RENTON, Wash. (AP) — Part of what has made the Seattle Seahawks' defense the best in the NFL in recent seasons is the combination of Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor at safety.
For the start of training camp, those All-Pro names have been replaced by Steven Terrell and DeShawn Shead as Thomas continues to recover from offseason shoulder surgery and Chancellor is holding out unhappy with his contract situation.
They're far from household names. Only the most die-hard Seattle fans would even know who Terrell and Shead are. But the time they get playing free and strong safety during training camp is vitally important in giving the Seahawks confidence they have a pair of capable backups should Thomas or Chancellor miss any games.