Jalen Milroe’s performance and more we learned at Seahawks training camp
RENTON, Wash. — The hope is always that the rookies look more comfortable and sure of themselves when training camp begins in the summer after getting their feet wet during minicamp and OTAs in the spring.
While two no-pads, no-contact practices are the epitome of a small sample size, the Seahawks have gotten some glimpses of rookies making their presence felt as training camp kicked off this week.
On Thursday, two rookies who showed signs of emerging were quarterback Jalen Milroe and receiver Tory Horton.
Milroe, a third-round pick out of Alabama, continues to run the third offense almost exclusively during team drills with Sam Darnold with the starters and Drew Lock the backups, which means typically going against the third-team defense.
Evidence the game may be slowing down for Milroe came on a few completions he made during 11-on-11 sessions Thursday. One example was hitting fullback/tight end Brady Russell on a seam route downfield. Another time, he fired over the middle to rookie receiver Tyrone Broden.
Late in practice Milroe rolled to his right and spotted rookie receiver Ricky White III open on the sidelines about 25 yards downfield. Milroe threw a pass that White dived for and corralled.
That didn’t appear to be good enough for Milroe as he seemed miffed he hadn’t hit White in stride. So, Milroe immediately dropped and did about 10 pushups as apparent self-punishment.
That kind of accountability seems par for the course for a player Darnold said has made a good impression in the quarterback room.
“He’s in there early with all of us studying, learning,’’ Darnold said. “That’s all you can ask for is him continuing to grow and learn the system.’’
Milroe figures to get ample work in the team’s three preseason games, which will give the team the best sense of his readiness to play this season if needed.
As for Horton, he made a handful of grabs throughout the day, one on a pass over the middle from Lock during a team session, showing why the Seahawks were excited to get him in the fifth round. Horton played just six games last season at Colorado State because of a knee injury that required surgery. He was still in rehab mode during the spring and did not see much action.
He appears healthy now and could give Jake Bobo a serious run for the No. 4 receiver spot.
“Really fast, quick receiver,’’ Darnold said. “Shifty in and out of routes. And he’s really picking it up. … The biggest thing as a rookie is to understand the system, understand the offense and understand what we are doing and once you understand that you are able to play really fast and I feel like he is doing a really good job of that so far.”
Here’s more of what we learned Thursday:
Darnold aiming for right training camp balance
When Darnold threw two interceptions in an OTA practice, he talked of how the day showed the fine line that exists in using practice to take some chances and try some things versus doing what would be the right thing in a game.
As training camp begins Darnold said finding that balance remains a goal.
“You want to make every play possible,’’ he said. “But you want to make the right play and that’s how I’m going to challenge myself this training camp.’’
One play Darnold is sure to lament from Thursday’s practice when he rolled out and lofted a pass down the middle to Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who initially appeared to be in single coverage. But safety D’Anthony Bell sniffed it out and dropped back quickly enough to pick the pass off.
That’s Darnold’s only interception through two days.
“Obviously some good execution and some execution we’ve got to clean up,’’ Darold said. “But I thought it’s been two really good days so far.’’
Bell making a run at the safety spot?
The interception by Bell comes on the heels of some solid play during OTAs and minicamp and stamps him as a player who could make a run at a spot on the roster as a backup safety.
Bell, who signed a one-year deal in the spring, spent the last three seasons with the Browns, playing in 50 games with seven starts and starting a playoff game in 2023. The Seahawks envision him as potentially a key member of special teams.
“He came to prove himself,’’ cornerback Devon Witherspoon said after Thursday’s practice. “He’s coming out here and he’s making plays. So shout out to D. Bell. He’s going to have a good year.’’
Offensive line rotation continues
Coach Mike Macdonald said Wednesday the Seahawks figure to rotate at some offensive line spots until at least next week when pads go on, so the day-to-day moves on the line aren’t yet overly significant.
Still, it’s worth noting that some rotating did continue Thursday at the two contested spots — center and right guard.
Olu Oluwatimi got the first series with the starters at center and Christian Haynes the first series at right guard. Jalen Sundell and Anthony Bradford also rotated in for some series with the ones at center and right guard.
Sundell got one full series with the ones at right guard, while Haynes got one full series with the starters at center, a spot he began playing some during the spring. It’s possible those reps are simply to get each player up to speed at different spots to gain experience in case they are needed to play there because of injury.
Griffin gets in the mix
After sitting out Wednesday’s practice because of an illness, cornerback Shaquill Griffin was back for his first on-field work with the Seahawks since re-signing with the team in July.
Griffin got a few snaps during team drills at right cornerback and figures to compete with Josh Jobe for the third cornerback spot behind Witherspoon and Riq Woolen.
Notes
• Second-year defensive lineman Byron Murphy II had a good day, at one point breaking through to tag running back Zach Charbonnet for a loss and earning some enthusiastic praise from coaches.
• Among players who sat out Thursday were rookie OLB Conner O’Toole, veteran cornerback Shemar Jean-Charles and nose tackle Justin Rogers. It was not known the specific injuries for each, but all three were visible on the sidelines.
• MLB Ernest Jones IV continues to be limited in his snaps after offseason knee surgery. Drake Thomas appeared to get most of the snaps with the ones Thursday in his absence playing alongside Tyrice Knight at ILB.