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With training camp just a few days away for the Seattle Seahawks, there are still a few things we don’t know about the team they’ll be fielding in September against the New England Patriots. Nothing so dramatic as a quarterback battle or question marks at a spot like left tackle, but let’s talk about the most compelling position battle we have as of right now.
First, while I understand that there are some questions at the running back position, I’m not going to go there since the ultimate outcome seems fairly obvious. Jadarian Price will start at running back, and while Zach Charbonnet could push for it after he returns from injury, that will obviously play out well after training camp. So we’ll put that one on ice.
Talent VS Experience
Right now, I consider what is happening at the safety position to be the most interesting competition on this team. Julian Love is obviously locked in, but the other spot has a conundrum. It’s the classic battle between raw talent and ability versus veteran knowhow and experience. Bud Clark on one side, Ty Okada on the other.
Obviously, Bud Clark is intended to be the starter for the Seahawks at some point. The team didn’t draft him in the second round with the plan to make him a backup or rotational player. But ‘at some point’ could mean a variety of different things, including next season. And Ty Okada has a strong case to take that responsibility for now. Let’s talk it out.
The Argument
This is a fairly clear dichotomy. On the one hand, Bud Clark has more athletic traits and talent, as well as a nose for the football that you can’t teach. There’s a reason why he was a second round pick, and a four year starter in college. Okada started two years at a much smaller school and wasn’t drafted, just for comparison. Clark’s potential is much higher.
However, that potential is contrasted with Okada’s actual experience as an NFL safety. And not just that, but a good NFL safety. Okada has been on the Seahawks for three seasons, including eleven starts in 2025, where he played so well the defense did not really suffer for missing Julian Love and Coby Bryant to injuries for extended periods. Okada is proven.
The Conclusion
For now, I believe that Okada is the favorite to win the competition. His play was just too good last season. Some have even argued that he should have been permitted to start over Coby Bryant even when Coby was healthy, and Coby just got $40 million on a free agent contract. But Clark could end up pulling ahead later this season, so don’t count him out.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/seahawks/onsi as Seahawks Position Battle I’m Watching Closest in Training Camp (And How It’ll Play Out).
