Six of Seattle’s 11 draft picks this April were defensive players, including two linemen, two linebackers and two safeties, who will compete for spots on the Seahawks roster.
After just three days on the practice field during the rookie minicamp over the weekend, defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. already likes what he sees.
“They came in with a certain mindset, that they wanted to learn and get better and improve,” Norton told 710 ESPN Seattle’s John Clayton. “And I think they did that. From day one, they came in and I gave them some tasks and some goals and asked them some questions, and they were able to answer them with their play, with their ability to come together as a group and take it out on the field. And I think every single day they got better.
“So as a group, I think this has to be one of our best groups we’ve had in a long time.”
Seattle also restocked after the draft, adding 12 undrafted free agents to the mix to strut their stuff in front of the coaching staff.
But with the passing of Tuesday’s compensatory pick deadline, which will allow teams to sign veteran free agents without impacting the comp pick formula, the Seahawks could also be looking to bring in a seasoned player or two.
Making the 53-man roster at the end of the season will be no easy task in Seattle.
“The central theme of our program is competition,” Norton said. “We had such a young team last year and that team has really grown up to be a really good second-year team. So I feel like these guys coming in, they’ll certainly compete, but it’s going to be a hard team to make because we’ve got a really strong class of guys.”
