Walter Thurmond, if healthy, will probably be the Seahawks' starting *outside* cornerback by the end of the season, supplanting Brandon Browner. The only game Thurmond started last year, the second game against Arizona, was maybe the best the Seahawk defense has ever looked, but granted, it was at home against an Arizona Cardinal offense that had already given up.
Most cover corners start getting old at 29, younger than any other position, with a few exceptions like Antoine Winfield. If corners lose even a fraction of a step they are completely exposed by the young receivers with world class speed. Passes they were able to get their hands on before are now inches beyond their fingertips.
Brandon Browner will probably be losing his speed soon. Maybe he was just rusty, but he did not look good in the playoffs coming back after his suspension. Walter Thurmond on the other hand is very good, and relatively young. Even though Thurmond is entering his fourth (!) season with the Hawks, because of injury we have only seen glimpses of him, but from what we have seen, there is tremendous potential there.
Both Browner and Thurmond will be unrestricted free agents after the season.
Thurmond has expressed a strong desire to be a starting outside corner. Given his potential it is totally understandable that he wants to use his cover skills on the outside at some time during his career and doesn't want to remain a part-time nickel player.
Unless Thurmond is shown a clear path to a starting outside corner position - which probably means he needs to be the starter by the end of the season or sooner - he will almost surely be gone and signed by another team, maybe SF who could use an all-star corner like Thurmond could very well become.
Jeremy Lane, I think, will need to wait his turn on the bench this season, prepared to play in case of injury. Tharold Simon, also a fifth round pick but with a year less experience than Lane, is destined for the practice squad. Simon is off to a rough start, first getting arrested the night before the draft, then reporting to rookie camp out of shape and subsequently sitting out almost all (or all?) of OTAs with some kind of foot injury (but did not wear a boot.)
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