5 Observations From Seahawks Seventh Training Camp Practice

Set for an off day on Thursday, the Seahawks returned to the practice field for a second straight padded practice on Wednesday. Turnovers were the biggest theme of the day, as defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr.'s defense - led by an unlikely hero - generated two interceptions and a fumble recovery on the afternoon.

What went down at the VMAC? Here are five quick observations from an exciting sixth open camp practice:

1. The offense endured another difficult day in large part due to ball security woes.

In some senses, Seattle found a bit of a rhythm compared to Tuesday’s lackluster practice. For example, the final drive led by Russell Wilson during the team period flew right down the field, as he connected twice with DK Metcalf and once with Tyler Lockett for first down conversions before finishing with a short touchdown toss to tight end Will Dissly in the flats. But while there were brief moments of quality offensive play, turnovers were a major problem throughout the afternoon, drawing the ire of coach Pete Carroll.

“Today was a hard day for the offense. We didn't handle the ball very well," Carroll stated bluntly. "I don't think this was a great day for us to improve. We gotta come back and bounce back from this day."

During the opening run game period of 11-on-11, veteran ball carrier Alex Collins lost the football after a 10-yard gain while surrounded by multiple defenders. He eventually did recover the ball at the bottom of the scrum. Wilson and DeeJay Dallas failed to connect at the mesh point on a handoff, which led to a seven-yard loss, and the Collins put the ball on the ground a second time. Wilson and Geno Smith also threw one interception a piece, while Dissly dropped a potential touchdown before getting redemption to cap off practice.

It’s still far too early to panic with Seattle breaking in a new offense under Shane Waldron and signs of progress could be found with the turnovers taken out of the equation. But cleaning up ball security will be critical in upcoming practices and Saturday’s mock scrimmage.

2. Running back depth continues to present itself as a strength for Seattle’s offense.

Aside from Collins’ fumbles, the Seahawks six-pack out of the backfield continued to play at a high level in Wednesday's practice. Rashaad Penny had a couple of punishing runs up the gut, Collins amended for his turnovers with two first down carries, and Dallas moved the chains on a pair of third down receptions during scrimmage play.

A few newcomers also entered the fray with solid practices. Second-year back Cameron Scarlett, who spent time with the Titans in training camp last August after signing as an undrafted free agent out of Stanford, showed off his explosiveness with a 25-yard run on an outside zone run. He also made a pair of catches on swing routes and made at least one tackler miss on both plays. Undrafted rookie Josh Johnson saw some snaps with the first-team offense rotating with Dallas, Penny, and Collins, picking up significant yards after contact on a pair of carries up the middle and flashing his underrated speed on an 18-yard pickup on a pass play into the flats.

Barring injuries, the Seahawks certainly won’t be able to keep all six of the backs currently practicing and Travis Homer could return from the PUP list at some point this month, further crowding the backfield. It’s a good problem to have, however, especially at a position with high injury rates, and Scarlett and Johnson could be in a two-player competition for a practice squad spot.

3. Interchangeability was on display position-wise, for better or worse, particularly at the receiver position.

Throughout the offseason, several of Seattle’s most prominent offensive players have lauded Waldron’s scheme for its multiplicity. Like the Rams have done under coach Sean McVay, skill players seem to be used in a more all-encompassing fashion, as running backs spent extensive time split out wide, tight ends play all over the formation, and even receivers moonlight as running backs on jet sweeps and out of the backfield.

This interchangeability was put on display on multiple occasions on Tuesday, with a couple of plays working effectively and one failing miserably. A former high school running back, Penny Hart motioned into the backfield and took a pitch to the right side, rocketing down the sideline and then cutting back inside for a 35-yard run. The third-year receiver continues to shine day in and day out and at this point, he looks to be a near-lock to make the 53-man roster.

But while Hart’s versatility paid off with one of the best plays of the day, another creative wrinkle featuring Colby Parkinson was equally as horrific. After faking a handoff to Dallas, Smith attempted to pitch the ball outside to Parkinson on a toss sweep – a play that will likely never see the light of day again – and the ball was dropped, landing at the tight end’s feet. Eventually, the loose ball was recovered by the defense on yet another costly turnover. Carroll made sure to have a chat with Waldron on the field after the play and it probably doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know what went down in that discussion.

4. The return of Bobby Wagner proved to be a catalyst for the Seahawks defensively.

After being out for the past two practices due to a family-related issue, Wagner came back on Tuesday and looked every bit like the six-time First-Team All-Pro that he is. He flew all over the field making plays, enthusiastically barking at his teammates as well as players on the other side of the ball, including Wilson. At one point, the quarterback scrambled on three straight plays and the star linebacker yelled, “Russ, you’ll have to throw the ball eventually!”

It’s only training camp, but Wagner’s return was big for more reasons than simply his individual value as a future Hall of Famer. The Seahawks have dealt with injury issues at the position during the early stages of camp, as rookie Jon Rhattigan has missed all three practices this week with a hamstring injury and third-year veteran Cody Barton will miss at least a couple of days with a quad injury. Without those two available, the team gave fullback Nick Bellore, who previously started in the league as a linebacker, a white jersey as an emergency option if needed.

Without K.J. Wright on the roster and remaining a free agent, Wagner also needs as much field time as possible to establish a rapport with two new starters in Jordyn Brooks and Darrell Taylor playing beside him. With the two 2020 draft picks not having much game experience, the veteran has been working diligently establishing chemistry with them heading towards the new season and has been taking on a greater coaching role during drill work.

5. Aashari Crosswell turned in a spectacular practice, putting other reserve safeties on notice.

After Ryan Neal briefly exited with an apparent injury, Crosswell checked into the lineup against Seattle’s first-team offense and quickly capitalized on his opportunity. Wilson tried to connect with DK Metcalf on a downfield throw in the end zone, but cornerback D.J. Reed had other ideas, getting his left hand up and deflecting the ball into the air. In the perfect place at the perfect time, Crosswell caught the carom and returned the interception 20 yards before being knocked out of bounds.

The rookie safety wasn’t done making big plays either. Early in the second team session, Geno Smith tried to squeeze in a throw down the seam to one of his receivers, believing he was open. Playing like a seasoned veteran, Crosswell successfully baited the former Jets starter by sitting in his zone and then quickly jumping the route, undercutting the receiver for a pick and returning it 15 yards. Teammates and coaches hounded him after the play in celebration, earning him praise from Carroll following practice.

“This isn't the only day he's made plays now. This is three days that he's had big plays and had a big knockdown yesterday. He's really hawking the football, you know? You can't help but notice him,” Carroll remarked. “He's got great feel back there, at this point, and real excited just to see him keep developing.”

The Seahawks have been known for finding diamonds in the rough in undrafted free agency over the years and while he faces an uphill climb making the team due to talent and depth at the safety position, Crosswell has been a surprise early in training camp. The former Arizona State standout, who offers quality size, athletic traits, and ball skills, may be a sleeper to watch with the preseason approaching and at minimum has made himself into a viable developmental practice squad project.