Don't get me wrong--Bam Bam is the supreme enforcer and one of the most complete strong safeties in the game. Obviously, our defense would be better if he were on the field.
But we won't fold without him. Dion Bailey is a serviceable alternative.
Inserting Richard Sherman and Earl Thomas III will change things immensely.
Sure, our secondary looked vulnerable in preseason, but that was mostly a bunch of backups getting badly needed reps. Cary Williams is slated to replace Byron Maxwell as the complement to Richard Sherman, but he did not impress in preseason. Tharold Simon looked better (albeit in limited action), so I would start Simon opposite Sherman and use Williams to cover slot receivers.
For me, the real revelation of preseason was our improved pass rush. Without that added pressure on opposing quarterbacks, the reserves in our secondary would have gotten torched that much worse.
Michael Bennett looked good in limited reps, but the best news for him is an enhanced supporting cast. Last season, Bennett had to play too many snaps, but he got worn down. Presumably, improved depth will let him make a bigger difference with fresher legs on fewer snaps.
Bennett's backup--2nd-round rookie Frank Clark--plays hard and plows through people to plant quarterbacks in the turf.
Ahtyba Rubin looks like a great free agent pickup: a big body in the middle, eating up space and stuffing the run. Just add Brandon Mebane to make the middle nigh-impenetrable.
The linebackers remain solid. Last year, there was a big dropoff from Bobby Wagner to Brock Coyle at middle linebacker. Wags is still by far the better player, but Coyle seems to have gotten faster, both physically and as a result of improved anticipation. He and Kevin Pierre-Louis are good options to spell starters.
Special Teams
Obviously, Tyler Lockett's preposterous kick return chops are the big story here, but Hauschka nailing a 60-yard field goal was pretty awesome, too.
Pity about allowing that onside kick against Oakland.
Offensive Postscripts
I don't know why we're looking to sign Fred Jackson. Maybe he has something left in the tank, but I was feeling really good about Christine Michael and Thomas Rawls. I'd love to stow Rawls on the practice squad, but after his performance last night, he won't clear waivers.
I would cut R.J. Archer. He's not bad, but I like B.J. Daniels running the offense a lot better. Yes, Daniels was playing against scrubs, but he looked great despite practicing as a wideout for the last several months and getting almost no reps at quarterback. If Russell Wilson were to get injured, Daniels is the only backup on the roster who can maintain the dual threat dimension to our offense. Plus, his utility as a receiver and on special teams make him worth a roster spot.
Golden Graham still can't block. I don't see why we insist on lining him up as a traditional tight end. We have other tight ends who can block from those formations. Why get the Ginger Giant banged up blocking? He'll take enough punishment getting tackled when he catches the ball.
If you want to run the ball when the Ginger Giant is on the field, then split him outside. This will put the defender(s) farther away from the runner, and Graham can do his duty with a little shove, or by running interference, or by being a decoy.
I don't envy the coaches who have to make these cuts. In small rural schools, you get to keep 'em all, so I don't know what it would be like to have to cut a player. But having been a principal, I know how gut-wrenching it is to terminate an employee.
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