Seattle Seahawks Analysis: 5 X-Factors to Watch in Training Camp

For the Seahawks to make up ground in the NFC West, they will need surprise contributors to emerge in camp. Which returning vets may fit the bill?

Aug 10, 2023; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks defensive end Mike Morris (94) hits Minnesota Vikings quarterback Nick Mullens (12) while passing the ball during the first half at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports / Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

When the Seattle Seahawks kick off their first training camp of the Mike Macdonald era in a little under two weeks, all eyes will be on known stars such as Geno Smith, DK Metcalf, and Leonard Williams.

But in order for Seattle to get back in the hunt for an NFC West title in 2024, while Smith, Metcalf, and others will be counted on to do the heavy lifting, Macdonald and his coaching staff will need unheralded quality role players to emerge in all three phases to make noise in a difficult division.

With report days for rookies and veterans looming later this month for the Seahawks, which returning players have a chance to surprise in pursuit of a roster spot? Here are five X-factors to monitor with camp just around the corner:

Jake Bobo

Bobo likely wouldn't be on this list if the Seahawks didn't change coaches this offseason, as he already checked off the box of being last year's biggest surprise at training camp while winning over Pete Carroll, Shane Waldron, and company. But as a former undrafted signee, he faces the task of replicating that feat for Macdonald and Grubb, having to earn his keep once again in a deep, talented receiving corps headlined by DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba and also featuring Laviska Shenault, Dareke Young, and Dee Eskridge, making it far from a given he will retain his spot.

If the offseason program served as an indicator, however, Bobo looks to be off to an encouraging start with a new staff at the helm. Even with his well-documented lack of burst and athleticism, he arguably has the softest hands on the team and showcased his pass-catching ability with a couple of touchdowns from Geno Smith during mandatory minicamp. Once the pads come on, his blocking ability and surprising special teams contributions could further help his cause, and just like last year, his well-rounded skill set gives him a great shot at securing a meaningful role on offense once again.

McClendon Curtis

After drafting Christian Haynes in the third round of April's draft, the Seahawks looked to have a fun battle brewing for the vacancy at right guard between the former All-American and incumbent Anthony Bradford, who started 10 games as a rookie last season. But the competition will open in training camp with a third contender ready to make his own push for the starting job in Curtis, who received the majority of first-team reps next to center Olu Oluwatimi during OTAs and mandatory minicamp with Bradford sidelined and Haynes exclusively working with the second unit.

While Haynes and Bradford have the more prototypical build for an NFL guard, the 6-6, 325-pound Curtis starred as a tackle and guard at Chattanooga, earning a Senior Bowl invite two years ago and playing well in Mobile. Despite going undrafted, the Seahawks held him in high regard in the scouting process and once Abraham Lucas went down in the season opener last September, they plucked him up off the Raiders practice squad and kept him on the active roster for the remainder of the year. A physical player with light feet from his tackle background and unique positional versatility, he shouldn't be overlooked as a legitimate threat to vie for the starting role.

Mike Morris

Last summer, Morris jumped out as one of Seattle's most promising incoming rookies, impressing during training camp and playing well in limited action in preseason games as he transitioned to playing inside full-time after being an edge defender at Michigan. Standing out like a sore thumb at 6-6, 300 pounds, his size and athleticism flashed in the trenches, suggesting he would be able to carve out a significant rotational role as a rookie. Unfortunately, however, a bum shoulder led to his season ending after just one game and he underwent surgery, turning 2023 into a redshirt year of sorts.

Back healthy, Morris returns to a loaded Seahawks defensive line further bolstered by re-signing Leonard Williams, addition of veteran nose tackle Johnathan Hankins, and investment of a first round pick in Byron Murphy II, which could make earning snaps in a reserve role more difficult. But due to his length and athleticism, he presents a different set of skills than his counterparts, and he previously played for Macdonald at Michigan, giving him a nice feather in the cap compared to the competition. As long as he can stay healthy, his potential to create chaos as a 3-tech and 5-tech "big" end could be a major boon as he looks to win a roster spot in a crowded position group.

Patrick O'Connell

Signing with Seattle as an undrafted rookie after a stellar collegiate career at Montana, O'Connell didn't make the 53-man roster out of training camp and the preseason, but the team did quickly bring him back for further development on the practice squad. Impressing the previous coaching staff with his work ethic, he eventually made his NFL regular season debut in a Week 17 loss to Pittsburgh, recording a tackle on special teams. Taking advantage of injuries to free agent additions Tyrel Dodson and Jerome Baker, he received a ton of action with the first-team defense this spring at weakside linebacker and played well, including generating a pair of pass breakups at minicamp.

Aug 10, 2023; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks linebacker Patrick O'Connell (57) during warmups prior to the game at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports / Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

Assuming Baker and Dodson will be back early in camp, O'Connell won't be in a position to vie for a starting job on the Seahawks defense. But at the same time, despite being on the smaller side at 230 pounds, he has many of the skills Macdonald covets at linebacker, including the athleticism to blitz, run sideline-to-sideline, and drop back into coverage. If he can build off of his performance from the offseason program and continues making plays on defense while playing a key role on special teams, the path to a roster spot remains in front of him in a wide-open linebacker group.

Ty Okada

Like O'Connell, Okada took his talents to the Pacific Northwest as an undrafted free agent after earning All-Big Sky honors at Montana State and initially didn't make the Seahawks opening roster. But injuries at safety, including fellow rookie Jerrick Reed II tearing his ACL, led to him receiving a promotion from the practice squad in the second half and he wound up suiting up for five regular season games, contributing a tackle on 38 special teams snaps. This spring, he rotated in at both safety positions, seeing snaps with Jonathan Sutherland and Coby Bryant.

Similar to linebacker, Seattle underwent a significant transformation at safety by releasing Quandre Diggs and Jamal Adams, and Reed's ongoing recovery from knee surgery may create an opening for another reserve safety to make the team in September. After signing Rayshawn Jenkins and K'Von Wallace in the offseason, it will be an uphill battle for Okada to see the field enough to enter the conversation for a roster spot. But he checks off the multiplicity box with previous experience playing both positions and at least at the college level, he was a hard hitter with blitzing ability who could play coverage deep or in the box. Those traits give him an outside chance to make unexpected noise at a position with some question marks depth-wise.