Tag: Ugo Amadi

3 biggest winners for Seahawks after 2020 NFL draft

The Seattle Seahawks added eight new players via the 2020 NFL draft, and that was really good news for some of their current players.

The 2020 NFL draft is in the books, and the Seattle Seahawks came away with eight new players to compete for jobs on the 53-man roster during training camp.

A pair of edge defenders and a pair of tight ends highlight the class, but the team also added a run-stuffing linebacker, a slot receiver, a third down running back and a mauling right guard – an eclectic group of talented players, many who have battled adversity in their young careers and are ready to come in with a chip on their shoulder and immediately make an impact on this club.

Adding eight new players creates some competitive positional battles in camp, and while that will certainly create some tough roster decisions for Pete Carroll and John Schneider – that’s exactly how they prefer it.

While a few players will be sweating their job security, the Seahawks had a trio of obvious winners on their current roster after the draft was over.

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Seahawks could play Quinton Dunbar inside or outside

Coach Pete Carroll and GM John Schneider spoke about new acquisition Quinton Dunbar on Tuesday, and they mentioned his versatility.

Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider’s biggest move of the offseason has not been a free agent signing, but rather the trade with the Washington Redskins to acquire cornerback Quinton Dunbar.

Schneider sent a fifth round pick out east for the rights to Dunbar, who was Pro Football Focus’ second highest rated cornerback last year, behind former Seahawk Richard Sherman.

Dunbar has excellent length – a classic Seahawks trait – and Schneider and coach Pete Carroll praised his versatility, ball skills and playmaking abilities in their first public comments since making the trade last month.

“He’s got a great feel for receivers at the top of the route,” Schneider said, noting his former experience as a receiver. “He’s got great ball skills. He could play inside. He could play outside.”

“I’m excited about this guy,” coach Carroll added. “He’s a playmaker and we need depth at corner and we need to cover people up and we need to be able to match up really well; continue to do that. Division continues to get more difficult and challenging. Excellent players coming in. And so for us to figure out a chance to get to Quinton and all that is great…makes us that much more competitive and hopefully just adds to this coverage that we need to play the kind of ball we want to play.”

The expectation is that Dunbar will start in place of Tre Flowers on the outside opposite Shaquill Griffin – although the team will allow Flowers to compete for the job in camp.

There’s at least an outside chance the Seahawks would explore having Dunbar play nickel, especially against big tight ends, but that would likely only happen if Flowers takes big strides this offseason and they want to get him in the starting lineup.

Regardless, Dunbar will be a big part of this Seattle defense in 2020, helping to reshape the secondary in the wake of the legion of boom era.

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Ugo Amadi committed to playing more aggressively in the 2020 season

Seattle Seahawks cornerback Ugo Amadi recently told 710 ESPN Seattle that he is committed to playing more aggressively for the 2020 season.

Entering his sophomore campaign, Seattle Seahawks cornerback Ugo Amadi is committed to making fewer mistakes and playing more aggressively than he did in his rookie year.

“I feel like, especially on defense, the opportunity I got on the field, I feel like I never wanted to make a mistake,” Amadi told 710 ESPN Seattle.

Amadi stated he believes he will be able to react to plays faster than in his rookie year now that he recognizes his previous miscues.

“Now that I’ve made a mistake, I can play a lot faster now,” Amadi said. “I feel like I was playing timid and when I’d see things, I wouldn’t go right away like I did in college. But I feel like with a year under my belt, I’m going to be able to react instead of thinking and then reacting. I was just trying to play everything safe and I feel like next year I’m going to be a lot more confident to be more aggressive, especially on defense.”

Amadi went on to say that he loves playing for Seahawks coach Pete Carroll, partially because he was a fan of USC football when Carroll coached there.

“To be honest with you, I love every bit of (playing for Carroll),” he said. “Every moment we have, everything. Getting drafted there, I was always a big USC fan, especially when Pete Carroll was there and when I got the opportunity to be coached by him, I embrace every moment I have with him.”

Amadi will have his opportunities in 2020 if the season does not get canceled by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

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Could the Seahawks pursue Trajan Bandy as nickel corner?

Trajan Bandy is an undersized CB who scouts believe will excel as a nickel corner in press coverage, making him an ideal fit for Seattle.

The Seattle Seahawks have a laundry list of priorities to take care of this offseason, most notably on the defensive and offensive lines.

After that they will need to find a third running back, a backup quarterback and another wide receiver or two and then, eventually, they’ll want to find players to compete with Ugo Amadi at the nickel cornerback position.

While it is not the team’s top priority, using the back end of the 2020 NFL draft could be a great way for this team to bring competition in for Amadi, while also developing key contributors on the special teams – likely as replacements for free agents Neiko Thorpe and Akeem King.

While Myles Bryant of UW is a popular choice for this gig, another name the Seahawks could target at the end of the draft or as an undrafted free agent is Miami CB Trajan Bandy.

Bandy is undersized, standing 5’8 with just 29 7/8 inch arms, which limited him in man coverage as an outside corner with the Hurricanes.

