wednesday and signed a new contract on Thursday morning.
Returning to practice wearing No. 48 - Jones took his original No. 55 after signing in free agency - Burr-Kirven could be seen running downfield covering kicks and punts during the special teams period, a major breakthrough after being unable to play at all the past two seasons. While he will be eased back into action, he will now have a chance to win back a roster spot, something that didn't seem possible six months ago with his football career on life support.
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