Day 1 of Seahawks training camp: O-line update, rookies competing to start at corner?

Now for the “other” position battles, besides at quarterback, in this Seahawks training camp full of unknowns:

It began with some mixing and matching on offense — and the coach hinting two rookies could be pushing for starting jobs on defense.

On Seattle’s first day of training camp Wednesday, that unit stayed the same as it was in offseason practices of May and June. Tre Brown watched on the sidelines wearing a cap instead of a helmet while Artie Burns started for him at right cornerback. Brown, the team’s second of three draft choices in 2021, is on the physically-unable-to-perform list to begin camp. He hasn’t practiced since knee surgery ended his rookie season in November.

Coach Pete Carroll said following Wednesday’s practice in 95-degree heat that Brown should be back on the field soon.

“He’s close but not ready today...But it is not going to be a long haul,” Carroll said. “He’s running and working hard. He’s really encouraged that he can make it back soon. So we think that should happen.”

The Seahawks signed Burns, the former Steelers first-round pick, the day they lost starting cornerback D.J. Reed to a rich free-agent contract from the New York Jets.

Sidney Jones was the starting left cornerback Wednesday, as he was for 11 games over the final four months of last season.

Rookie draft choices Coby Bryant (left) and Tariq Woolen (right) were the second-team cornerbacks.

“I’m excited about those two guys, now,” Carroll said. “They are totally different football players. They are different ends of the spectrum on how they play and their style and all that. The creativity and the play-making ability that Coby brings, you know, is obvious.”

Bryant is the fourth-round draft choice named after the late NBA legend. He was relatively unheralded at the University of Cincinnati because of teammate Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner, the fourth-overall pick in April’s draft by the New York Jets.

Yet Bryant has stood out through offseason practices and Wednesday’s first day of training camp.

One of Drew Lock’s best passes dropped onto the hands of rookie wide receiver Bo Melton in stride deep down the right sideline. Bryant stayed shoulder-on-shoulder inside Melton, jumped with him and knocked away Lock’s throw.

“He’s got incredible hands and play-making ability on the ball. You can already see that,” Carroll said, listing two of the biggest requirements to play the NFL’s toughest position not named quarterback.

Woolen continued to turn heads.

He’s the physical freak on defense that 6-foot-4, 235-pound wide receiver DK Metcalf is on offense. Woolen is the first 6-4 guy who’s run a 4.26-second 40-yard dash Carroll’s ever seen.

“We have not had a guy more physically able than Tariq,” Carroll said. “He’s long and tall and really fast. He’s a natural mover. He’s smart and gets it.

“We’ll see what happens. The best thing about that is it’s a competition. Those guys are both starting with the twos today. We want to give them a lot of chances to make sure we see those guys. We gather a lot of good information against the best guys we can put him against.”

Rookies — drafted, undrafted, heralded, unheralded — play all the time for Carroll. Always have.

“I’m not worried about how old the guy is. I never have,” the 70-year-old former defensive backs coach and defensive coordinator said. “It just depends on how far he comes. Like other positions, we’ve got to see the looks. They’ve got to get the opportunity. We’ve got to see how they handle stuff, how they bounce back, how they handle it. There is a million things that we got to take in.

So, yes, “Always Compete” Carroll is widening the cornerback competition to include the two rookies.

“There is no rush into making this decision, at all,” Carroll said. “It’s just we’ve got to do a nice job of repping them.”

O-line starters

The first-team offensive line to begin training camp: rookie first-round pick Charles Cross anchored at left tackle, third-year starter Damien Lewis at left guard, offseason free-agent signing Austin Blythe at center, 2022 starter Gabe Jackson alternating with Dakoda Shepley at right guard and Jake Curhan at right tackle.

The Seahawks signed Shepley at the end of last summer off waivers from San Francisco with the thought he’d become a candidate at center. Blythe, the former Los Angeles starter when Seahawks offensive coordinator Shane Waldron coached the Rams, in on a one-year deal worth up to $4 million with $2.5 million guaranteed. The younger, minimum-salaried Shepley is playing more guard. He also got some plays late in practice at center, with Lock.

The second-team offensive line Wednesday: Stone Forsythe at left tackle, listed tackle Greg Eiland the left guard, Kyle Fuller at center, Phil Haynes the right guard and rookie Abe Lucas from Washington State at right tackle.

Haynes was the right guard and Shepley the left guard next to Blythe blocking for Lock for the final couple plays of practice.

Penny’s weight

New lead running back Rashaad Penny said he weighs 237 pounds — the same weight he was when he had the best four games of his career to end last season and earn a Seahawks contract worth $5.75 million for this year.

“I kind of played there last year. I feel like with my knee and how things responded with my quad, getting stronger and developing more muscle, that’s kind of the weight.

“This is why I’m here and practicing hard, to drop down and be somewhere perfect where I can play in the season. ...

“I’ve still got a lot to prove to myself. I’ve got to be healthy. I’ve still got a big chip on my shoulder.”

Protecting heads

“The-league mandated equipment is an adjustment for us. We’re involved in a three-week experiment, from what I understand,” Carroll said. “They look, I don’t know how to describe them — wearing an umbrella, wearing a pillow, I don’t know.

“There is no question that they should help. Both sides of the ball using those things. They are taking three weeks of hits off these guys, that’s really what’s happening. They had issues that were accumulative.”

Asked if the helmets will be used in practices during the regular season Carroll said: “I don’t know that. We are going to take in all the information and follow the science there.”

Weird sight of the day

Carroll wearing a Seahawks visor on the burning, 95-degree day.

It’s the first time anyone can remember Carroll wearing something over his flowy, gray hair during any Seahawks practice.

Why?

His wife wants him the Bay Area native and former USC coach to protect his skin better than he has.

“I promised I would cover up,” Carroll said. “I’ve been so stupid for so long. I got to cover up a little bit.

“Glena got (after) me.”

BBK to IR

Former University of Washington linebacker and recent Seahawks special-teams mainstay Ben Burr-Kirven cleared league waivers. Seattle then put him on season-ending injured reserve. He had reconstructive knee surgery last summer, and another surgery this offseason.

“Ben had surgery, nerve surgery. It takes a long time for it to recover,” Carroll said. “It is a remarkable attempt of being fixed with his injury and he’s having a great comeback to it. But still wasn’t quite right or wasn’t going where it needed to go so, thought this was the best thing. He went for it and it’s just going to take a while.”

Quote of the day

“Oh man, I just talked to K.J. a couple days ago...just learning the way he carries himself. Obviously, the football knowledge is there. Everybody knows the type of player he was and how smart he was as a football player. But I thought the biggest thing I learned from him is just how you carry yourself as a leader, as a man, as a husband, friend, teammate, everything. So just watching him my first year coming into the league, I thought that did me a lot of justice my two years coming after him.” -- linebacker Jordyn Brooks, reacting to Wright’s retirement as a Seahawk Wednesday after signing a one-day contract.