After a long wait, Seattle Seahawks football is back. The Hawks return to action in the team’s first preseason game on Sunday.

Pete Carroll and company will kick off what they hope will be yet another successful season on the road in Kansas City against a Chiefs team that went 11-5 last season. While it is the preseason, and results aren’t nearly as vital, the fact that Seattle will be tested right out of the gate can only be looked at as a positive.

With the starters playing a limited number of snaps, as is generally the case in the opening week of the preseason, a number of young players on Seattle’s roster will get a chance to impress early on.

Seattle Seahawks defensive lineman Cliff Avril makes a tackle in a game against the Kansas City Chiefs. Image via Charlie Riedel/AP
Seattle Seahawks defensive lineman Cliff Avril makes a tackle in a game against the Kansas City Chiefs | Charlie Riedel - AP
 

Battle for the backup quarterback job

One position battle involving young players to watch is at quarterback. Russell Wilson is the undoubted starter, but the real competition is for the right to be his backup.

In the past, the Hawks have only opted to carry one quarterback to deputize Wilson. Whether it be Tarvaris Jackson or Matt Flynn, Seattle has generally only had one backup to their Super Bowl winning signal caller.

With previous backup Jackson unsigned, it looks like it will come down to either Jake Heaps or Trevone Boykin. Heaps is a local product, having previously starred at nearby Skyline High School in Sammamish, Washington. He’ll go up against Boykin, who possesses a similar skill set to Wilson in the sense that he can make plays with both his feet and his arm.

The duo will likely receive the lion’s share of snaps under center with Wilson and the other starters playing minimal snaps. Saturday will be the first significant opportunity for either to make an impact on the battle to make the team.

Competition at running back

Elsewhere in the backfield, there is yet another competition.

Christine Michael will more than likely start in the preseason opener against the Kansas City Chiefs | Thearon W. Henderson - Getty Images
Christine Michael will more than likely start in the preseason opener against the Kansas City Chiefs | Thearon W. Henderson - Getty Images

With Marshawn Lynch retired and starter Thomas Rawls recently coming off the PUP list, the Hawks will be taking a look at a number of options on Saturday and as the preseason progresses. Rookies Alex Collins, Zac Brooks and C.J. Prosise all provide different looks in the backfield. Collins is more of the workhorse-type back, while Brooks and Prosise can also make a difference in the passing game.

In addition to the trio, Canadian Football League product Cameron Marshall and incumbent backup Christine Michael will also factor into the competition.

With more jobs up for grabs on the offensive line and at linebacker, Saturday’s contest should certainly be an intriguing one for the Seahawks. What’s more, there are also battles for reserve places along the defensive line and in the defensive secondary.

Start time

Saturday’s game against the Chiefs kicks off at 4:30 pm Eastern Time. It is the first of four preseason contests for the Hawks. 

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About the author
Ben Rosener
Ben Rosener is a sports writer born and raised in the greater Seattle area. He is a college who is the editor and founder of two sports websites, Kingdome of Seattle Sports and Know Hitter, the latter of which is a member of the BBA. Ben’s work can also be found on the digital pages of Bleacher Report, USA Today, World Soccer Talk and FanSided among others. He only refers to himself in the third person for bios.