Seahawks Training Camp: Secondary depth and versatility likely the key to defensive success
The Seahawks had to wait a little while to get Devon Witherspoon into training camp. Now they have him on the field, they are already testing the limits of his versatility. Seattle finally signed the fifth overall pick to his rookie deal after he missed the first two practices of camp. As the Seahawks switched […]
The Seahawks had to wait a little while to get Devon Witherspoon into training camp. Now they have him on the field, they are already testing the limits of his versatility.
Seattle finally signed the fifth overall pick to his rookie deal after he missed the first two practices of camp.
As the Seahawks switched to pads on Monday, Witherspoon played with the first-team and the second-team defense at outside corner and at nickel and, per Michael-Shawn Dugar of The Athletic, had a variety of punches thrown at him by the Seattle offense.
Witherspoon was given the formidable challenge of defending the monstrous frame of D.K. Metcalf in the slot and was also tasked with guarding against Colby Parkinson on a screen pass.
He was not daunted by those physical tests, with Metcalf particularly impressed by the way in which Witherspoon delivered a thumping hit on Parkinson when essentially in a one-on-one matchup with a much bigger tight end.
Said Metcalf:
"I love that. (He’s) a guy that’s going to go out there and compete and is not going to back down from a challenge. Colby tried to run into him, and he bowed up and tackled him. It’s just fun to watch how competitive he is."
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of Witherspoon's infusion into the secondary is the personnel groupings in the defensive backfield that are open to Seattle as a result.
On Monday, per Dugar, Seattle went with a six-defensive back personnel package that saw Julian Love and Quandre Diggs line up at safety with Mike Jackson and Tre Brown at outside corner and Witherspoon and Coby Bryant playing on the inside.
When healthy, Tariq Woolen would take one of the spots outside, but the fact Seattle lined up with that group on the field illustrates Pete Carroll's desire to make the most of the secondary depth he has at his disposal.
That six defensive back look would allow Seattle to play man coverage and send the starting linebacker, most likely Bobby Wagner with Jordyn Brooks out injured, as an extra pass rusher.
But it opens other possibilities as well. The Seahawks are still waiting on Jamal Adams to make his return from a torn quad. Given Adams' strengths attacking downhill, it would be no surprise to see the Seahawks deploy him as one of their six defensive backs but send him as a blitzer and make use of Wagner's abilities in coverage.
With Witherspoon able to play inside and out and Bryant having taken reps at safety as well as nickel, there is clear potential for the Seahawks to diversify their coverages in defensive back-heavy looks and put a more concerted effort into confusing opposing quarterbacks with late rotations.
Carroll has an excellent reputation for developing talent in the secondary and has been consistently bullish on the group he has for 2023. The Seahawks have spent significant resources on improving the defensive front this offseason, but the strength of the defense is still more likely to be on the back end.
The Seahawks' secondary has the talent to carry much of the strain and make life easier on those up front. For as much as Seattle has high hopes for the likes of Uchenna Nwosu and Dre'Mont Jones, the success of a Seahawks defense that ranked 21st in DVOA last season may hinge most heavily on the ability to harness the versatility of Witherspoon and Co.
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Featured Image Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
