The Seattle Seahawks were without starting quarterback Russell Wilson and linebacker Bobby Wagner for the first time in ages on Monday when the team kicked off OTAs at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center. Coach Pete Carroll noticed the difference immediately.
“There is a vibe about this group,” Carroll told reporters after the practice. “Every year the team takes on kind of a new makeup and it becomes from the personalities of the players in the leadership. Leadership has shifted a little bit. That’s obvious. And so it feels like just as it is. It’s a new season, it’s a new team and here we go.
“It’s fun to watch it take shape and see the guys step into the roles.”
No contact is allowed during this phase of the offseason, but Carroll and the coaching staff are still keeping a close eye on the quarterback competition.
“Geno (Smith) really has the package nailed so I have that to gauge him on, but (Drew Lock’s) hanging with G throughout all of this,” Carroll said. “And we’re not holding anything back, we are just unloading the installation at this time. He’s doing well.”
Carroll will have a better idea of the shape of the roster by the time mandatory minicamp roles around in June.