The Seattle Seahawks sit at 2-3 and are in need of a turnaround to get back into playoff contention. Achieving this goal will not be simple, but a promising rookie defender could return to the active lineup after a preseason injury and provide some crucial depth.
Tre Brown, the 137th pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, has not played in a regular-season game. He suffered a knee injury and landed on Injured Reserve prior to Week 1, ensuring he would miss at least the first three games of the season. The Seahawks have yet to activate Brown from IR, but head coach Pete Carroll indicated that Brown is close to making his debut.
“This is going to be a real week for him; last week was a partial week,” Carroll said during his October 13 media availability. “I’ve already talked to him about, this is the time he comes back to action, and let’s see if he can return to the level of play — when he got hurt, he was right at the verge of competing to be in the playtime. He’s done a lot of positive things, and unfortunately, his knee acted up and he couldn’t respond right then. So I’m going back to where he was, like I said to him today, ‘Let’s pick up where you left off and show us that you’ve got your stuff together, and let’s see where that leaves you in the competition of it, so he’ll be battling. But he’s full go and ready to go.”
ALL the latest Seahawks news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on Seahawks newsletter here!
Brown Competed For a Starting Role During Preseason & Training Camp
Prior to his injury, Brown was well on his way to joining Richard Sherman, Tre Flowers, and Shaquill Griffin as cornerbacks that became starters during their rookie seasons. He had competed for snaps on the left side of the defense.
The injury disrupted Brown’s ascendance to a key contributor and possible starter, but he should have the opportunity to soon resume this journey. Now that he is back at practice, he will contend with both Sidney Jones and DJ Reed as the Seahawks try to find the best lineup to limit opposing offenses.
According to Michael-Shawn Dugar of The Athletic, Carroll did not reveal whether brown would compete with Jones at the left cornerback position or Reed on the right. The head coach simply said that everyone will have to wait and see.
With a game against the Steelers in the immediate future, there is no guarantee that Brown will return from Injured Reserve and immediately contribute on the field. However, he will certainly see the field in the coming weeks, potentially as a starter.
Brown’s Return Follows the Release of Another Cornerback
Pete Carroll says Tre Flowers did not ask for his release. Says it was just time for a change.
The Seahawks continue to shake up the roster, especially in the secondary. Brown rejoining the team at practice is only one of the moves. The Seahawks also released former starter Tre Flowers on October 12.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport first reported the roster move, saying that Flowers requested his release. However, Carroll addressed the situation during his October 13 media availability and said that Flowers never made this request. The head coach said that he wanted to give the fourth-year corner time to land with another team.
“I think it was time for a change for him,” Carroll said. “He had a couple of guys who were getting play time ahead of him. I love that guy, I love the kid. I’ve been working with him as close as anybody I’ve worked with since I’ve been here, and I feel better for him to get out of here and get going again. There’s a lot of teams that need corners, and I hope he gets a great shot.”
Flowers won a starting job during the preseason and lined up across from Reed during the first three games. He played 100% of the defensive snaps but struggled to contain opposing receivers. He gave up 14 receptions for 208 yards and one touchdown, earning a 52.9 coverage grade from Pro Football Focus.
READ NEXT: Seahawks Sign Quarterback, Make Decision on Blake Bortles
Comments
Seahawks Rookie Corner Is ‘Full Go’ & Back at Practice