Analysis: 6 Seahawks With Most to Gain During 2022 Training Camp

With roster spots and starting roles on the line on both sides of the ball, training camp carries far greater weight for these six players than the rest of the field set to compete for Seattle over the next month.

Training camp is always full of intrigue, and for a new-look Seahawks squad without Russell Wilson and Bobby Wagner, the 2022 iteration taken curiosity to the next level. 

For some players, the next month will provide unique opportunities to earn expanded roles for Seattle – or be looking for a new team altogether. For many others already with a roster spot secured, they will be aiming to get off to fast start to set themselves up for career year.

With camp kicking off on Wednesday at the VMAC, which Seahawks have the most to gain in coming weeks?

Drew Lock / © Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Not surprisingly, the quarterback battle will be the biggest headline for the Seahawks during training camp. Drew Lock was brought over from Denver in the Wilson trade and thrown into the competition against returning veteran Geno Smith to be the starting quarterback. Lock, the former 2019 second-round pick for the Broncos, has started 21 games in his career. After a promising 4-1 stretch to finish out his rookie season, he struggled as a starter in 2020 and was primarily the backup last season after losing a competition with Teddy Bridgewater. This might be Lock’s last legitimate chance to show that he can be a starter in the NFL and beating out Smith would be the first step towards that.

---

Geno Smith

Take nearly everything written about Lock and copy/paste it for Smith. He’s started more games in the NFL (34) than Lock, but 29 of those came in 2013 and 2014. Outside of the three starts in 2021 replacing an injured Wilson, Smith has only started two other games since 2014. While there is still hope that Lock could develop into an NFL starting quarterback, Smith is widely thought of as a backup quarterback at this point. His experience in Shane Waldron's offense gives him a leg-up early in training camp, but he’ll need to be consistent throughout the preseason to avoid letting the starting job slip from his grasp.

---

Dee Eskridge / © Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Eskridge spent most of his first NFL training camp watching from the sidelines with a toe injury. He made it back for the regular season opener, only to suffer a concussion that held him out of action until Week 10. Eskridge missed time due to injury again during part of the offseason program nursing a hamstring issue. It’s much too early to write off the explosive receiver, but his mounting injury history is becoming concerning. The Seahawks are looking for a third wideout to step up behind Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf and Eskridge will be given every opportunity to win that job. He also will be given every shot to win a job returning kicks and punts. He needs to be healthy and stay on the field to accomplish either and live up to his potential.

---

LJ Collier

Former first-round picks will usually get second chances in the NFL, and maybe Collier’s next best opportunity will actually be with the team that drafted him. The switch to a 3-4 scheme could be just what the doctor ordered for Collier, who wasn’t a great fit as a defensive end in a 4-3 where most of the successful players are faster and more explosive. Collier who is more of a powerful edge setter, should be better suited for the 3-4 where eating up blockers to free up the linebackers is more important than rushing the passer off the edge. Collier added weight this offseason to be stouter at the point of attack and has the chance to figure heavily in the rotation with Shelby Harris, Quinton Jefferson, and Poona Ford. Conversely, Collier’s roster spot is not set in stone, and he could find himself looking for a new team if he doesn’t adapt well to the new scheme and produce.

---

Coby Bryant / © Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Mid-round rookies aren’t generally expected to figure prominently in their initial training camps, but Bryant will be one to watch during the preseason. The cornerback position is very much unsettled for Seattle following the departure of D.J. Reed. Tre Brown played well in 2021 prior to injury, but he will open camp on the PUP list. Sidney Jones was brought back and has an inside track on one of the starting positions, but that’s not a guarantee. The Seahawks brought in former first-round pick Artie Burns but didn’t pay him enough to pencil his name in as a starter either. Bryant proved himself in college at Cincinnati by winning the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation’s top defensive back despite being tested constantly playing opposite 2022 first-round pick Sauce Gardner. Bryant has a lot of experience after playing 53 games in college and has the ball skills to boot snagging nine interceptions. Don’t be surprised if he ends up in the starting lineup for the regular season opener after a wide-open cornerback competition in training camp.

---

Colby Parkinson

Shifting from Coby to Colby, Parkinson is another Seahawk with a huge chance to prove himself this preseason after being snake bitten by injuries during his first two seasons. He broke his foot during his rookie season in 2020 and then re-broke it during training camp last year, where he was making great strides in living up to his tantalizing potential. Parkinson may seem like an odd choice given the acquisition of Noah Fant and commitment to Will Dissly, but neither of those players present the red zone matchup nightmare of Parkinson with his 6-foot-7 frame and soft hands. Even as a third tight end, he could be a touchdown machine as he towers over most defenders. A strong training camp would give the coaching staff confidence to trot Parkinson out there every time the Seahawks get inside the opponent’s 20-yard line.