The Seattle Seahawks put on shoulder pads for the first time Tuesday. Below is a rundown of practice observations.
10:16 - Running back C.J. Prosise remains sidelined with a hamstring injury. Pete Carroll said afterwards that Prosise will be out seven to 10 days. That means the team will continue to rotate Christine Michael, Alex Collins and Zac Brooks in with the first team. Thomas Rawls remains on the PUP list.
10:27 - Seahawks defenders are relentless in trying to force fumbles during these practices. During an early drill, they practice punching the ball out from behind. Last year, the defense forced turnovers on 13.9 percent of their opponents' possessions, according to Football Outsiders. That's a respectable number (10th overall), but Carroll has said this offseason that he wants more takeaways.
10:57 - With the always versatile "Return of the Mack" blaring from the speakers, the team takes the field for 11-on-11s, and Cassius Marsh gets a chance to run with the first team at SAM. It was Mike Morgan the first day and Eric Pinkins on Day 2. This is a competition that will likely continue through the entire preseason.
On one run play, Collins finds room and gets into the open field. Kam Chancellor goes to knock the ball out of his hands, and the little love tap puts Collins on the ground. Chancellor has looked dialed-in all spring and summer.
11:03 - Wide receiver Doug Baldwin had an excellent description yesterday of how cornerbacks DeShawn Shead and Jeremy Lane are different.
"DeShawn Shead, the one thing that really stands out to me is his strength at the line of scrimmage," Baldwin said. "His upper-body strength is unparalleled. The closest replication I can think of is Brandon Browner when he first came in. If Shead gets his hands on you, it is pretty much over for you, so you have to be very quick at the line of scrimmage, and you have to be very cognizant of his hand placement.
"With Jeremy Lane, he is more of a finesse player. Not to say it is a bad thing, but he has the skill set, athleticism to allow you to get into your route and then he will just follow you, trail you and wait for his opportunity. He is opportunistic into the route."
Shead's strength is on display as he jams Jermaine Kearse at the line of scrimmage, but the veteran wide receiver fights him off and gets open on a slant.
Later during the drill, Lane breaks up a pass intended for rookie Kenny Lawler.
11:05 - With the offense in hurry-up mode, Chancellor breaks up a pass to give the first-team defense a victory and receivers a chest bump from assistant head coach/defense Rocky Seto.
11:22 - Kasen Williams, who is fighting for a roster spot, makes a great play on a fade in the left corner of the end zone, attacking the ball in the air against Stanley Jean-Baptiste and coming down with the TD pass from Wilson.
Tyler Lockett often goes up against Richard Sherman in practice. On one play, the defense jumps offsides, so Wilson decides to take a shot deep. Sherman sticks with Lockett step for step and comes down with the interception. Doug Baldwin reminds Sherman that there was a defensive penalty on the play. Sherman responds by looking at Baldwin and flexing as he returns to the line of scrimmage.
On the next play, wide receiver Kevin Smith catches a ball in the flat, and Sherman has him lined up perfectly for a big hit before easing up.
Back-to-back nice plays for cornerback Tharold Simon. First he forces a fumble, and then Simon jumps in front of Montario Hunter to intercept a Trevone Boykin pass. The depth and flexibility of the Seahawks' secondary has really stood out. At 28, Sherman is still in his prime. Shead and Lane can play either outside or inside. And Simon is off to a good start this summer.
Earl Thomas and Chancellor are locked in. Browner is trying to find a matchup-specific role. And Kelcie McCray showed last year that he can be a dependable backup.
The coaches have to figure out how all the pieces fit, but early indications are that this is a deep and talented group.
11:36 - The defensive line has looked dominant at times. Cliff Avril wreaks havoc on two consecutive pass plays. And just as "Hotline Bling" comes on, Michael Bennett blows up a run play, which he has done consistently.
Of course, this is not a great sign for an offensive line that has a lot to prove in the preseason.
11:43 - During a break in the action, Kearse tosses a Gatorade bottle towards the trash can. He misses but asks to try again. Another miss. One more time? Kearse finally hits.
Not an impressive display, but he kept at it. Carroll may use this as an example the next time he talks about grit.
The Seahawks are back at it Tuesday morning before their first day off of camp.