The NFL season is has hit its midseason, and the playoff picture is starting to take form. People also are handing out some midseason awards like MVP and Rookie of the Year, but I’m looking at some underappreciated players on the Seattle Seahawks roster. Because it is easy to only think about Seahawks like Russell Wilson and Doug Baldwin, I am giving some recognition to the other guys who make this Seattle team tick.
Barkevious Mingo
Mingo has been asked to do many different things this year. He has played defensive end, strong side linebacker and weak side linebacker, which include many different responsibilities. The off-the-ball coverage linebacker part is a little new to him too. In college he was a defensive end who got after quarterbacks with his length and speed. He got to the NFL and didn’t really produce for a few teams as a rush linebacker, then he came here and has found a home as a Swiss army knife for the defense. Mingo does not have great numbers right now—he has 25 tackles, two sacks and three tackles-for-loss, but his impact goes beyond that. You constantly see him around the ball and he has mixed in with the locker room very well.
Jarran Reed
Reed was known as an above average run defender coming out of college. This year he is showing off his pass-rushing talent. Reed has five sacks in these first eight game; that’s more than double what he had gotten the past two years combined. That’s not all, either; he already has more solo tackles this year than he did all last year and his six tackles-for-loss are also a career best. You can really see how fast he is playing this year on every snap. Reed has also picked up some of the leadership for the defensive line; he is active with teammates after the snap and it seems like he loves playing with the Seahawks. I see a very bright future for this young man, and he could even get double-digit sacks this year. Reed is one of the best young defensive linemen in the game right now.
Mike Davis
All praise that is heaped on Chris Carson is deserved, but the Seattle running game is more than just him. Davis has provided some great production as the number two guy in the backfield. Pro Football Focus rated him as one of the top 10 runners in terms of yards after contact for much of the first half of the year. Davis had three carries for three yards in the first three weeks, then he exploded for more than 100 yards against Arizona. He has been running hard since then as both lead and second back. He has three touchdowns and more than 350 total yards so far this season. This is a good example of stats not quite matching up with his total impact; Davis has done such a good job of coming off the bench for a few plays here and there to spell Carson. He has less of a chance of getting into a groove, but he can be productive right off the bat, which is perfect for a running back in his position.
