Monday marked the first official day of the Seattle Seahawks’ Organized Team Activities.
New faces, new positions, players coming off injuries and more will make for an exciting week of football at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Although there are 90 players worth watching, here are three I think deserve extra attention – either because they are returning from injury, trying to prove themselves against elite competition, working out at a new position, or all of the above.
TE Will Dissly
Dissly flashed signs of excellence in his first three NFL games last season, but a ruptured patellar tendon suffered early in Week 4 cost him the rest of the year.
Reports from coach Pete Carroll have been positive about Dissly’s recovery this offseason, but it will be good to actually see him out and moving around on the field.
Seattle still has both Ed Dickson and Nick Vannett in the mix at tight end, along with Tyrone Swoopes, newcomer Jacob Hollister and tackle George Fant, who stepped into a tight end role briefly last year – even hauling in one reception.
However, Dissly is the man to dethrone at the tight end position, and if he is healthy he will be an excellent deep threat and red zone option for quarterback Russell Wilson.
His blocking is what got him drafted by Seattle, but the do-it-all tight end looks to be a big piece of this team for years to come.
WR DK Metcalf
Watching Metcalf utterly dominate defensive backs at rookie minicamp was fun, but the real test will be when he is squaring off against NFL cornerbacks like Shaquill Griffin, Tre Flowers and Jamar Taylor during OTAs.
Metcalf turned a ton of heads since falling to Seattle at No. 64 in the NFL draft. His size (six-foot-three) and speed (4.33 40-yard dash) make him look the part of a dominant X-receiver, although his route running has been called into question – which may have led to his fall on draft day.
Coach Carroll and company are not concerned, and seeing him in action against NFL caliber defensive backs will be the first test of his ability to beat the kind of players he’ll need to beat if he wants to become the next great Seahawks receiver.
DB Ugo Amadi
There are a ton of other players that are going to be worth watching this week, but I’m curious where we will see the versatile rookie defensive back out of Oregon, Ugo Adami, line up.
Amadi was primarily a safety in college, although he played some corner and was a big contributor on the special teams as well.
During rookie minicamp, Amadi spent what coach Carroll called a surprising amount of time in the nickel, which could be an indication that the team is looking at him as a potential replacement for Justin Coleman, who signed with the Lions this offseason.
Carroll did say that Amadi would start out at safety, but OTAs are a great opportunity to see a player in different roles, and Amadi is one to watch – regardless of where he lines up.
