The Seattle Seahawks have been hit hard by injuries this season, but to be fair, many teams are facing similar challenges.
While Seattle’s Week 4 loss to the Detroit Lions could be partly attributed to the absence of six starters, the Seahawks haven’t shown enough defensively over the last three games to suggest they could have stopped Detroit regardless. Their overall mindset seems to be lacking.
When Seattle hired Mike Macdonald as head coach this offseason, the expectation was that he would bring a more aggressive approach to the team. Under former head coach Pete Carroll, the defense often seemed reactive, allowing the offense to dictate the game. However, so far, the defense looks much the same as in recent years.
It might be that Seattle simply lacks enough players willing to play with unbridled aggression. The Legion of Boom had many such players, but this current roster has far fewer. One player who does bring that LOB mentality is special teams standout Jerrick Reed II.
Jerrick Reed II could be a few weeks away from playing for the Seahawks again
Reed suffered an ACL tear in Week 11 of last season and hasn’t been able to practice during his recovery. Despite playing just 29 defensive snaps, his exceptional performance on special teams over half a season earned him a spot on the Pro Football Writers of America’s All-Pro team as a special teamer, with nine tackles in that phase of the game.
What set Reed apart wasn’t just the number of tackles, but the speed and confidence he brought to the field, inspiring his teammates. He’s expected to bring that same intensity when he returns in 2024, which is exactly what the team needs. Reed’s fierce play and determination to fight for every yard are qualities the rest of the Seahawks could learn from.
Now cleared to return to practice, Reed has a 21-day window to be activated to the 53-man roster. If he isn’t, he’ll go back on the physically unable to perform list and miss the rest of the season. The team is hopeful he’ll be back within three weeks and make the same impact he did as a rookie, both physically and with his aggressive playing style.
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