Most scouts are certain he will be a slot corner in the NFL, and he excels in zone and press coverages – two areas that should make him appealing for the Seahawks.

Additionally, Bandy is a solid tackler in the open field, suggesting he would be an asset on the special teams as a gunner.

The Seahawks will focus on pass rush and skilled offensive positions before they find competition for Amadi at the nickel, but once they turn their attention that way – Bandy is a solid option for them to pursue.

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Seahawks expected to host free agent DB T.J. Carrie on visit

The Seattle Seahawks are looking for competition at the nickel position, and free agent T.J. Carrie makes perfect sense as a depth signing.

With free agency set to open in just one week, a report from NFL Insider Adam Caplan indicated the Seattle Seahawks are expected to host free agent defensive back T.J. Carrie on a visit.

Carrie, 29, spent the past two seasons with the Cleveland Browns, appearing in all 32 games and racking up 126 combined tackles, 12 passes defended, two interceptions and two sacks.

His previous four seasons were spent with the Raiders, where the former seventh round pick established himself as a versatile defensive back and key special teams contributor.

Seattle is likely looking at Carrie as competition at the nickel corner spot. Coach Pete Carroll indicated at combine media day the starting nickel job is second-year Ugo Amadi’s to lose, but he also made it clear they plan to flood him with competition to make him earn it – a hallmark of the culture of competition that Carroll has created in Seattle.

Carrie would represent strong competition for Amadi, who won the job late last season and performed well down the stretch. If Amadi does end up winning the role, Carrie could serve as valuable depth in the secondary and on the special teams, especially with Akeem King and Neiko Thorpe both heading into free agency.

Nothing can become official until March 18, but don’t be surprised if Carrie is in a Seattle uniform in 2020.

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Could Ugo Amadi be starter at nickel corner this upcoming season?

Former Seattle Seahawks quarterback Jake Heaps recently stated on 710 ESPN Seattle that the team could have Ugo Amadi as a nickel starter.

Former Seattle Seahawks quarterback Jake Heaps recently stated on 710 ESPN Seattle that the team should have Ugo Amadi in mind as the starting nickel corner.

“I don’t know if you can say confidently that he is the outright, penned in nickel corner starter, but for me, I think they should be going into this year thinking that way,” Heaps said. “Ugo Amadi, when he stepped in and they actually gave him a chance … late in the season, and Pete Carroll even said they should have gotten him out there (sooner).”

Heaps praised Amadi’s ability to make substantial contributions in the form of big plays on the field.

“This guy is a playmaker,” Heaps said. “When you watch his film or his tape from college, he’s a playmaker and I think that’s what Ugo Amadi brings to the table is if you actually roll him out there, and let him play 70% of the snaps during the season, he’s going to be better, he’s going to make plays for you and he’s a guy that is reliable.”

However, Heaps went on to state that Amadi’s run defense is questionable and is the reason why he is not the clear-cut starter at nickel yet.

“You’ve got to remember, you’re taking Mychal Kendricks out, a player like him or Cody Barton, and you’re putting Ugo Amadi in there, and typically, their nickel corners have been excellent run defenders,” Heaps said. “That’s the one question that you just don’t know because he hasn’t played enough snaps to have a full answer (for) that and unfortunately, I think that’s been a mistake for them, is that they don’t have a clear-cut answer as to ‘is Ugo Amadi our penned-in starter.’ If not, I think he has everything it takes to be that guy and be their next great nickel corner in the future.”

Amadi’s rookie year certainly looked promising. We will see if he gets more playing time in the future.

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Seahawks GM John Schneider states secondary needs improvement

Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider stated in his 2020 NFL Combine press conference that the secondary needs improvement.

Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider has expressed dissatisfaction with the current state of his defensive backfield heading into the 2020 season.

In his press conference at the 2020 NFL Combine, Schneider told reporters that he would be truthful in his assessment of the secondary and stated that the unit must improve to take the team as a whole to the next level.

“I think just like every position, you’re constantly looking to tweak it and figure out how you get better,” Schneider said. “Whether it’s a strong safety, free safety—obviously we want to get better. If I told you we were satisfied with the performance, I’d be lying. We all need to get better.”

However, he stated that rookie Ugo Amadi played well when pressed into active duty in the nickel corner slot.

“Ugo [Amadi] did a nice job when he got out there,” Schneider said. “We didn’t play a ton of nickel last year. You’ve got to look at the nickel position like a starter, right? Detroit got [Justin] Coleman, gave him a nice contract, he did a great job for them again. But we need to keep preparing along the way.”

The Seahawks’ secondary is certainly not as daunting as it was in years past and they finished No. 15 in pass defense DVOA last year. However, free agency and the draft still await and the Seahawks have plenty of opportunities to improve the secondary.

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Seahawks’ nickel cornerback job is Ugo Amadi’s to lose

Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said the nickel corner job is Ugo Amadi’s to lose, but they still plan to bring competition to camp.

One of the big mysteries heading into the 2019 season for the Seattle Seahawks was at the nickel cornerback position.

