Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald is ready to turn the page after capturing the franchise’s second Super Bowl in his second season at the helm. "Look, I’m different than I was this time last year. I’m different than I was at the end of the season.
We got, I don’t know, 30 percent of our rosters probably different," Macdonald said Saturday. "We got changes to our coaching staff. We got guys with a new perspective. … We’re all kind of new people here in this situation, which, by definition, makes us a new team too." Seattle opened training camp with much of its core in place.
It did, however, lose key contributors this past offseason, such as Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III (Chiefs), safety Coby Bryant (Bears), linebacker Boye Mafe (Bengals), and cornerback Rig Woolen (Eagles). It is unclear whether Seattle intends to replace Walker’s production, either by committee, with the likes of Emanuel Wilson, who was signed in free agency after three seasons with the Green Bay Packers, rookie Jadarian Price, George Holani and Kenny McIntosh. Or, if the injured Zach Charbonnet will become the main option once he’s healthy.
Charbonnet was placed on the physically unable to perform list before camp after tearing his ACL in the divisional game against the San Francisco 49ers. He and Walker were part of a committee approach most of last season, but Charbonnett received a bulk of the carries in the red zone and capitalized with a career-high 12 touchdowns. "He’s just attacked the heck out of the offseason in his rehab, as you’d expect, and the returns have been what he deserved," Macdonald said.
The Seahawks had a welcoming sight as second-year wide receiver Tory Horton was healthy and running routes all afternoon after a shin injury ended his season prematurely after a scintillating start to his rookie campaign. After missing minicamp and OTA’s, there was optimism he would be ready to go at the start of training camp. "It’s great to see Tory back out there," Macdonald said.
Horton, a fifth-round pick out of Colorado State, scored six touchdowns in his first eight games with Seattle before he was placed on the injured reserve in November. He provides depth to an already deep wide receiver room with AP Offensive Player of the Year Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Cooper Cupp and last season’s midseason acquisition Rashid Shaheed. The Seahawks also placed standout safety Nick Emmanwori on the PUP list after recently having ankle surgery, but there’s expectation he will be ready for their Wednesday night opener on Sept.
9 in a rematch with the New England Patriots. He suffered a low sprain four days before the Super Bowl, but played through the injury. "I think the best way to describe it is something that he's been dealing with since the Super Bowl," Macdonald said.
"He was able to perform, did some things in the offseason program, but he just got to the point where it was the best for him for the long term to just go ahead and get it fixed." Emmanwori had 11 passes defended, an interception and 2.5 sacks in 14 games for Seattle. But Macdonald wouldn’t confirm — or deny — that the runner-up for Rookie of the Year would be available. "He could play in the opener," Macdonald said.
Reporting by the Associated Press.
