RENTON, Wash. (AP) — Cooper Kupp found himself on the receiving end — both literally and metaphorically — of what a second chance can do for a quarterback in 2022.
Kupp, then a wide receiver with the Rams,
witnessed a four-game stretch in Los Angeles by Baker Mayfield that revitalized the former No. 1 overall pick’s career. After being released by the Carolina Panthers earlier that season, Mayfield played well enough to get a shot with Tampa Bay in 2023, and has thrown an NFL-best 77 touchdown passes since signing with the Buccaneers.
Sam Darnold, meanwhile, went from struggling with the New York Jets and Carolina to having a standout season for the Minnesota Vikings in 2024. The Seahawks rewarded Darnold with a three-year, $100.5 million contract, and now Kupp is playing with another quarterback who was once written off prematurely.
“I could give you a dissertation on what I think about the whole quarterback position,” Kupp said. “In short, I do think the plugs get pulled on guys a little early.”
Mayfield and Darnold were thrust into difficult situations in 2018 when they were selected two picks apart in the draft. The Browns didn’t win a game in 2017, and the Jets went 5-11. They ended up as teammates with Carolina in 2022 before they found success elsewhere.
Mayfield was 1-5 as a starter that season before he was released and signed with the Rams. Darnold was 4-2 with the Panthers.
“Sam and I are really close,” Mayfield said. “I’m happy for him — from going a couple different places that weren’t great for us to having a good opportunity elsewhere, it’s fun to see. I knew he just needed that chance, and he’s thriving now. It’s good to see, but hopefully not this weekend.”
In Seattle, the friends will convene with the Seahawks and Buccaneers each at 3-1.
“Baker is a talented dude, Sam is a talented dude, and you see both of them within the last couple of years really excelling,” Seattle backup QB Drew Lock said. “It was always there, just getting to the right place at the right time. And through the struggles, you do gain a lot of knowledge.”
The Seahawks have seven interceptions through four games. Coby Bryant, Ernest Jones IV and Derion Kendrick each have a pair of picks, and Josh Jobe has one.
Last season, the Seahawks had 13 interceptions across 17 games. Coach Mike Macdonald attributed the increased rate to Seattle’s defense working in unison.
“I think takeaways are a function of how well you’re playing on defense, the speed, aggressiveness, physicality,” Macdonald said. “The ball seems to come to life when you play with that type of energy. And our guys are doing that right now, which is great.”
Tampa Bay is dealing with a hefty number of injuries to key players. Though All-Pro left tackle Tristan Wirfs and wide receiver Chris Godwin returned on Sunday, star wide receiver Mike Evans is out for a few weeks with a hamstring injury.
Defensive lineman Calijah Kancey, right guard Cody Mauch and tight end Ko Kieft have all sustained season-ending injuries. Coach Todd Bowles elected to have his team do a walk-through practice on Wednesday, in part because of how banged-up the Buccaneers are.
“We probably had more people that couldn’t practice than could practice today,” Bowles said after that session.
Tampa Bay has allowed the fifth-fewest yards per game on the ground this season, and seventh-fewest overall. Opponents have scored only three rushing touchdowns against the Bucs.
The Seahawks, meanwhile, have been inconsistent on the ground. Macdonald said his team will continue to pound the ball.
“It’s tough to look at stats and let that dictate that you’re not going to do what you do,” Macdonald said. “How teams are structured, who’s going to play and things like that, goes into our game plan, but we’re still going to run our offense.”
The Buccaneers gave up a touchdown on a blocked punt in a 31-25 loss to the Eagles. They had to rally for a victory over the Jets after a blocked field goal was returned for a score late in the fourth quarter. They got away with a blocked punt in Week 2 in a win over the Texans.
“Whether they block it from the outside or the inside, it can’t happen,” Bowles said. “Those are things that cannot happen for us to have guys on our punt team that are here strictly for special teams. ... We’re working on it. We’ve got solutions.”
Bowles said punter Riley Dixon needs to speed up his process. The team auditioned punters but didn’t sign anyone else.
“We’ve got to protect for him,” Bowles said. “He’s probably a tick (slow) getting the ball out, but we’ve got to protect for him. If you don’t protect for him, it’s hard to sign any punter.”
The leading receivers for both the Seahawks and the Buccaneers — Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Emeka Egbuka, respectively — played at Ohio State. They were teammates in 2021 and 2022, and both were first-round draft picks.
Smith-Njigba, 23, has the second-most receiving yards in the league, only trailing the Los Angeles Rams’ Puka Nacua, while Egbuka, 22, leads all rookies.
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AP Pro Football Writer Rob Maaddi in Tampa, Florida, contributed to this report.
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