Seahawks’ key position battle nears a decision in preseason Week 3

The Seattle Seahawks are in the process of developing the best secondary in the NFL. They may not be quite there yet. An LOB2 label is still premature. But it’s tantalizingly close.

They have a fine perimeter corner in Riq Woolen, and an even better all-field corner in Devon Witherspoon. At safety, Julian Love and Coby Bryant may not be quite the equal of Detroit’s dynamic duo of Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph, but nobody in the NFL has a third safety with the playmaking ability of Seahawks’ rookie Nick Emmanwori.

Of course, to be elite, a unit must have depth. D’Anthony Bell joins Emmanwori to provide insurance on the back end. Josh Jobe and Shaq Griffin may not be sure things at corner, but as backups go, they are pretty solid. That’s four quality corners. Seattle is going to keep five or six. That’s where things get interesting.

Who has the inside track for Seahawks final cornerback spot(s)?

The most difficult thing about handicapping the battles in the Seahawks' secondary is figuring out exactly what Mike Macdonald, Aden Durde, and Karl Scott will be prioritizing. Macdonald has built a very versatile secondary where many individual skill sets overlap.

Emmanwori can line up almost anywhere in the defensive back seven. That includes cornerback in special situations. Cody Bryant actually was a corner before moving to safety. Neither will be asked to line up at corner other than in rare packages or in emergencies, but their presence could tilt the roster decision in a range of directions.

Amongst the true corners, Witherspoon, Jobe, and Griffin all have the flexibility to line outside or in the slot. So in the end, the decision as to who claims the final spots may have as much to do with usage as with performance. Where does Macdonald feel like he needs the most insurance?

Pritchett would seem to have a slight edge. He did not play well last season, but he stuck around because the coaches see something they like in him. There are a number of analysts who think that, as effective as Spoon is on the perimeter, his best position may be in the slot, where he can make plays all over the field. If Macdonald wants to employ Spoon more on the inside, it helps a pure perimeter corner like Pritchett.

He has played well this preseason, grabbing a pick in the Raiders game, and generally keeping good coverage. But Pritchett looked pretty good last preseason as well, only to falter when the games counted. Perhaps the most important thing Pritchett needs to do against the Packers on Saturday is make some sure tackles, especially in the run game.

He was not very good across the board in 2024, but that may have been his biggest problem.

I think rookie UDFA Isas Waxter has an outside chance of grabbing a spot, especially if Pritchett falters. Waxter has the enticing size and length that Seattle prefers in perimeter corners. Like most of the Seahawks’ defenders, he has looked good in preseason and shows greater versatility than the other backups in the secondary.

Waxter reminds a little bit of Bryant when he came out of college, someone who can shift between corner and safety as need be.

Waxter will tackle, so what you will want to see from him is how well he can stay with receivers in press coverage. He is a physical player, and if he is not disciplined with his hands, he is in jeopardy of getting flagged. If you see that, he is more likely headed for some more seasoning on the practice squad than landing a spot on the roster.

Of all the would-be depth pieces at cornerback, I think the best actual player is Damarion Williams. Williams also has a history with Macdonald, under whom he played in 2022 and 2023. Williams is a good tackler, and so far in camp and the preseason, he has shown improved coverage skills.

Williams' biggest problem may be his limited versatility. He is a slot corner. You don’t want him lining up outside. His lack of length and speed would be a drawback. Playing in the slot, he can use his solid tackling ability to his best advantage. I think he could really advance his case on Saturday with a big hit, either on defense or on special teams.

Williams has an excellent chance of sticking if Macdonald decides to keep a sixth corner, or if there has been a team decision to play Spoon outside. That creates a need in the slot.

We’ll see how all the balls are juggled come Saturday, and then it will be up to Macdonald and his coaches to choose the best players. It won’t be an easy decision.