Tag: Stone Forsythe

4 of the most-pleasant surprises for the Seahawks in 2023

Here are four players who have been the most-pleasant surprises for Seattle so far this year.

In case you haven’t heard, the Seahawks are good again. Off to their first strong start since they won five straight to begin the 2020 season, Seattle has arrived at the early bye week with a 3-1 record. Aside from the second half collapse against Los Angeles in Week 1, these Seahawks have performed above even our relatively-rosy projections heading into the year, predicting they’d finish at 11-6. Right now it looks like we sold them short.

The biggest single reason why things are going so well is the return of middle linebacker Bobby Wagner. He has whipped the front-seven into shape and completely reversed last year’s dynamic of atrocious run defense, leading a unit that is currently allowing the third-fewest yards per carry in the NFL and less than 90 rushing yards per game. Wagner’s brilliance hasn’t been breaking news for about 11 years, though. Let’s focus on some contributors who we didn’t expect to ball out but have started the 2023 season hot.

Here are four players who have been the most-pleasant surprises for the team so far this year.

Geno Smith credits backup OTs for solid pass protection vs. Detroit

Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith spoke some endearing words about his offensive line after Sunday’s victory over the Lions.

Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith spoke some endearing words about his offensive line after Sunday’s victory over the Lions.

Smith was sacked just once on 67 total offensive plays despite Seattle having to deploy backups at both left and right tackle. Here’s what he shared about Stone Forsythe and Jake Curhan.

Smith’s “This is who we are” remark likely refers to the Seahawks’ ability to overcome blowing a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter. On a flawless nine-play overtime drive, Smith punched in on a six-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Lockett to win the game.

More Seahawks Wire stories

Power rankings going into Week 3

Ranking each starter by QBR

Seahawks 53-man roster tracker

Projecting starters at Seahawks offensive tackle spots for Week 2

Here’s a review of the team’s options and depth at each position assuming Cross is out as well as Lucas.

It didn’t take long for the Seahawks offensive line to get shaken up. Right tackle Abe Lucas has been placed on injured reserve due to knee soreness, knocking him out until at least Week 7. Meanwhile, left tackle Charles Cross is day to day with turf toe and did not practice yesterday – an indication he’ll also be out on Sunday against the Lions.

Since the team learned that both Cross and Lucas are injured they have been very busy on this front. Seattle has signed two offensive linemen to their practice squad, bringing back Greg Eiland as well as signing 41-year old veteran Jason Peters. Yesterday, the Seahawks signed two more offensive linemen to their active roster, poaching offensive tackle Raiqwon O’Neal off the Buccaneers practive squad as well as tackle/guard combo McClendon Curtis off the Raiders practice squad.

Let’s break it all down and see if we can project who will wind up starting at each spot this week. Here’s a review of the team’s options and depth at each position – assuming Cross is out as well as Lucas.

Left tackle:

  • Charles Cross
  • Stone Forsythe
  • Raiqwon O’Neal
  • Jason Peters

The next man up on the depth chart after Cross is Stone Forsythe, which doesn’t inspire a ton of confidence given his experience level. The former sixth-round draft pick has only one start under his belt and has only been on the field for a total of 149 offensive snaps in his career. If head coach Pete Carroll doesn’t like Forsythe’s chances against Lions second-year edge Aidan Hutchinson, he may roll with one of the new tackles he brought in this week.

The nine-time Pro Bowler Jason Peters is the most-logical option to start here given his extensive experience at left tackle (200+ pro starts). However, it sounds like Peters won’t be ready to go until next week. That makes Raiqwon O’Neal the next-best option on the blindside for Seattle against Detroit. He played two years at Rutgers then transferred to UCLA last season, where he started 13 games at left tackle.

Prediction: Our best guess is that Forsythe will begin the game starting. However, it won’t take much for Carroll to pull him in favor of O’Neal.

Right tackle:

  • Abe Lucas
  • Jake Curhan
  • McClendon Curtis
  • Greg Eiland

On the other side we know for sure that Lucas is out, and this spot is the far more concerning one. While Forsythe somehow graded out well in pass protection according to PFF, Jake Curhan put in another poor grade, getting a 53.0 mark in pass blocking, the second lowest on the team. Curhan did well in run blocking (72.7) but that won’t help Geno Smith when Aidan Hutchinson lines up on that side and comes crashing into the backfield to pressure his throwing arm.

Next up on the depth chart is McLendon Curtis, one of several Senior Bowl darlings that Seattle was widely expected to pick on Day 3 of the draft. Curtis is one of the most highly-regarded undrafted rookie linemen in the league. While he doesn’t have Curhan’s experience, we’re willing to bet that his ceiling is higher.

Seattle also has Greg Eiland as a distant third option. He may be elevated from the practice squad this week for depth but it’s unlikely he will play significant snaps unless the other options both fail miserably or get injured.

Prediction: We’re going to go out on a limb here and pick Curtis to start over Curhan – who was the team’s worst offensive lineman last season and would be their weakest link up front if he does wind up starting.

More Seahawks Wire stories

PFF grades for all 32 starting QBs in Week 1

NFL power rankings going into Week 2

Gators coach Patrick Toney checks in on this 4-star safety target

The West Orange High product gets a visit from a Gators coach at his school’s spring game.

Florida football’s co-defensive coordinator/safeties coach [autotag]Patrick Toney[/autotag] is out on the recruiting trail on Thursday for a scheduled visit at West Orange High in Winter Garden, Florida, according to Swamp247. The Gators coach will be in town to watch the school’s spring game, which includes 4-star safety [autotag]Jordan Castell[/autotag] who is among many head coach [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] and his staff are pursuing to beef up their defensive backfield.

