The Seattle Seahawks' first preseason game went rather well, as the team was victorious over the Denver Broncos 22-14. Wild card losers last season, the Seahawks are looking to make the playoffs again, actually advancing this time around.
Here are three players to watch during Seattle's exhibition bout with the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.
3. QB Paxton Lynch
Much like a car crash, it's hard not to watch Lynch even if it isn't pleasing to the eye.
The former first-round bust has four career starts for Denver, going 79-of-128 for 792 yards, four touchdowns, and four interceptions. He was drafted as a project, but never developed with the Broncos. Now, he is competing for the backup quarterback job with Geno Smith.
Against his former team last week, Lynch was 11-of-15 for 109 yards and a score, and also had 38 yards and a score on the ground. One decent game isn't enough for him to win the roster spot, but it was certainly encouraging to see. Lynch is a mobile 6-foot-7, 245 pounds with a very strong arm, so naturally his potential is very high. Perhaps the Seahawks will be able to get out of him what the Broncos were unable to.
2. DE Rasheem Green
Green was a third-round pick out of USC last year, but the versatile defensive lineman didn't see the field much, logging nine total tackles and one sack. He would have benefited from another year in college, but the fact that he was still a day-two pick shows his vast potential.
With Frank Clark gone and Ziggy Ansah's perennial injury issues, Green is likely to be counted on much more in 2019. He had a solid first game against Denver, totaling three tackles, one of which went for loss. The Vikings offensive line has multiple question marks, so if Green is able to get playing time early, it will be a good chance for him to show he can get the job done against starters, whether he's playing on the edge or slides down inside.
1. WR D.K. Metcalf
After blowing up the combine and receiving top-five hype, Metcalf fell all the way to the end of the second round of the NFL Draft. He lost out on a lot of money, but it's hard to envision a better situation for him than in Seattle, where he will be able to do what he does best: run one-cut routes and streaks, with Russell Wilson getting him the ball.
Wilson is very accurate downfield, so it's a perfect fit for Metcalf. He caught one of four targets for eight yards in his NFL debut, so it would be great to see him get some accurate throws further down the field. He was targeted on passes of 45 and 35 yards, but both fell incomplete.
Metcalf may have a limited role in the NFL, but as long as he isn't asked to do what he can't, he'll be a dangerous player, especially playing in an offense like Seattle's. With Doug Baldwin's retirement, Metcalf should have a significant role right away, and with a strong preseason, could end up starting opposite Tyler Lockett. He'll need to have a good showing against Minnesota's deep secondary this week.
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