SEATTLE (AP) — Seattle Seahawks cornerback Josh Jobe is taking advantage of his opportunities.
Jobe has burst onto the scene for the Seahawks the past two weeks, as the 26-year-old put up solid efforts in each of his first two games after spending the early part of the season on the practice squad.
Now he has an opportunity to earn a spot atop the depth chart, with coach Mike Macdonald labeling the third cornerback spot “a competition” with starter Tre Brown set to return from an ankle injury. Brown was active against Buffalo, but didn’t play.
Riq Woolen and Devon Witherspoon are the team’s top two cornerbacks.
“Stacking a lot of great practice reps, starts to flash, and if you want to play, that’s kind of how it works,” Macdonald said of Jobe. “It takes a while to kind of gain up some of that momentum and some of those plays behind your belt. You show that type of consistency, that builds trust with the coaching staff, (and) the rest of your teammates.”
Jobe, who won a national title with Alabama in 2020 and became a special teams standout in his first two NFL seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles, had six tackles and two passes defensed in his Seahawks debut against Atlanta on Oct. 20.
He then had seven tackles while intercepting Josh Allen this past Sunday against the Bills. That interception, the first of Jobe’s professional career, was Allen’s first of the season and broke a streak of 301 pass attempts without a pick.
“It was a big interception for me, first of my career, I was pretty excited,” Jobe said. “Josh Allen is a great quarterback at the end of the day, but you know, things happen. I played perfect technique, and I knew what to expect and it just came. It went well for me.”
It hasn’t been a perfect start for Jobe, as the Bills targeted him, and Khalil Shakir burned him for a 35-yard reception, but he has done enough to earn an opportunity to prove he belongs on the field.
“I think all the guys, whenever their time is up, they shine,” linebacker Tyrel Dodson said. “So I think he’s doing a good job maximizing opportunities right now.”
Jobe was released by the Eagles in August, and signed with the Seahawks practice squad on Aug. 29.
He made an impression on the practice squad, enough to get an opportunity to step in when Brown was unable to play against Atlanta.
“I know our offensive players felt it when he’s been on the practice squad,” Macdonald said. “And the quality of play he’s been putting on tape, and when you get your opportunity and take advantage of it, then that’s going to make us better as a football team and then we’re going to want to keep finding ways to get you in the football game.”
Macdonald said the decision on whether Brown, Jobe, or rookie Nehemiah Pritchett will get the start against the Los Angeles Rams will likely come Friday, depending on who shows up best in practice this week.
“Both guys are really good,” Macdonald said. “Nehemiah is probably the next guy behind those two guys. But any one of those three guys, we’re really confident in what they’re able to do for us.”
While he’s been able to make an impact, Jobe doesn’t feel as if he’s proved himself yet. As an undrafted player who was on the practice squad until recently, nothing is guaranteed.
All he can do now is keep making plays, and hope the snaps keep coming his way.
“It’s an honor to be in that position,” Jobe said. “I’m just here to come out here and just work every day. At the end of the day, this is a job, and every day is an interview for me, so I just have to just keep working and keep competing. That’s my main goal.”
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Shane Lantz, The Associated Press
