The Seattle Seahawks have some massive shoes to fill at free safety in 2019 after Earl Thomas signed with the Ravens.
Thomas missed most of last season with a leg injury, and he was replaced by a combination of Tedric Thompson and Lano Hill. However, the Seahawks drafted two safeties — Marquise Blair and Ugo Amadi — adding plenty of competition to a key position in Pete Carroll’s Cover-3 defensive package.
With over a month until training camp begins, a lot will change for the Seahawks as they try to build the best roster possible in preparation for another double-digit win season and a playoff berth.
As of right now, here is a look at the most likely candidates to start at free safety in 2019.
Bradley McDougald
McDougald is atop the depth chart at strong safety, and his versatility has long been considered a strength.
His ability to play free safety wasn’t utilized much last year, but if the Seahawks feel that Blair is ready to start right away at strong safety, they could transition McDougald back to free safety, where he played quite a bit during his time in Tampa.
McDougald made it clear during minicamp that he intends to play strong safety this year, saying he prefers it to the free safety spot because there’s more to do.
The Seahawks probably prefer McDougald at the strong safety spot as well, although the selection of Blair, who looks like a mini-Kam Chancellor, could indicate a willingness to move McDougald to the free safety spot and start a hard-hitting safety duo of McDougald and Blair.
Tedric Thompson
If McDougald wins the starting job at strong safety, the Seahawks could opt to keep the entire starting unit from last season together. After Thomas went down with his broken leg last year, Thompson started 10 games and recorded 41 solo tackles, three passes defended, one forced fumble and one interception.
Thompson showed flashes, but his play was marred by inconsistency and mistakes trying to fill the big shoes of Thomas.
A year of experience should serve Thompson well, but Seattle’s decision to draft two safeties will certainly push him in training camp.
He is the front-runner at the moment, but Carroll doesn’t ever hand anyone a starting job, and Thompson will have plenty of players to beat out in order to start alongside McDougald again next season.
Ugo Amadi
The Seahawks love their versatility in the secondary, and fourth-round pick Amadi perfectly embodies that. Amadi will be a core special teamer next year and is in the mix at free safety, strong safety, nickelback and even as a return man.
Carroll indicated he wants to start Amadi out at safety, but he ended up playing quite a bit at nickel during rookie minicamp, pushing him into that competition as well.
Amadi is more likely to start at nickel than at free safety — at least in my opinion — although he does have the requisite skills to be a contributor in Cover-3 if necessary.
More than likely, he’ll be a big-time contributor on the special teams in 2019 while he grows into his eventual starting role in Seattle’s secondary.
Delano Hill
The man formerly known as Delano is the strongest candidate remaining, after he started two games toward the end of last season.
He played in 13 games total in the 2018 season, recording 15 solo tackles and one pass defensed.
He is behind Thompson on the depth chart at the moment, but if he looks good in camp he has a real chance of starting at free safety in Week 1.
After two seasons spent primarily as a core special teamer, is Hill ready to make the jump into the starting lineup?
The former Michigan product has excellent length and speed to play at that position but will need to demonstrate consistency on the field and improve his decision making for a crack at the full-time job.
The field
Carroll has never been afraid to give a starting job to whoever earns it, regardless of draft pedigree and previous experience.
That makes it hard to rule anyone out, especially with a month until training camp begins.
While these guys are long shots to start at free safety, or even make the final roster in some cases, they are on the 90-man roster for a reason and have a chance if they really impress in camp.
The Seahawks liked former Washington State product Shalom Luani enough to trade a seventh-round pick for him just before the start of the 2018 season. He appeared in 12 games, all on special teams.
That is most likely what his role will be again in 2019, and even if he does crack the defensive rotation, he’s more of a strong safety than a free safety.
Marwin Evans has the most experience of the group, having played in all 16 games for the Packers in both 2016 and 2017, primarily on special teams. He was signed by Seattle at the start of the new year after spending most of 2018 out of the league.
Like Luani, Evans’ body type and experience make him more of a fit at the strong safety position, and if he does manage to squeeze onto Seattle’s roster, it will most likely be as a special teamer and not as a key piece on the defense.
Justin Currie has bounced around various practice squads since 2015, although he was on the Seahawks practice squad for most of last season. He has appeared in three NFL games, all with the Browns in 2017.
It would be a surprise if Currie even makes Seattle’s 53-man roster, and he is very unlikely to factor into their defense in 2019.
Lastly, undrafted free agent Jalen Harvey could factor in as a special teamer or practice squad player next year, although with only one year of experience at safety — he was a wide receiver his first three years at Arizona State — he will need more time before he’s a factor on defense in the NFL.
All right, Seahawks fans, who do you think will start at free safety for the Seahawks in 2019?
