Updated

Updated · The Seattle Times · Aug 16

Seahawks Muster 156 Yards in 17-7 Preseason Loss as Mike Macdonald Demands Quick Fixes

Updated

Updated · The Seattle Times · Aug 16

Seahawks Muster 156 Yards in 17-7 Preseason Loss as Mike Macdonald Demands Quick Fixes

Q: Which dark-horse defender will emerge victorious in Seattle's high-stakes safety battle opposite Julian Love?

Ty Okada is the best bet right now to win Seattle’s safety battle opposite Julian Love, though rookie Bud Clark remains the high-upside challenger. Okada enters the competition with the clearest advantage: proven NFL production in Mike Macdonald’s system. He started 11 games last season, logged 742 defensive snaps, and was ranked 17th out of 91 safeties by Pro Football Focus. Seattle’s defense held up well during his extended run, and his experience gives coaches more certainty at a position where communication and alignment are critical. Clark, however, is the dark-horse name with the most intrigue. The second-round rookie played 45 snaps in the preseason loss to Dallas, was barely targeted, and drew praise from Macdonald for handling the communication demands of a loud road environment. Clark’s versatility and ball-production pedigree from TCU make him a serious long-term answer, especially with Coby Bryant gone in free agency. The problem for Clark is timing. Seattle’s preseason opener showed how much Macdonald values clean operation and communication, and those are areas where veterans usually hold an edge. Macdonald has suggested the key question is how much responsibility Clark can handle quickly enough to compete for a major role now. So the current read is that Okada is favored to open the season as the starter opposite Love, while Clark is the defender most capable of overtaking him if he accelerates over the next two preseason weeks.

3 articles · Updated · The Seattle Times · Aug 16

Seattle’s backups produced just 156 total yards and 27 after halftime in a 17-7 preseason loss to Dallas, giving Macdonald what he called a clear list of operational problems.
Macdonald pointed to communication, motion, shifts and defensive alignment, saying those details must improve quickly before Friday’s joint practice and next Sunday’s preseason game in Tennessee.
Drew Lock went 9-of-13 for 40 yards and a touchdown and pushed the ball downfield, while Jalen Milroe finished 5-of-8 for 36 yards with 36 rushing yards but took a costly 14-yard sack on fourth down.
Seattle’s reserve offensive line also struggled, with running backs gaining 65 yards on 22 carries and the unit drawing five penalties; Logan Brown was flagged three times.
Bud Clark logged 45 snaps in a quiet debut at deep safety, and Seattle is expected to test the second-round pick more in Nashville as it gauges depth before Week 1.