The Seattle Seahawks have enjoyed several pleasant surprises during the 2022 season, from fielding the best rookie class in a decade to Geno Smith’s sudden ascension to top-10 quarterback territory. One of the late entries is the surprisingly-strong performance of backup safety Ryan Neal, who became the team’s most-consistent defender in the second half of the season.
For his efforts, Neal has been named to the Pro Football Focus All Pro team for 2022 – he’s the only Seattle player on the list.
“Neal was one of 2022’s breakout defensive backs, finishing the season with an 86.5 overall PFF grade — more than 25 grading points higher than his previous career high. He totaled six pass breakups and 25 defensive stops, earning 79.5-plus grades in both run defense and coverage.”
Neal shined most of all in coverage, where he proved tenacious. He only allowed a 50% completion rate and a 63.9 passer rating. Neal was also a willing tackler and only missed six all season (8.3%).
Looking ahead, it’s a no-brainer for the Seahawks to bring him back for another year, especially since he’s a restricted free agent. The question for next season will be if he either replaces Jamal Adams or if the Seahawks defense adopts three-safety sets full-time.
