Fresh off a four-day trip to Nashville that included joint practices and a narrow 16-15 loss to the Tennessee Titans on Saturday, Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald acknowledged that his team has significant room for improvement.
With a laugh, he admitted that was an optimistic way to put it.
“It’s the positive way of saying we messed up a lot,” Macdonald said. “If you look on the bright side, it’s good because we know what we need to work on. But time is ticking, and there’s a sense of urgency.”
With just one preseason game left against the Cleveland Browns at Lumen Field on Saturday at 7 p.m., Macdonald is aware of the challenges ahead in getting his team ready for a new scheme and the season opener against the Denver Broncos on Sept. 8. However, he’s confident they’ll be prepared.
“We need to eliminate some of these mistakes as we move forward,” Macdonald said. “The guys know it, and we’re expecting a big improvement this week.”
Macdonald didn’t reveal his plan for which players will play against the Browns but emphasized the need for a significant improvement in the Seahawks’ third-down defense.
“Tennessee converted something like 4 of 7 third-and-10-plus situations, which is a huge no-no,” Macdonald said. “We reviewed our execution in those situations. You can’t afford to get penalties on third-and-long in critical areas. So, yes, there’s a lot of room for growth on defense. I felt we took a step back this week.”
One highlight against the Titans was running back Kenny McIntosh, who rushed for a team-high 46 yards on eight carries and caught two passes for 17 yards. After playing in only three games in 2023 due to a knee injury, McIntosh knows he has a lot to prove to secure the third running back spot behind Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet.
McIntosh has taken most of the snaps in Seattle’s first two preseason games but feels his breakout moment is still ahead. After logging 13 total snaps on special teams last year, his main goal is to stay healthy and make the most of his fresh start.
“I was hurt last year and didn’t really showcase much,” McIntosh said. “So I came back this year with the mindset that I’m a rookie again. I’ve got a lot to prove and a lot to show the coaches.”
**Roster Moves**
The Seahawks bolstered their tight end unit on Monday by signing free agents Michael Ezeike and Devon Garrison, while waiving tight end Devin Richardson and cornerback Willie Roberts. Starters Pharaoh Brown (foot) and Noah Fant, along with undrafted free agent Jack Westover (hamstring), all missed the game against the Titans due to injuries.
Former Pittsburg State tight end Devon Garrison has signed with the Seattle Seahawks, as announced by the team on Monday.
Garrison, a two-time All-American at PSU, participated in rookie minicamps with the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings after going undrafted.
His signing comes as the Seahawks deal with injuries to three of their tight ends. Seattle has one preseason game left against Cleveland on Saturday, August 24th.
