When the Seattle Seahawks took the field at the VMac for practice earlier today, they did so with several players who had been missing time in recent days. Obviously, this is all great and encouraging for the team as they head towards their first preseason game, but to me, the biggest development of the day is the return of cornerback Julian Neal .
The rookie had been absent from the field in recent days, getting his leg injured two weeks ago and missing every training camp session since. He also missed the mock game, a tragic lost opportunity for the former third round pick. There was a noticeable lack of updates from the team about his health, so it wasn't clear when he'd get back onto the field.
Auburn Tigers wide receiver Cam Coleman (8) is tackled after a catch by Arkansas Razorbacks defensive back Julian Neal (23). | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The answer, as it turns out, was today. During a practice session, Neal was seen in uniform and taking the field. Thankfully, it would seem that Macdonald was correct when calling the original injury a short-term issue. Neal now has an opportunity to get in needed reps before the preseason opener on Saturday, which is a great opportunity for him.
Julian Neal is my favorite rookie in Seattle's draft class this year, and I believe he's going to be a really good pro in this defense. But I don't get the sense that he's likely to hit the ground running as a rookie. While he got a decent amount of experience in college, most of it was as a backup, and his first year starting was at Fresno State against weaker competition.
Auburn Tigers wide receiver Cam Coleman (8) runs a route resulting in a touchdown catch as Arkansas Razorbacks defensive back Julian Neal (23). | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Neal only had one year at Arkansas where he got to square up against good opponents on a weekly basis. It's not a resume that I believe lends itself to immediate NFL success, and he needs all the chances he can get to build experience in training camp. The two weeks he lost could prove costly to his chances of making early contributions.
I wonder if there's a correlation between Neal missing so much important time and the Seahawks showing interest in Terrion Arnold . Perhaps the fear is that Neal isn't even ready to be capable depth, so they want to give themselves a chance with a highly-talented player like Arnold. As of this writing, Terrion is still a free agent, but I feel like there's a connection.
Arkansas defensive back Julian Neal (DB24) during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
However, we're still 30 days away from the season opener, and we've still got the whole preseason in front of us. If Neal is able to play in all three, even if he's not ready to start, I think he should be enough to provide depth behind Witherspoon, Jobe, and Pritchett.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/seahawks/onsi as Seahawks get Good Injury News on Rookie Julian Neal .