After Justin Coleman departed for greener pastures in Detroit, the team was left with a handful of options in training camp, including veterans Jamar Taylor and Akeem King, and rookie Ugo Amadi.

Taylor and King each got their chances, but it took until Week 14 against the Panthers for Amadi to finally take over the role full-time. Even then, the Seahawks committed to running their base 4-3 defense at an alarmingly high rate last season, making the nickel position more obsolete than it has been in years in Seattle’s scheme.

Carroll eventually admitted he wishes they had played Amadi at nickel sooner, a testament to his abilities at the position – and the struggles by Taylor and King.

Carroll doesn’t sound ready to make that same mistake again in 2020, telling reporters at the NFL combine that the nickel position is “Ugo’s to lose right now.”

Carroll did go on to say the team will bring in competition during training camp, but with Taylor, King and Kalan Reed all set to hit free agency it could be an entirely new crop of contenders for the job.

Amadi is a hard-hitter and all-around playmaker, although the numbers don’t paint a pretty picture of him in pass coverage, with his 11 times targeted resulting in nine receptions for 83 yards and an opposing passer rating of 98.3.

Still, he has the build and necessary traits to exceed as a nickel in Carroll’s defense, a role that might increase in 2020 following the not-so-great experiment of having linebackers operate in more coverage from last season.

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After Super Bowl win, Frank Clark trade is a win for both sides

The trade that sent Frank Clark from the Seattle Seahawks to the Kansas City Chiefs will work out for both teams in the long-run.

The Kansas City Chiefs are the Super Bowl LIV champions, staging a historic fourth quarter comeback and defeating the San Francisco 49ers, 31-20, to win their first championship in 50 years.

There were a handful of former Seattle Seahawks who played for both Kansas City and San Francisco, and while Richard Sherman drew the most attention it was defensive end Frank Clark who had the biggest play, and the one who came away with some new jewelry.

Clark recorded a sack late in the fourth quarter, bringing down Jimmy Garoppolo for a nine-yard loss on fourth down, turning the ball back to the Chiefs.

Kansas City scored almost immediately, and Clark also recorded a quarterback hit on the second-to-last play of the game for San Francisco’s offense.

It was a big day for the 26-year-old defensive end, who was named to the Pro Bowl in his first year with the Chiefs.

A Super Bowl win, a Pro Bowl appearance and a massive five-year, $105.5 million dollar contract caps off an impressive year for Clark, who is no doubt happy to be in Kansas City after being traded by the Seahawks just before the 2019 NFL draft.

However – despite it not looking good so far – this trade is going to end up a win for Seattle as well. The Seahawks shipped Clark away for a first and third round pick in the 2019 draft, as well as a third round pick in 2020.

Here’s where things get wacky. The Seahawks already had the No. 21 overall pick, but decided instead to trade down and use the first rounder they got from Clark to pick L.J. Collier at No. 29 overall.

Through a series of trades, the Seahawks ended up turning that No. 21 pick into six additional picks, which they used to acquire Marquise Blair, DK Metcalf, Gary Jennings, Ugo Amadi, Ben Burr-Kirven and Travis Homer.

It’s hard to imagine those deals working, and those players coming to Seattle, had the team not dealt Clark to Kansas City.

Of course, Seattle’s pass rush was an area of weakness last year, and Collier didn’t show much of anything in his rookie season, so the trade has yet to prove it will pay off just yet.

But the emergence of Metcalf has already been an outstanding one, and the potential of Blair, Amadi and Homer is sky-high, which could make this a franchise-altering trade in the long-term.

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Should the Seahawks pursue CFL cornerback Tre Roberson?

The Seattle Seahawks have added players from the CFL before, and CB Tre Roberson is a player worth exploring for Pete Carroll and company.

The Seattle Seahawks will be in the market for some help in their secondary this offseason.

While Shaquill Griffin was a Pro Bowler, the rest of the team’s cornerback group left plenty to be desired. Tre Flowers got exposed in a major way against Davante Adams and the Packers in the NFC Divisional Round, and Seattle’s backups – Akeem King and Neiko Thorpe – are both free agents who have not proven themselves as reliable DB’s when called upon.

While Ugo Amadi stepped into the nickel role nicely near the end of the year, Seattle needs to find some more depth pieces this offseason, and potentially someone to challenge Flowers for his starting role.

While free agency and the draft both promise plenty of options, Seattle could take a familiar route to finding that added depth: via the CFL.

Tre Roberson is a cornerback for the Calgary Stampeders, and after two excellent seasons with them, the former Indiana quarterback is getting all sorts of attention from NFL teams.

Roberson has reportedly already visited with nine NFL teams, with five more on the schedule. While Seattle is not one of them, it wouldn’t be surprising if Pete Carroll and company take a hard look at adding Roberson to the mix.

Seattle brought a defensive back from the CFL to the NFL once, when they signed Brandon Browner and made him one of the original members of the Legion of Boom.

Roberson may not have that kind of impact, but if he can add key depth and versatility to Seattle’s secondary, he should be given a close look by the staff.

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