The Seattle Seahawks' newfound depth at cornerback and improved coverage ability at safety raised questions about whether Kelly Jennings might fit into the team's plans.
In a surprise, Josh Wilson was the odd man out, landing in Baltimore via trade Tuesday. Seattle will receive a 2011 fifth-round choice that can become a fourth-rounder if Wilson meets benchmarks for playing time, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports.
Wilson, generally regarded as the second-best corner on the Seahawks' roster behind Marcus Trufant, also carried value as a return specialist. That's why the Seahawks could come under criticism from a pure personnel standpoint if injuries or other circumstances create a need at the position this season.
This move doesn't make the Seahawks better in 2010, at least in my view. Jennings has durability issues and he lacks size to match up in a division featuring physical receivers. What this move suggests, on the surface, is that coach Pete Carroll thinks rookie Walter Thurmond and possibly third-year pro Roy Lewis figure prominently into the team's immediate plans.
Thurmond has outperformed expectations coming off a devastating knee injury. Lewis has played in nine NFL games, with zero starts. Carroll wants aggressive, tenacious cornerbacks who are willing run defenders. Thurmond, in particular, has looked the part.