When Gavin Feek of the Field Gulls wrote about his experience at Seattle Seahawks training camp a few weeks ago, he described the scene so well that I won’t even try. All I’ll say is that the Virginia Mason Athletic Center is truly a picturesque place and being there just felt like a much-needed vacation. The weather was sunny with temperatures in the 80s, which might sound like a pleasant summer afternoon, but if you ask me, it’s terrible football weather. That’s my only complaint.

I got off the bus and was immediately greeted by Blue Thunder, and I don’t know about you, but drumlines never cease to amaze me. cheeredThe atmosphere was already impeccable. I worked my way through the crowd and found a comfortable spot on the shoulder, between 40 and just behind the fence.

The first player I saw on the field was second-year tight end Brady Russell, who was loosening up with stretching, dancing, and generally having a lot of fun. In my opinion, he was a standout player in training camp, not just for his performance, but for his overall presence. There’s no replacing guys like Nick Bellore or Luke Willson, but Brady Russell certainly fills that personality void. He genuinely seems so excited to just exist, and that kind of thing can be contagious. I’d be surprised if he’s not a fan favorite before the end of this season.

After Blitz and event host Andy Dooley pumped up the crowd, the other players took to the field. It quickly became apparent that this was going to be another ACT (alignment, communication, technique) practice, which unfortunately for me meant no pads or helmets were being worn. I was really looking forward to another intense practice to see firsthand what our guys were like, but given the events of the previous day, a light day of practice was probably best for the team. Instead, I was able to get a feel for what Geno Smith and his offense are up to this season.

There are a few points worth mentioning, but the most obvious is that Coach Mike Macdonald wasn’t just talking when he said they want to feed DK Metcalf this season. I wish I had counted, but there was a stretch during practice where Geno went to DK at least four times in a row. It also felt like he might have put some emphasis on getting the ball over the middle to DK, even though he’s worked on overall route running. As he has been throughout training camp, Riq Woolen was tied to DK for most plays.

You asked for it, and it seems #morebobo is indeed on the menu. Jake Bobo’s value really can’t be overstated, and offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb knows it. Bobo was heavily involved in the first and second team offense and certainly had his fair share of targets. Of course, the crowd loved it. I didn’t feel like he was viewed as the fourth wide receiver on the order, but more as another weapon in our arsenal.

I wish I had more to say about Jaxon Smith-Njigba, but please don’t take that as a negative. His role in this offense is very clear, and he had by far the most tackles in the practice game, only DK was better off. He seems to be exactly the top-notch talent you’d expect him to be.

The only player that surprised me a little was Pharaoh Brown, as he seemed to make a lot of plays. Of course, Noah Fant is coming off a minor injury, so expect more plays for Brown, but my impression up to this point was that he would be used primarily as a blocking tight end. That may still be the case, but in packages with multiple tight ends or in rotation, Brown seems to be a reliable target in short yardage situations.

While a walkthrough practice like this really only highlights the offense, the play of the day belongs to defensive lineman “Big Cat” Leonard Williams, who dropped into coverage, got his hands on the ball, caught it, and rumbled into the end zone for six runs. I couldn’t see through the wall of very big men to the other side of the field where this happened, so I’m not sure who the intended target was, but what I could see was that both the offense and defense (and possibly Big Cat himself) were completely caught off guard by this, as evidenced by the brief pause before anyone reacted. Once again, the crowd was delighted, and so was Uchenna Nwosu, who seemed to be having fun all day.

Nwosu wasn’t the only one having fun. The whole team seemed to enjoy the day, especially during the four individual lateral drills that simulated a desperate last-second attempt to score the win. It was definitely fun to watch, but I hope we don’t make that play again this season.

As you’d expect, plenty of players stayed out to sign autographs, including Geno Smith, Riq Woolen, DK Metcalf, Byron Murphy II, Uchenna Nwosu and Hayden Hatten, but long after they all returned to the locker room, McClendon Curtis and Tyler Lockett were still there. I can’t say for sure, but I believe they both signed for every single person who asked. I’m pretty introverted personally, so I don’t blame any of the players if they don’t stick around to sign tons of autographs, but as a dad, it’s impossible not to notice the guys who go the extra mile to make a kid’s day.

All in all, the day was a perfect way to pamper myself and I’m still excited for this season. If you’ve never been to Seahawks training camp, I highly recommend it. Just don’t forget the sunscreen! Big thanks to Whitney for giving me some, you really saved me.