Analysis: Five questions before Seahawks training camp begins

SEATTLE – Was it really just yesterday that Jim Zorn-to-Steve Largent became a popular Seattle sporting catchphrase?

Proof it wasn’t comes this week as the Seahawks gather at the VMAC in Renton to begin preparations for the 48th season in team history.

It’s one that begins with Pete Carroll entering his 14th season as head coach amid increasingly high expectations – the venerable preseason preview magazine Athlon’s has picked Seattle to get to the Super Bowl, albeit then losing to the Kansas City Chiefs.

It’s a far cry from a year ago, when in the wake of the Russell Wilson trade, expectations were as low as any time in the Carroll era – recall that Sports Illustrated picked Seattle to go 3-14 in 2022.

With that as the context, here are some key questions as camp begins.

What is the health status of some key players?

The Seahawks have three significant defensive players coming off major injuries whose statuses are unclear: safety Jamal Adams, linebacker Jordyn Brooks and nose tackle Bryan Mone. Adams is recovering from a torn quad muscle suffered in September, and Brooks and Mone are recovering from ACL injuries, suffered Jan. 1 and Dec. 15, respectively.

Players with ACL injuries typically require at least nine months to recover, which indicates Brooks and Mone won’t be ready when camp begins and will likely start on the PUP (physically unable to perform) list.

Adams could be closer to a return, and Carroll expressed optimism throughout the offseason program that he will be ready for the start of the regular season.

But Adams might start on the PUP list. That’s not as ominous as it might sound, though, as players can come off the PUP list at any time during camp. However, they cannot go on it once camp begins, so teams often err on the side of caution and put players on the PUP list until they are certain they are healthy to practice and play, providing roster flexibility and options down the road (if a player remains on the PUP list once the regular season begins, he has to miss at least four games).

Also on the mend is cornerback Riq Woolen, who had arthroscopic knee surgery in May. That was expected to be a four- to six-week recovery.

One key offensive player worth monitoring is right tackle Abraham Lucas, who was limited during the offseason program after having shoulder surgery.

Which position battles are most worth watching?

The beginning of camp also means the beginning of battles at a few key positions that remain unsettled.

Most notable are:

• Center: Veteran free agent Evan Brown enters camp atop the depth chart. But rookie Olu Oluwatimi will be given every chance to win the job.

• Right guard: This is another battle between veteran (Phil Haynes) and draft pick (Anthony Bradford). Haynes is atop the depth chart for now, and Bradford also missed time in the offseason program after being held out following a minor car accident in which he “bonked’’ his head, as Carroll put it.

• Cornerback: With Woolen and Coby Bryant (toe) out during the spring, veteran Michael Jackson was generally joined by Tre Brown and rookie Devon Witherspoon as the top three cornerbacks, with Witherspoon spending much of his time at the end of the spring working as the nickel. Will the Seahawks really keep Witherspoon, the fifth overall pick, at nickel to compete with Bryant and leave Jackson and Woolen as the starting outside corners? That’s as intriguing as any question facing the defense.

• Safety: With Adams out in the spring, the starting safeties were Quandre Diggs (free) and free agent signee Julian Love (strong). Diggs will stay where he is no matter what, and the Seahawks anticipate big roles for both Adams and Love once Adams returns. But watching that all come together – and one expectation is that Adams could essentially play a linebacker role in three-safety sets – will be interesting.

Are the Seahawks done on the defensive line?

Seattle’s base defensive line in its 3-4 has two clear starters – ends Jarran Reed and Dre’Mont Jones.

But nose tackle remains a question with Mone out. Fourth-round pick Cameron Young usually played there with the starters during the spring. Veteran Myles Adams could also be a consideration.

Overall depth up front remains an issue, and Seattle is sure to explore options to add to the defensive line. One possibility could be Shelby Harris, who was released by the team in March in a salary-cap move but remains unsigned.

The Seahawks appear more content with their pass-rush group: Uchenna Nwosu and Darrell Taylor enter camp as the starting edges, with second-year player Boye Mafe and second-round pick Derick Hall also in the rotation. But depending on who becomes available, the Seahawks could look to add there, too.

Which UDFAs will stand out?

One of the most fun parts of camp is watching to see if any undrafted free agents can make a legitimate run at a roster spot, the way Doug Baldwin, Thomas Rawls, Poona Ford and Mone (to name a few) have previously in the Carroll era.

Seattle has a whopping 22 undrafted free agent rookies on its roster as camp begins. But given that Seattle also has 10 draft picks – all of whom appear ticketed for roles this season – it might not be too easy for any of the UDFAs to get on the 53.

Well, except for one – snapper Chris Stoll. Stoll, from Penn State, is the only snapper on the roster, so unless something goes really awry, he will be on the roster when the season begins.

A few others who appear to have a shot include:

Safety Jonathan Sutherland. Sutherland, also from Penn State, worked with the second team at times during the spring. Granted, that was with Adams out. But Sutherland has the kind of safety/linebacker versatility the Seahawks appear to be favoring more than ever and was also a standout special teams player at Penn State.

Receiver Jake Bobo. Bobo – a 6-4, 207-pound player who spent last season at UCLA and had 142 yards in a win over Washington – had a solid spring that appeared to put him right with the likes of holdovers Dareke Young, Cade Johnson and Cody Thompson for the last spot or two at receiver.

Nose tackle Jonah Tavai. As noted, Seattle’s nose tackle spot is pretty uncertain, and Tavai – who at 5-10, 283 pounds has a unique look for a nose tackle – will be given every shot to get into the mix there.

How will Geno Smith handle heightened expectations?

One position not up for grabs is quarterback, where Smith returns after throwing 30 touchdown passes last year, when his success served as the biggest reason for Seattle’s surprising 9-8 record and wild-card playoff berth.

But Smith won’t surprise anyone this year. And a three-year contract that could be worth up to $105 million – but which is structured in a way that the Seahawks could get out of it after the 2023 season without paying Smith another dime – also ratchets up the pressure some.

The good news is that Smith showed zero signs of being fazed by any of that in the spring.

But as good as Smith was last season, Seattle needs him to be even better in 2023 to make a deep playoff run.