Seattle Seahawks CB DeShawn Shead a breakout starter?

The Seattle Seahawks may have a breakout player on their hands in cornerback DeShawn Shead, who has been patiently waiting his turn to start…

The Seattle Seahawks’ defense has become known for its speed and physicality, as well as its ability to seemingly breed success from the ‘next man up’ philosophy.

Because of the depth they have, the Seahawks are afforded the luxury of slowly bringing along players that have starting potential, and one such player is cornerback DeShawn Shead. Shead is emerging this offseason as a starter for the Seattle defense, and looks like he could be in line for a breakout year.

After a slow start to his NFL career, Shead has started seven games over the last two seasons and at age 28, could be looking at a full 16 game slate ahead.

Last year, he had 55 tackles, an interception, and two forced fumbles as a primary role player on the Seattle defense, and he showed the type of speed, quickness, and physical play that has earned him more snaps:

Shead’s emergence has pushed Jeremy Lane into a nickel CB spot when the Seahakws go into that formation defensively, and that is another testament to the depth of this unit.

The 2012 undrafted free agent out of Portland State stands at 6-2, 212 pounds, and gives Seattle the type of big, aggressive, physical cornerback duo they had when they won the Super Bowl back in 2013 with Brandon Browner and Richard Sherman working so well together.

Sherman thinks Shead is in line for a big season, and there’s no doubt he’s off to a great start in 2016 through the first two weeks of the preseason.