Jalen Milroe flashes in NFL preseason debut for the Seattle Seahawks
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The NFL preseason ramped up on Thursday, with 3 preseason contests serving as an appetizer for the weekend ahead. In the process, rookie quarterback Jalen Milroe tantalized Seattle Seahawks fans with visions of their former Super Bowl-winning quarterback.
Milroe’s final stat line — 6-for-10 passing, 61 yards; 3 carries, 38 yards — in Seattle’s 23-23 tie with the Las Vegas Raiders won’t blow anyone away, but he looked cool, calm, and collected as he ran the Seahawks offense in his preseason debut. He connected on a handful of short-to-intermediate area throws and wowed spectators with a 27-yard scamper on a read option from his own endzone.
The former Alabama quarterback wasn’t perfect by any means. It was evident he’s still a raw talent in need of seasoning and fine-tuning. Overall, though, his appearance pleased Seattle head coach Mike Macdonald.
“I thought Jalen played well. I thought he made good decisions. Operation-wise, there are some things we want to be a little cleaner on. Throwing the ball accurately, throwing it on time, and then, when it wasn’t there, extending plays with his legs I thought was really cool,” Macdonald said in his postgame press conference.
Unsurprisingly, Milroe wasn’t focused on his highlights when the game was over. He’s thrilled to check this accomplishment off his bucket list, but knows there’s more to be done.
“What a dream come true,” Milroe told reporters postgame. “Now, the biggest thing is just to keep on improving, see every opportunity to just get better.”
Milroe joined the Seahawks in similar circumstances to those of Russell Wilson, a third-round pick in the 2012 NFL Draft. That year, Wilson beat out free agent Matt Flynn and holdover Tarvaris Jackson to win the QB job. Milroe, the 92nd overall selection in this year’s draft, likely isn’t toppling Sam Darnold and/or Drew Lock to do the same this season. With any luck, though, he might be Seattle’s long-term answer at the quarterback spot just as Wilson was.
