Ted’s Talk: Why I still like the idea of ​​Seahawks safety Marquise Blair

I’ve always had a soft spot for safeties. Don’t ask me to explain why, because I can’t say for sure. Michael Boulware is one of my all-time favorite Seattle Seahawks. I liked the combination of Kam Chancellor and Earl Thomas.

And it’s not just the Seahawks’ safeties. Troy Polamalu, Ed Reed, Steve Atwater, Brian Dawkins, I could go on and on. Maybe it’s their skill set and ability to make an impact in multiple facets of the game. Safeties can rush in from behind and lay timber. They can also rush down the field and intercept a pass. It’s a position that allows for different body types, play styles and unique qualities that can lead to success.

With all that preamble, I’ll just say that I was excited about Marquise Blair when he was drafted by the Seahawks in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft with the No. 47 pick. There was a clear gap on defense, with Chancellor never being able to play again after his 2017 neck injury and Thomas having just signed as a free agent with the Baltimore Ravens. I was hoping Blair would bring some much-needed toughness back to Seattle’s defense.

The safety group during training camp in 2019 consisted mainly of Bradley McDougald, Tedric Thompson, Lano Hill, Ryan Neal and Blair. seemed like the perfect opportunity for a rookie to step in and secure a starting spot. Blair flashed his talent (and penchant for big hits) during his first preseason.

He was then relegated primarily to special teams at the start of the regular season, inactive for two of the first five games. Seattle was on the transfer market for Quandre Diggs – a great trade in hindsight – to bolster its safety room. Blair ended up starting three games mid-season for the injured McDougald, but returned to his reserve role afterward. Apparently, this was due to his lack of experience.

In 2020, he was moved to the nickelback position after the Jamal Adams trade and was considered by many to be one of the stars of the preseason.

He collected seven tackles and a FF in the season-opening win over the Atlanta Falcons and seemed to be on his way to reaching his potential.

Until the next game. While filling in as free safety for Quandre Diggs, who was sent off for an illegal hit, Blair was hit by friendly fire and suffered a torn ACL.

This would be the start of an unfortunate trend for Blair. He recovered in time to play in the 2021 preseason and even contributed a defensive touchdown in the final preseason game.

Blair was not a starter in 2021, playing between 15% and 41% on defense in six of the seven games he appeared in, while also participating on special teams. Unfortunately, he fractured his kneecap in Week 7 and missed the rest of the season.

He returned in 2022 but was released by Seattle in final cuts. Blair then primarily bounced between the Carolina Panthers and Philadelphia Eagles practice squads for the rest of the year. His injury woes continued into the 2023 offseason, as he tore his Achilles tendon in April and missed the entire season.

John Schneider brought Blair back to the Seahawks during training camp this year, feeling he still had enough left in the tank to contribute. After Pete Carroll was replaced in the 2024 offseason, there were rumors of discrepancies between the scouting and coaching staffs regarding playing time for younger players. I believe Blair was one of those that Schneider wished the coaches would have put on the field sooner or more often in 2019, and that’s one of the reasons he was brought back.

In two preseason games, Blair proves that he can still hit hard.

He can also still be criticized for his hits, such as the penalty flag for tackling sliding Titans QB Mason Rudolph, which was rightly penalized.

I’m definitely not going to jump the gun and think that Blair is the Seahawks’ savior in 2024. With Rayshawn Jenkins, Julian Love, K’Von Wallace, Coby Bryant and eventually Jerrick Reed, I think the safety department is pretty well stocked and Blair will likely be left out when it comes to a roster spot.

However, I also think he showed enough this go-round to be a low-risk addition to the practice squad. Surprisingly, Blair is only 27, meaning he’s only 8 months older than Julian Love and about a week older than K’Von Wallace. He still hits like a ton of bricks and brings a mindset to the defense that Mike Macdonald will surely appreciate. With my penchant for safeties, I know I certainly do.