Travis Hunter went absolutely all-defense in Week 4 against the Cincinnati Bengals, playing every single one of the 76 defensive snaps. This wasn’t some minor lineup tweak, folks. Due to injuries at cornerback, there was zero rotation, meaning Hunter was locked in solely on defense, and he turned in a terrific performance out there.
Hunter’s Defensive Takeover Is No Accident
You want to talk about commitment? Hunter lived on the defensive side of the ball for all 76 snaps because the coaching staff literally could not afford to risk him anywhere else. Head Coach Coen laid it out straight: “Had some things for him on offense, but we just didn’t feel like putting him out there, ‘oh man, he gets hurt on offense, we’re in a real bad spot.’ So didn’t want to put ourselves at risk there.” That’s how crucial he is to the defense right now, and frankly, it shows how much trust they have in him to deliver when it matters most. He absolutely crushed it at corner, shutting down his side of the field.
Brian Thomas Jr. Is Earning His Shot
On the offensive side, wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. is clearly seeing his role expand, and he’s making the most of it. After only getting 23 snaps against New England, he jumped up to 38 snaps this past Sunday. That’s a serious increase, and it was the third-most among all receivers on the team, just behind Parker Washington and Jakobi Meyers. He wasn’t just out there clocking in, either. Thomas Jr. hauled in two passes for 17 yards, including a touchdown that got everyone hyped. Plus, he dropped a key block on Chris Rodriguez’s touchdown run. Coen was “quite pleased” with his showing, and honestly, who wouldn’t be? This dude is making plays and proving he belongs.
The Defensive Line Grind Continues
The defensive end rotation is also something to keep an eye on early in the season. For the second week in a row, undrafted free agent Bryan Thomas Jr. has out-snapped Danny Striggow. This week, Thomas Jr. got 15 snaps compared to Striggow’s nine, which isn’t a huge gap, but it’s a trend. Dennis Gardeck was also a key piece in that rotation, getting 22 snaps himself. It shows the coaching staff is still figuring out the best combo up front, and guys are battling for those reps.
As Week 4 wraps up, these snap counts give us a real peek into who’s stepping up and how the team is adapting early in the season. Hunter’s defensive dominance and Thomas Jr.’s growing offensive impact are huge for momentum moving forward.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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