The full set of "position watch"-es should be complete by the start of minicamp. That means the secondary (in this post), then the defensive line and specialists will be addressed by Monday.
If it were two years ago, then we would be discussing whether or not the Seahawks should sign Ty Law. The fact that we aren't sifting through the free agent pool is a good sign. The Seahawks have spent a lot on the secondary in the past two years in the form of draft picks on Kelly Jennings and Josh Wilson, free agents contracts for Deon Grant and Brian Russell, and contract extensions for Jordan Babineaux and Marcus Trufant.
That isn't the most impressive or flashy group, but those six guys form a solid foundation for a decent secondary. Grant and Russell are really the key players. They aren't superstars, but they provide a safety net to keep the rest of the defense from giving up big plays. Ken Hamlin went to the Pro Bowl last year, but Tim Ruskell doesn't regret letting him go one bit.
Jennings is coming into his own, although he had some pretty atrocious games last year. Is he a permanent starter in the NFL? That has yet to be determined. 2008 is the year he will either prove he belongs as a starter or become a nickel corner. Josh Wilson's status is less certain, but injuries did slow his progression last year. Remember, he was able to shutdown Calvin Johnson in college. Wilson is only being asked to be a kick returner and the 4th CB. He at least has that covered.
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Did Trufant deserve his big contract? I am as hard on the guy as anyone, but I think so. I'm not even certain Tru deserved to go to the Pro Bowl, but he firmly entrenched himself as the #1 CB in Seattle; and his positive impact on the community and in the locker room is worth the money from a total business perspective, if not from a pure on-the-field football standpoint.
The question marks begin when you look beyond the corners and starting safeties. Mike Green's lisfranc injury from the 2006 preseason will always be a question mark. He has struggled a bit with injuries since his arrival in Seattle, but Green is still a very good safety. Unless the injuries have really caught up with him, he is good enough to start at either free or strong safety for most NFL teams. Injuries are the only concern with Green.
The same can be said of C.J. Wallace. Wallace was good enough that the Seahawks decided to trade Michael Boulware prior to cutdown day last year. That might not be saying much given Boulware didn't start a single game for the Houston Texans and only made a total of 7 tackles. Wallace is a decent player, but he is clearly a guy on the fringe of the Seahawks roster. His knee injury in 2007 could be the reason he doesn't make the squad.
Wallace, a free agent rookie a year ago, will be pitted directly against free agent rookie Jamar Adams. Adams started 33 games at Michigan. If he had run a faster 40-yard dash at the combine, then he might have been a first day draft pick. Adams is also a proven special teams contributor, which can often decides these competitions. Wallace has a clear advantage after making the Seahawks roster a year ago, but this battle is one to watch during training camp. Adams and Wallace could conceivably both make the team if Mike Green is too limited by his injuries.
If neither Wallace nor Adams prove worthy of a roster spot, the Seahawks could always keep CB Kevin Hobbs on the roster because of Jordan Babineaux's ability to play either CB or S. That should be seen as an unlikely scenario because Hobbs adds little value. A 7 DB scenario is probably more plausible than Hobbs making the roster. I feel bad writing that because Hobbs is a good player and a good guy, but he probably isn't good enough to make it as a full-time NFL player.
Starters: Marcus Trufant, Kelly Jennings, Deon Grant, Brian Russell
Locks: Jordan Babineaux, Josh Wilson
Looking safe: Mike Green
Battling: C.J. Wallace, Jamar Adams
Longshot: Kevin Hobbs
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