With the calendar flipping to July and offseason programs recently wrapping up, NFL training camps will begin around the league in less than a month. To celebrate the new incoming season, we will be breaking down the Seahawks' 90-man roster over the next several weeks, exploring best and worst case scenarios and what to expect from each player entering the 2021 campaign.
Jordyn Brooks, Linebacker
Height/Weight: 6-foot, 240 pounds
2020 Stats: 57 tackles, two passes defensed in 14 games
Viewed as one of the most surprising first round selections in the 2020 NFL Draft, Brooks' rookie campaign got off to a slow start. Stuck behind veterans K.J. Wright and Bruce Irvin on the depth chart, he primarily played special teams during the first two weeks of the season. Even after Irvin suffered a torn ACL and opened the door for him to enter the starting lineup in Week 3, his own knee injury kept him out for a couple of weeks before returning after the bye week in Week 7. From there, however, the athletic linebacker made his mark over the final two months, producing 30 tackles in Seattle's final five games and making strides in coverage as the season progressed. He also performed well in the postseason, racking up eight tackles in his playoff debut during a 30-20 loss to the Rams. Despite playing only 32 percent of the Seahawks' defensive snaps for the season, he wrapped up a successful first season with nearly 60 tackles and a strong finish may have played a significant role in the front office's decision not to re-sign Wright this offseason.
Best Case Scenario: Taking full advantage of his athletic gifts and building off a stellar finish to his rookie season, Brooks surpasses 100 tackles for the first time in his NFL career and also produces a pair of interceptions and a trio of sacks, earning him his first Pro Bowl selection starring alongside Bobby Wagner.
Worst Case Scenario: Facing a tall task trying to replace a legend such as Wright in the lineup, Brooks struggles with missed tackles and blown coverage assignments, eventually ceding some of his playing time to Cody Barton during nickel and dime packages in an unexpected sophomore setback.
What to Expect in 2021: As Brooks admitted to reporters, Wright's departure leaves huge shoes for him to fill. Possessing superb sideline-to-sideline speed, elite tackling skills, and top-notch instincts, however, the stage shouldn't be too big for him, especially after performing well during the midst of a playoff race as a rookie. His presence should give the middle of Seattle's defense a much-needed athletic boost, particularly working against the pass when facing teams such as the Los Angeles Rams that love running crossing patterns and bootleg looks. If he's able to shore up his fundamentals in coverage and provide an occasional quarterback pressure as a blitzer to go with his outstanding run defense, he could be a prime breakout candidate for the Seahawks and has all the tools necessary to become the franchise's next superstar linebacker in quick order.
Previous Seahawks 90-Man Roster Primers
Alex McGough | Darvin Kidsy | Greg Eiland | Joshua Moon | Cam Sutton | Walter Palmore | Jared Hocker | Brad Lundblade | Aashari Crosswell | Myles Adams | Jon Rhattigan | Aaron Fuller | Bryan Mills I Jake Curhan | Jarrod Hewitt | Connor Wedington | Nate Evans | Danny Etling | John Ursua | Gavin Heslop | Pier-Oliver Lestage | Tommy Champion | Cody Thompson | Josh Johnson | Saivion Smith | Jordan Miller | Aaron Donkor | Robert Nkemdiche | Alex Collins | Tyler Mabry | Damarious Randall | Cade Johnson | Cedrick Lattimore | Phil Haynes | Geno Smith | Kyle Fuller | Travis Homer | Tyler Ott | Rasheem Green | Ben Burr-Kirven | Penny Hart | Jamarco Jones | Aldon Smith | DeeJay Dallas | Nick Bellore | Stone Forsythe | Colby Parkinson | Al Woods | Cedric Ogbuehi | Alton Robinson | Jordan Simmons | Pierre Desir | Ryan Neal | Tre Flowers | Michael Dickson | Jason Myers | Freddie Swain | Cody Barton | Bryan Mone | Benson Mayowa | Rashaad Penny | Ugo Amadi | Ethan Pocic | Tre Brown | Darrell Taylor | Will Dissly | Ahkello Witherspoon | Kerry Hyder | Marquise Blair | Brandon Shell | D'Wayne Eskridge | L.J. Collier | Gerald Everett | D.J. Reed | Damien Lewis | Chris Carson
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