By Gregg Bell / The News Tribune
RENTON — The Seattle Seahawks’ idea to add depth at nose tackle is already on the roster.
But he’s yet to do the job for them.
In his first go-round with Seattle Jarran Reed was an inside defensive tackle in the 4-3 defense coach Pete Carroll ran from when Richard Nixon was president until last year. That was when Reed played for the Seahawks from 2016 as the team’s rookie second-round pick through the 2020 season.
Reed refused to renegotiate his contract to help the team’s salary-cap situation before the 2021 season. The Seahawks tried to trade him then released him. He signed with Kansas City for that year, and with Green Bay for 2022.
This spring, he re-signed with Seattle, for two years and up to $10.8 million.
While Reed was gone, Carroll changed the basis of his defense from the 4-3 to more 3-4. Instead of two inside tackles, the 3-4 requires a single nose tackle. He’s lined up over the opposing center controlling or at least gumming up two gaps, between the center and each guard.
Al Woods and Bryan Mone shared that job for the Seahawks last season. Woods was the team’s popular captain. But this offseason Seattle cut the 36-year-old Woods to save nearly $4 million against its 2023 salary cap. He signed with the New York Jets.
Mone severely injured his knee in week 15 last season. He’s a long way from coming back to play in 2023. He began training camp Wednesday on the physically-unable-to-perform list. But the fact that he didn’t go on injured reserve to begin camp indicates the team believes he may be able to play this season. Players on IR to begin camp are out for the entire season.
After signing him in March, the Seahawks listed Reed as a 3-4 defensive end. In May into June they were looking at rookie fourth-round pick Cameron Young, veteran backup Myles Adams and a cast of fellow unprovens as their nose tackles.
Not any more.
Carroll confirmed what the first practice of training camp Wednesday showed: The 6-foot-3, 306-pound Reed is going to be a nose tackle, not outside at end, this season.
The 30-year-old Reed, now entering his eighth NFL season, is going truly be at the center of Carroll’s effort to improve what was Seattle’s awful run defense in 2022. It ranked 30th in the 32-team league last season.
The Seahawks absolutely need Reed to produce there in 2023.
“I think one of the keys is Jarran Reed coming back to us. Jarran Reed playing nose tackle for us is crucial,” Carroll said. “He’s a terrific player. He’s just as tough, as physical, and as knowledgeable as you can get. He’ll do great there.
“That is going to be one of the key elements of building it around him. And we’re really counting on him to be a big factor.”
Here’s other things we learned as camp began:
Devon Witherspoon as an inside, slot cornerback sounds real
Once he ends his, um, curious holdout over when the $21 million in Witherspoon’s signing bonus gets paid to the fifth pick in this year’s draft, that is.
Fellow starting cornerback Riq Woolen, last year’s Pro Bowl rookie star, went on the PUP list. He had arthroscopic knee surgery in May.
That meant the starting cornerbacks for the first day of camp were Michael Jackson on Woolen’s right side and Tre Brown in Witherspoon’s left side.
Coby Bryant was the fifth, nickel defensive back inside against slot receivers. That was Bryant’s job as a rookie for Seattle last season.
Witherspoon got time in minicamp last month inside as a slot, nickel corner.
“Today we jumped out with Tre and Michael playing corner when Woolen and Devon aren’t out there,” Carroll said. “It shows we have really nice depth there, with Coby playing the nickel spot. That’s going to be a very competitive position throughout and we can’t wait to see what happens.
“Coby did a really nice job of nickel for us last year and Devon seems natural playing there, as well. We’ll see how it goes and figure out the right mix.”
Carroll thought of possible six- or even seven defensive-back sets, to maximize what appears to be the strength of the defense.
“We may get them out on the field all at the same time,” the coach and former college defensive back said.
Tigh end Noah Fant had offseason surgery
On his shoulder.
That’s why the number-one tight end entering a contract year is on the PUP list to begin camp.
“He had a little work done,” Carroll said. “He’s in really good shape. He can run full speed and do all the stuff, but we don’t want to push him yet.
“Like the other guys, we want to make sure and guarantee that he’s back and fully equipped to take on the load. He was frustrated by not being out, but he agreed with being on the PUP just so we can take care of him.”
The veteran is leading the center competition
So far, it’s Evan Brown as the starting center for quarterback Geno Smith.
Rookie fifth-round pick Olu Oluwatimi was the center for Drew Lock and the second-team offense to begin camp.
The rest of the starting offensive line Wednesday: Charles Cross at left tackle, Damien Lewis at left guard, Phil Haynes at right guard and Abe Lucas at right tackle.
Running back Zach Charbonnet can do a lot
Touted as a cut-and-go runner at UCLA, rookie second-round pick Zach Charbonnet continued what he showed in offseason practices: There is a lot attractive to the running back’s game.
He was running a swing pass route out of the backfield to the route in a scrimmage Wednesday. Lock threw his pass behind him. Charbonnet twisted while running upfield, turned back, caught the ball, then swiveled his hips again back upfield to gain yardage without breaking stride. The balance was as remarkable as the catch, especially for a man 6 feet 1 and 214 pounds.
Charbonnet and rookie seventh-round choice Kenny McIntosh noticeably got first-team reps with Kenneth Walker.
Charbonnet’s and McIntosh’s tests for extensive playing time will be the same as for all rookie running backs for Carroll: Pass blocking. That won’t happen until the full pads come on next week.
Shane Waldron sidelined
The Seahawks didn’t have their play-caller to begin camp.
Offensive coordinator Shane Waldron was absent. He recently had a minor medical procedure.
“Not to get too technical: He had something cut out of his ankle. He had a cyst,” Carroll said. “He tried to get through it and toughed it out as he should. He just had to go ahead and get it operated on.”
Carroll joked his OC did not have to go on the PUP list.
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