For every other Seahawk, it was another practice of many during the grind.
For Trae Brown, it was poignant.
Two weeks ago, the sophomore quarterback returned to the field at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center to practice with his teammates for the first time in 12 months.
A year full of uncertainty is over. His recovery from a nasty torn patellar tendon in his left knee has been slower at times than he would have liked. He was unable to walk for two months after the operation last November. He saw no progress in his rehabilitation until September of this year.
Until then, he had watched the Seahawks’ two new quarterbacks, Tarik Woolen and Michael Jackson, flourish without him being able to compete for his job.
“It was an emotional feeling,” Brown said this week. “I was away from the game for so long, I was watching everyone do their thing and I was just sick. I wanted to be there and play with my boys.
“Getting on the field for the first time a couple of weeks ago was very emotional, I’ll tell you that.”
The Seahawks aren’t complaining. It’s actually a big challenge to make a run at the division title.
They have three starting cornerbacks for two jobs.
This is Brown’s first week back on the active roster since the surgery that ended his impressive 2021 rookie season after just three starts. Many are wondering how Brown is going to fit into the rushing defense for the 6-4 Seahawks.
Woollen, a right cornerback, is tied for second in the NFL with five interceptions. He is the favorite to win the Defensive Rookie of the Year award. Michael Jackson on the left wing quickly improved his passing in defense. That’s in addition to his grappling skills, which earned him the Browns job this summer over veterans Sidney Jones (since waived) and Artie Burns (since canned).
Brown doesn’t wonder where he fits.
“I showed (last year) that I belong in this league and that I can be one of the best corners in this league,” he said, “because every day I’m against myself. I am the biggest critic.
“So I want to go out there and make those plays. The performances I did (in 2021) were a small, small sample of what I can do.”
Coach Pete Carroll said Tuesday that he is keeping Brown playing left tackle.
“Just because that’s where he spent most of his time, yeah,” Carroll said. “I don’t want to make a lot of changes with him right now. I would like him to go where he is most comfortable. It’s good for him to play on the other side, he said. But now he will play on the left wing for a while.”
It makes sense. Left cornerback is where the 5-foot-8 Brown thrived attacking passes in flight and receiving in his limited debut last season.
It’s also across from Woolen.
He’s not going anywhere at right cornerback, likely for the next four seasons of the Seahawks’ rookie contract. The 6-4 prodigy and former University of Texas at San Antonio wide receiver with a 4.26-second 40-yard dash was NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month for October. Opposing hitters mostly avoided throwing to him as if he were a veteran All-Pro.
The 23-year-old, nicknamed “Avatar” by his Seahawks teammates and coaches, validated Carroll by starting him in the first preseason game in August.
Woolen confirmed Carroll as well as any other Seahawks draft pick since Richard Sherman, the former Stanford wide receiver who coached as a cornerback as a rookie in 2011.
That leaves Jackson. The fourth-year veteran has made his first 10 NFL starts in the first 10 games of the season. It’s him against the Browns in a contest that could begin Sunday when Seattle hosts Las Vegas (3-7) at Lumen Field (1:05 p.m., Channel 7).
Brown, Jackson compete
Jackson and Brown could trade series to decide who wins the job.
And defensive coordinator Clint Hurt said he’s also evaluating all aspects of practice to decide between Jackson and Brown to start against Woollen in December.
“A lot of it comes down to executing techniques, executing the scheme when they have one-on-one opportunities. Are they defeating them?” Hurt said. “Who plays the cleanest football? Who is the most productive on the ball, PBU (passer breakups)? All such things. Pulling the ball, turnovers, takeouts, all that stuff.
“So you have to evaluate them every day based on what happens in practice and obviously when they get their opportunities in the game. And the rest, as it were, is formed by itself.”
Hurt was asked if the competition at left corner-back is now open.
“I wouldn’t say that,” the defensive coordinator said.
“I think ‘Mike Jack’ competed and played good football, but obviously we have a lot of confidence in Tre. We’ll let it all take shape. They will take care of themselves. Let’s see where it is.
“There’s nothing wrong with having some good players at the corner position.”
As for the idea of Woollen, Jackson and Brown playing at the same time: no. Brown did not play inside cornerback as the fifth linebacker in the defense. Not for Seattle. Will not attend college at Oklahoma until 2020. And rookie Kobe Bryant excelled as the Seahawks’ nickel.
Jackson is more than fine with this contest.
A three-time out-of-the-league guy who has worked out for three teams (Dallas, New England, Seattle) ALWAYS competes to keep what he’s earned.
“This is the NFL. This is work. No one’s place is locked,” Jackson said.
“It’s the competition that comes with it.”
Brown is experiencing a comeback
This is Brown’s third week of training. He traveled with the team to Germany and previously practiced with the defense Seattle vs. Tampa Bay game. But this is the first week that Brown has been on the active roster and is eligible to participate in a game.
Carroll has talked for months about how much he wanted to see Brown back on the field and how well Brown played last year when he was injured in the game against Arizona.
Asked if he wanted to bring Brown to the defense against the Raiders, Carroll said, “Yeah. The answer to that is yes.
“I don’t know if it will happen or not. He competes to show that he is ready to go. He had a good week last week. From that point on, he physically adapted back, so he can go.”
Now he’s back to where he was as a rookie last season: proving himself.
What else is new in the NFL?
“It was tough that I got hurt, but for me to prove myself, you have to go out there and do it every day, every week, week in and week out,” Brown said. “Your job isn’t always secure, and that’s the appeal of it to me. That’s what keeps me balanced.
“Just going out there and being humble, knowing that it could be here today and gone tomorrow.”
