The Seahawks are in the midst of something we didn’t see during the Pete Carroll era: A joint practice with another NFL team.
The Hawks are full swing in workouts with the Tennessee Titans ahead of the preseason matchup between the two teams at 4 p.m. Saturday.
Certainly we’re watching the preseason games for how roster spots will shake out and for position battles as well, but here’s three things to watch during this pivotal week of preseason action for the Seahawks:
Hello again to Adams and Diggs:
Certainly it’s a little weird to see Jamal Adams and Quandre Diggs in a different uniform. It’s a unique turn of events that both ended up on the same team.
And it’s a crazy and fun thing to see them square off against the Hawks, even in preseason action.
“I really missed those guys,” Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith said. “Quandre, Jamal, good friends of mine. Always rooting for those guys. They’re in the wrong colors right now, but those are our guys, and we love those guys. It was great to see Mal back out there, knowing what he’s been through, how much he’s fought, and Quandre as well.”
The Seahawks and Titans do not play in the regular season, so barring some wild potential Super Bowl matchup, this is it for 2024 and seeing Adams and Diggs take on their former team.
Why now for joint practices?
Joint practices were something we just didn’t see in the Carroll era. It doesn’t mean that he, or new head coach Mike Macdonald, is right in their approach. It’s just different.
So, why now? Macdonald is excited for his guys to hit someone in a different uniform and to get an early, extended look at how the 2024 Seahawks stack up against another team.
“It was great work, working with these guys (Tennessee). Their coaching staff was great, setting the whole thing up. The organization, I thought, was solid,” Macdonald said. “The guys were ready to practice. It’s 8 a.m. our time. I felt the mentality was right. I can’t wait to watch the tape.
“I just told the team, you get to jawing and things, and some extra stuff — for the most part, we were responsible, and I thought we did a good job, but I just want the guys to know what shows up on tape is who we are. So let’s make sure we’re doing the right things between the lines when we watch it and go from there.”
We’ll have to wait and see for the full body of work, including Saturday’s contest, and how Macdonald feels about it to see if this becomes a regular occurrence while he’s leading this team, but it’s certainly a new feeling and one that could help this team, especially after seeing players fight each other in the dog days of summer at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
What we’re watching Saturday
Certainly, the starters will play limited action if they see the field at all. There’s no bearing on the regular season based on how the preseason goes (remember that 0-16 Lions team that went undefeated in the preseason?).
But at this point, you’re looking for the next step. Macdonald keeps talking about stacking good days, and we’ve seen it from his team much more often than not.
How about doing it in games?
Albeit in the first preseason game last week, the defense was rock solid in beating the Chargers. You’d love to see that momentum continue.
The reviews are rave, especially from Riq Woolen and Devon Witherspoon — who intercepted Titans quarterback Will Levis on Thursday — and continuing to build on those good vibes would be a wonderful way to get closer to the regular season, which is just over three weeks away.
So settle in; football’s here. And so is a preview of this new era for the Seahawks.
