Man, this one stings. Rookie safety Bud Clark, our second-round pick from TCU, is officially done for the 2026 season. The Emerald City just lost a potential starter before he even played a regular-season snap, after he suffered a broken ankle in Sunday’s preseason game against the Tennessee Titans. Seattle wasted no time placing Clark on injured reserve Tuesday, tragically ending his campaign before it ever truly began.
A Rookie Year Derailed Before It Began
Clark, at 24 years old, was a huge pick for us back in April, coming out of TCU with a reputation for playmaking. He was absolutely battling to earn that starting free safety spot, especially after Coby Bryant’s departure in the offseason. We were all hyped to see what he could do on Sundays. This guy spent six seasons at TCU and racked up an impressive 214 tackles, hauled in 15 interceptions, notched one sack, had one fumble recovery, and even scored a defensive touchdown. NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein compared him to Kerby Joseph, noting that while his “traits won’t pop but his tape most certainly will.” Zierlein called him a “coverage-versatile safety in a cornerback’s body with the talent to range over the top or man up on the slot.” He plays with an “overriding desire to do everything all at once,” which sometimes leads to spectacular takeaways, and yeah, occasional breakdowns, but the good absolutely outweighed the bad. That’s the kind of high-upside player we just lost, and it’s a gut punch.
Thinning Out the Backfield
Losing Clark is a major blow to our secondary, which was already looking like it needed some clarity. Ty Okada has been topping the depth chart at free safety during the summer, working alongside Julian Love. But the situation gets even more dicey when you consider Nick Emmanwori’s status, which is very much up in the air due to his own ankle issues. You do the math: a potential starter gone, another key player dealing with an ankle problem. That leaves the Seahawks “a bit thin in the secondary,” as the source puts it, and it feels like an understatement.
This injury cranks up the pressure on everyone in that defensive backfield to step up right now. With preseason still rolling, the focus immediately shifts to how Mike Macdonald and Brian Fleury adjust. We need Okada and Love to be absolutely locked in, and the uncertainty around Emmanwori just makes it tougher. This is going to be a real test for the 12s, watching our guys adapt as we get closer to kicking off the 2026 season.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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