Here’s a daily position-by-position look at where things stand for the Seattle Seahawks heading into organized team activities, minicamp and training camp this summer.
Defensive line
To give you some idea how important this spot is for the Seahawks, they have 18 defensive linemen on the 90-man roster, including 11 who are listed as DEs.
Defensive tackles: Starters -- Brandon Mebane and Tony McDaniel. Top backups -- Jordan Hill, Ahtyba Rubin.
A lot of question marks here. First, is Mebane healthy? He missed the second half of the 2014 season with a severely torn hamstring, but was playing some of the best football of his career before the injury. If he returns at that level, it’s a huge asset for the team.
McDaniel is a quality run-stopper, but his tackles were way down from 2014. Don’t be surprised to see Rubin get some of those snaps. The former Browns player was signed in free agency. Hill took a major step forward in his second NFL season last year, posting 5.5 sacks and nine QB hits before injuring his knee late in the season.
The Seahawks haven’t re-signed veteran DT Kevin Williams, who stepped in for Mebane last year and played well. The coaches had high hopes for Jesse Williams, the 2013 draft pick out of Alabama, but the team received terrible news earlier this week when Williams was diagnosed with cancer and will undergo kidney surgery.
Defensive ends: Starters -- Michael Bennett and Cliff Avril. Top backups: Cassius Marsh, Frank Clark, Obum Gwacham.
Bennett and Avril are top of the line NFL starters, but the Seahawks have to find some quality depth. Bennett also wants more money from the contract he signed a year ago, but insists he didn’t ask to be traded, as was reported.
But the depth issues really depend on how fast some young players step up. Marsh, the fourth-round pick out of UCLA last year, looks like he can become a productive pass- rusher, but he missed most of his rookie season after suffering a broken foot in practice.
Clark may be the most controversial draft pick of the John Schneider/Pete Carroll era. Clark was kicked off the team at Michigan last November after being involved in a domestic violence incident. The Seahawks have been heavily criticized over drafting him.
But now it’s all about how he performs, on and off the field. They need him to step in and help immediately. Carroll believes Clark can play in a both end spots and help inside on third-down pass situations.
Gwacham, a sixth-round pick, is a gifted athlete, but has only played DE one year after coming to Oregon State as a wide receiver. He has a lot to learn.
The Seahawks got decent play last year from Demarcus Dobbs and David King. They also have fullback Will Tukuafu, who took some snaps last year on the D-line. Greg Scruggs is trying to come back after missing the past two seasons with injuries.