Biggest area of concern right now: DL & Pass Rush

[FlyingGreg]

I'd say the biggest area of concern right now is the DL and overall, the pass rush. With the news of Brandon Mebane's groin injury today and Jesse Williams going on IR, more uncertainty has been factored into a position group that is already been besieged with injuries and uncertainty.

Chris Clemons remains on PUP with no set time table for his return, and I still think Week 3 is the most optimistic. Cliff Avril can't seem to get healthy and is now uncertain for the opener in Carolina. Jordan Hill is out with a strained bicep, return unknown. Bruce Irvin will miss the first 4 games under suspension.

The O'Brien Schofield signing may turn out to be much more immediately valuable than anticipated - he could be the main edge rushing threat when the season starts. Ben Mayowa looks like he will pressed into front line duty sooner than desired as well. Michael Bennett and Mike Morgan will be factors as well.

We might need to lean on Tony McDaniel and Jaye Howard at DT, although hopefully Mebane isn't out too long. It will be interesting to see when we finally get our desired pass rush unit (Clemons, Avril, Bennett, Hill and Irvin/Schofield) all on the field at the same time.

The upside is...we don't face a premier passing attack for the first 4 games, so if there is a plus to our schedule it's that we are set up to absorb this.

 

[warden]

Multiple injuries at one position is a big problem.

Right now on the line we have injuries to Avril, Clemons, Hill, and Williams . Ad to that list a four game suspension to Irvin.

Time to face some adversity

 

[hox]

Wish we could have kept Alan Branch and Jason Jones. I thought they were solid players.

The market for more depth seems slim right now, if Siliga was the best we could get for a starting guard.

 

[FlyingGreg]

Jason Jones is finally healthy and looking great this pre-season.

 

[Hendo66]

Very sketchy situation right now. Clem should not be expected back to soon, too big of a risk. Wow, the injury bug is back again. Unreal.

 

[JSeahawks]

Better now then later. Not overly concerned, we have enough talent and strength of character on this team to overcome quite a bit more than we've been dealt so far. Knock on wood.

 

[FlyingGreg]

Better now then later

For sure. And our depth is the one thing keeping us afloat right now.

 

[Seahwkgal]

Jason Jones is finally healthy and looking great this pre-season.

Oh don't get me started on this. I was furious when we didn't keep him. I live in Michigan and get to see The Lions all the time. He's playing so good right now it makes me want to puke. Bad mistake by our FO. Cliff Avril isn't crap. I knew it then, and it is being proven right now. ukeface:

 

[Starrman44]

It is always a little scary when you get hammered at one position. I hope that it doesn't force us to let go of another productive player at a different position just to keep depth on the DLine.

Deep team this year...

 

[Hendo66]

Better now then later. Not overly concerned, we have enough talent and strength of character on this team to overcome quite a bit more than we've been dealt so far. Knock on wood.

Right on! I agree. I hope their going to be ready for a crap load of Gore week 2.

 

[Mick063]

I think DL is a strength. I think one or two of Seattle's waived defensive linemen get gobbled up over the waiver wire.

I think people here are going to be more surprised about the pass rush this year, than any other aspect of the team.

You have not seen all of the key cogs lineup together. You have not seen the blitz packages yet. You have not seen the stunts yet. You have not seen the zone blitz yet. You have not seen an opponent in a dedicated "come from behind" mode yet. Simply opposing offenses running scheduled plays to evaluate talent with Seattle playing base "vanilla" defense. You have not seen a game where opposing offenses are not consistently put in good "down and distance" circumstances due to repeated defensive penalties yet. You have not seen the added defensive intensity of a regular season game yet.

I shall reference this thread later. I will not be eating crow.

 

[C-Dub]

Jason Jones is finally healthy and looking great this pre-season.

Let me know how he's doing a few games in the season. It's easy to look good in the preseason if your name isn't Carpenter.

 

[FlyingGreg]

I think DL is a strength. I think one or two of Seattle's waived defensive linemen get gobbled up over the waiver wire.

I think people here are going to be more surprised about the pass rush this year, than any other aspect of the team.

You have not seen all of the key cogs lineup together. You have not seen the blitz packages yet. You have not seen the stunts yet. You have not seen the zone blitz yet. You have not seen an opponent in a dedicated "come from behind" mode yet. Simply opposing offenses running scheduled plays to evaluate talent.

I shall reference this thread later. I will not be eating crow.

:141847_bnono:

Only problem is...this thread isn't about any of the potential or overall performance from the pass rush. It's about the current state of the health of the DL and the players available to rush the passer.

So in essence, we haven't seen the key cogs yet because most of them are hurt.

 

[FlyingGreg]

Jason Jones is finally healthy and looking great this pre-season.

Let me know how he's doing a few games in the season. It's easy to look good in the preseason if your name isn't Carpenter.

Jones ability was not a question mark last season - his health was.

He is healthy now.

 

[Mick063]

I think DL is a strength. I think one or two of Seattle's waived defensive linemen get gobbled up over the waiver wire.

I think people here are going to be more surprised about the pass rush this year, than any other aspect of the team.

You have not seen all of the key cogs lineup together. You have not seen the blitz packages yet. You have not seen the stunts yet. You have not seen the zone blitz yet. You have not seen an opponent in a dedicated "come from behind" mode yet. Simply opposing offenses running scheduled plays to evaluate talent.

I shall reference this thread later. I will not be eating crow.

:141847_bnono:

Only problem is...this thread isn't about any of the potential or overall performance from the pass rush. It's about the current state of the health of the DL and the players available to rush the passer.

So in essence, we haven't seen the key cogs yet because most of them are hurt.

Just wait. I am not wrong on this.

 

[FlyingGreg]

Just wait. I am not wrong on this.

The only thing you are wrong about right now is the interpretation of what this thread is about, hijacker.

 

[Smelly McUgly]

Eh, I'm not too worried. I think Mebane and Avril will likely be out there the first week. Jason Jones was great for the first four or five games last year, too, by the way. Then he got hurt.

The guy I'm most scared of losing on the D-Line is Michael Bennett, to be honest. That dude is a total beast.

 

[FlyingGreg]

Eh, I'm not too worried. I think Mebane and Avril will likely be out there the first week. Jason Jones was great for the first four or five games last year, too, by the way. Then he got hurt.

The guy I'm most scared of losing on the D-Line is Michael Bennett, to be honest. That dude is a total beast.

Agreed.

 

[C-Dub]

Jason Jones is finally healthy and looking great this pre-season.

Let me know how he's doing a few games in the season. It's easy to look good in the preseason if your name isn't Carpenter.

Jones ability was not a question mark last season - his health was.

He is healthy now.

Correct. Which is why it doesn't matter how he's doing right now, because he'll still probably end up getting hurt again. Hopefully not, but probably.

 

[MontanaHawk05]

Just wait. I am not wrong on this.

You aren't reading what Greg is posting. We all agree that our DL would be fearsome with all these guys. The problem is that THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO STAY ON THE FIELD.