The 6-foot-2-inch, 195-pound athlete is no stranger to the Gators, having toured UF’s campus back in March, giving him a chance to familiarize himself with the team and its surroundings. While meeting with the coaching staff, he was also able to get a gander at some of the spring practices that were underway giving him a peek at what the Swamp has to offer.

After the visit, Castell offered the following to Swamp247.

“I love the energy there. I love the coaching staff they have at Florida. It’s just a really great spot to be at. I was at their scrimmage so I got to see the energy of their practice. They had guys that looked like they loved being out there playing for each other. It was real nice. I got to sit in the position meetings with the safeties and then I got to meet with the DB coaches like Coach Raymond, Coach Toney, and Coach Chaney. I have a good relationship with them.

“Really I just like the environment there. The coaching staff seemed really cool and I got to talk to some of the players. They get guys to the next level at Florida and have players who want to be there. I just feel like I fit in there. I think I fit in their defense. I am good at covering and I can come down and tackle. I just feel like I can help them a lot.”

The junior safety is planning on taking another trip to Gainesville in June for an official visit, though no exact date has been set yet.

Another top player that the Warriors’ program recently produced is Oklahoma Sooners 2022 signee wide receiver [autotag]Jayden Gibson[/autotag], who the Gators pursued and managed to get a commitment from, but ultimately missed out on. Former Florida offensive tackle [autotag]Stone Forsythe[/autotag], who was the 24th pick of the sixth round (No. 208 overall) in the 2021 NFL draft by the Seattle Seahawks, also played for the high school Orange and Blue.

Castell is the No. 359 prep prospect overall while ranking as the No. 32 player at his position nationally, according to the 247Sports Composite, while the On3 Consensus has him at Nos. 332 and 30, respectively. Both services have Florida out front in the recruitment race, with 247Sports listing it as the only “warm” school and On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine giving the Gators a 46.8% chance of landing him.

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Seahawks 2021 rookie class finishes dead last in end-of-year rankings

The Seattle Seahawks 2021 rookie class of Dee Eskridge, Tre Brown and Stone Forsythe finished dead last in NFL.com’s end-of-year rankings.

The 2021 NFL season is now a distant memory and the end-of-the-year grades have been issued. A couple of writers over at NFL.com, Gennaro Filice and Nick Shook, evaluated the rookie classes of all 32 teams and ranked them from first to worst.

The Seattle Seahawks’ draft class of just three players – wide receiver Dee Eskridge, cornerback Tre Brown, and tackle Stone Forsythe – finished dead last.

“With a league-low three picks in the 2021 draft, this Seahawks class was fighting an uphill battle from Day 1,” Filice writes. “And then injuries hit, leveling the limited sources of joy. Eskridge, Seattle’s only pick in the first two days of the draft, missed much of the offseason ramp-up due to a nagging toe injury. He was active for the season opener, but suffered a concussion and missed the next seven games. All in all, he played 10 games and posted a grand total of 14 touches for 123 yards.”

“Brown’s rookie campaign had to be the biggest gut-punch of them all, though,” Filice continues. “After starting the season on injured reserve with a knee sprain, the cornerback made his NFL debut in Week 6 and immediately provided positive returns in an area of extreme need. One month later, he suffered a season-ending patellar tendon injury . . .  Forsythe, Seattle’s final pick, played just 14 offensive snaps on the season.”

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Seahawks: 6 players who should get more playing time down the stretch

Here are six players who haven’t gotten much playing time in 2021 who deserve more of a look down the stretch.

The Seattle Seahawks are not going to make the playoffs this year. While this is a prideful group that will continue competing over the last three games of the season, it’s time to start thinking about the future. Part of that means evaluating the young talent already on the roster.

Here are six players who haven’t gotten much playing time in 2021 who deserve more of a look down the stretch.

Secret Superstars of the 2021 preseason: Week 3

Week 3 of the 2021 preseason marked every player’s last chance to stand out. Which under-the-radar players did that the most as the preseason came to an end?

The last week of any preseason means different things to different types of players. Established veterans, if they play at all, are trying to shake the last bits of rust off, establish communication with new coaches and teammates, and try to avoid any injuries. High draft picks are trying to show what they’re capable of — if they’re not already starters, they’re trying to be. Then, there are the low draft picks, the undrafted players, and the veterans who are just trying to land on a roster. The real drama of the preseason is theirs — these players are playing for their professional lives, and they hope they just get enough reps to convince their current teams — or other teams if they don’t make final cuts — that they have something to offer at the NFL level.

Here are the Secret Superstars of Week 3 of the 2021 preseason — some players who either established roster spots, or, at the very least, put up enough good tape to make other NFL teams take notice.

Seahawks Preseason: 4 players who need to step up vs. Broncos

Here are a few players who need to step up with a good performance.

Preseason games may not be the most exciting football in the world. For undrafted players and others on the roster bubble these can be the most important games of their lives, though.

The Seahawks will be hosting the Broncos tomorrow night in the second of their three August matchups this year. Here are a few players who need to step up with a good performance.

2 members of Seahawks 2021 NFL draft class now under contract

The Seattle Seahawks have now signed two members of their 2021 NFL draft class, wide D’Wayne Eskridge and tackle Stone Forsythe.

In addition to the 13 undrafted free agents signed on Friday, the Seattle Seahawks now have two members of their three-player draft class under contract.

Wide receiver D’Wayne Eskridge, who was selected in the second round, and tackle Stone Forsythe, taken in the sixth, have both officially signed with Seattle. Only cornerback Tre Brown has yet to sign his contract, but he is expected to participate in this weekend’s minicamp.

The Seahawks also signed German linebacker Aaron Donkor on Friday. Donkor was allocated to Seattle via the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program.

Donkor will join Seattle’s rookie draft and undrafted class, as well as the four players signed Thursday, for the three-day minicamp.

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