DK Metcalf didn’t hesitate to answer after being asked to describe in a few words the cornerbacks he’s been facing every day this summer for Seahawks training camp.
“Just one word: Loaded,” Metcalf says before Tuesday’s practice in Renton, Wash. “Loaded with talent, loaded with dogs. Loaded with people who feel like they have something to prove, not to anybody, but just to themselves.”
Metcalf and his fellow wide receivers—also a loaded position for the Seahawks—have been battling daily with cornerbacks Tre Brown, Michael Jackson, Coby Bryant and rookie Devon Witherspoon, the No. 5 pick in this year’s draft. The competition level will increase once Riq Woolen, last year’s rookie star cornerback, returns to being a full participant at practice.
Woolen, who prefers to go by Riq instead of Tariq, was sidelined the past few months with a knee injury. And it might be a while before the Seahawks are at full strength at cornerback because Witherspoon exited Monday’s practice early with an apparent injury.
Lindsey Wasson/AP
With Woolen and Witherspoon watching from the sideline Tuesday, the Seahawks’ depth at cornerback was tested by the standout wideout trio of Metcalf, Tyler Lockett and rookie Jaxon Smith-Njigba, the team’s other first-round pick. Metcalf and Brown, a third-year player, had a few competitive battles in full-team drills, displaying what Metcalf was referring to before practice.
“Me and Tyler, with the addition of Jaxon, we always think that we’re the best receivers out there on anybody’s field no matter where we line up, so if we can just go out there and push our DBs just to make them better,” Metcalf says, “and then along with that, they’re challenging us as well, because they’re studying us and telling us what we’re doing wrong or what they see in our game. It’s just like a constant back-and-forth of communication between us.
“Everybody is just competing this training camp. It’s just fun to watch, fun to see. I love after practice we go in and watch film, and I’m looking forward to going in and watching film to see what we can correct on both sides of the ball.”
Watching the Seattle wideouts and defensive backs battle for Tuesday’s practice was one of many notes that stood out to me during stop No. 6 of my nine-team NFL training camp tour.
Best play I saw: Early in practice, quarterback Geno Smith threw a jump ball to Metcalf in single coverage against Brown, who was losing the height battle by six inches. But Brown didn’t allow Metcalf to break free and prevented him from making the play in the right corner of the end zone.
But later in practice, Smith and Metcalf ran the same play in the same area, and this time the 6'4", 235-pound Metcalf got the better of Brown for the best play that I saw Tuesday. Brown immediately disputed the touchdown call by the official and Metcalf countered by signaling that Brown pushed off.
Best thing I heard: Metcalf and Woolen raved about how much Smith-Njigba has developed since Seattle took him at No. 20 in the draft.
“He’s just coming in here just being himself, making plays whenever the ball comes to him,” Metcalf says. “Just being himself. That’s the best thing he brings to the table, just his route-running ability, and how he catches the ball, and his playmaking ability when he has the ball in his hands. He’s a natural pass catcher and he’s a natural route runner, so just him being out there, teams are going to have to account for him.”
Woolen told SI that Smith-Njigba already runs routes similar to seasoned NFL veterans.
“Jaxon runs smooth routes,” Woolen says. “You can just tell he approaches the game the right way. He runs routes like he’s been a pro already.”
The rookie who caught my eye: Running back Zach Charbonnet, the team’s second-round pick, had a few impressive runs while filling in for Kenneth Walker III, who’s been sidelined due to injury.
Charbonnet was also dealing with injury, but he returned to practice on Sunday. The Seahawks are going to need Charbonnet and Walker to stay healthy to control the time of possession, especially if the defense struggles with stopping the run again this season.
Veteran who caught my eye: I only watched one day of practice, but it’s apparent that Smith has a strong command of the offense, showing that his breakout season last year was no fluke. Smith was decisive with the ball and had plenty of success throwing to a variety of playmakers. If Smith can top what he did in 2022, the Seahawks might be a sleeper team to come out of the NFC this year.
Also, I heard a song by Lil Jon and The East Side Boyz, which probably hasn’t occurred since 2012.
