You had Seahawks questions; we have answers.
The 2023 season is only days away, with the Seahawks set to host the Rams in a Week 1 NFC West clash at Lumen Field. But before we fully turn our attention to Sunday's game, it's time once again to open up the mailbag and answer some questions from you, the fans. As always, thanks to everyone who asked questions this week, and apologies if I wasn't able to get to yours this time around. And remember, the mailbag is always open for submissions at Seahawks.com/mailbag.
@TheSeahawksAri asks, "Who are the biggest people to watch on the D-line?"
A: I mean if we're just going off of size, I'd point to rookies Cameron Young and Mike Morris, and maybe Jarran Reed as well. Oh, and when he's back, Bryan Mone is a mountain of a man… Oh wait, that's probably not what you meant with that question, huh?
If you mean big as in the impact they might have on the team, the first name I'd mention is Dre'Mont Jones, who the Seahawks signed on the first day of free agency, a departure from their usual M.O. in free agency. As general manager John Schneider has mentioned over the years, disruptive interior linemen are a rare commodity that is tough to come by in the NFL, and the Seahawks see Jones as a player who can be just that. If Jones is indeed the type of player the Seahawks believe he can be, that could help the defense take a big step forward in 2023. Another free-agent addition that was a bit more under the radar, but also very significant, was the signing of Jarran Reed, who spent his first five seasons in Seattle before playing in Kansas City and Green Bay the past two years. The Seahawks have Reed playing nose tackle, and Pete Carroll has mentioned a few times what a big impact they are expecting out of the former second-round pick.
2024 Tickets On Sale Now!
Secure your tickets today to experience the best gameday in the NFL!
@Chazz_US_Marines asks, "Is Jake Bobo starting on Sunday?"
A: If you go off the depth chart that lists two starting receivers, then no, those roles are definitely held down by Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf. Now if you're talking about whether or not he'll actually be on the field for the first play of the game and/or if he'll see significant playing time, that very well could be decided by the health of Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
Before fracturing his wrist last month, Smith-Njigba had emerged as the clear No. 3 receiver, which is more or less a starting role in today's NFL. The first-round pick has already returned to practice, but it's not yet known if he will play, and if he doesn't, Bobo, the breakout star of the preseason, looks to be the next man up for that No. 3 job. Even if Smith-Njigba does play, expect Bobo to see significant playing time in Week 1, which is one heck of an accomplishment for the undrafted rookie.
Jeremy Riggle from La Grande, Oregon asks, "I see several teams conducting joint practices during the preseason, is there a reason the Seahawks don't?"
A: There are enough fights between teams in joint practices that I'm honestly a little surprised so many teams do them, and while that perhaps could be a factor in the Seahawks not doing them, it wasn't the main reason cited by Pete Carroll when asked about this very topic last month. More than anything, Carroll likes the setup the Seahawks have for their practices and what the team gets out of them, and isn't looking to change it up to add another team to the mix or to go on the road ahead of a preseason game.
"I think we control practice better the way we do it," he said last month. "Look how hard we were running against each other the other day. More than that, we cherish the preseason games. We use the preseason games. I've done those practices before, but we feel like we can keep our focus and stay within the stuff we need to do."
Asked if the topic has come up, Carroll said, "There's been a couple of teams that's asked over the years. I think they know we don't do it, so we don't get a lot of it. I don't want to travel and stay in somebody else's place for a week. It's crazy to me. We're always open to it. We do talk about it. It's not like we're closed-minded about it. We haven't had the right setup."
@enzo_sco asks, "When do the Seahawks post uniform combinations for games?"
A: With the exception of the Week 8 game against Cleveland, which will feature the debut of throwback uniforms, the team will announce its uniform combination in the days leading up to that game, generally on Friday for a Sunday game. You can expect to see Action Green uniforms again this year, and if you've been paying attention in past years, those tend to come out in prime time. The Seahawks are also expected to wear their throwbacks a second time at some point after Week 8.
L.D. Randle from Durango, Colorado asks, "How about getting rid of those really unattractive lime green uniforms? The look is not sharp."
A: I hate to tell you this L.D. but the action green uniforms aren't going anywhere. The team did have to get rid of one jersey to add throwbacks this year, and the choice ended up being the wolf grey alternates, not action green. I know the all-green look isn't for everyone—there were even split opinions within the organization about which one to keep between grey and green—but a lot of people do love it, and one plus, from the team's point of view, is that it is a truly unique look, league-wide. It also helps that the Seahawks have a great record in action green, going 5-1 in all green, and 3-1 in green jerseys with blue pants.
With Week 1 approaching, the Seahawks were back at practice on Monday afternoon to get ready for the season opener vs. the L.A. Rams.