Seattle's starters are mostly settled. So is the greater part of its depth. One of the few positions up for grabs is fifth wide receiver. Danny O'Neil and Eric Williams decided today was the day Ben Obomanu distinguished himself from his competition:
The stiffest competition for roster space will be for the No. 5 -- and possibly No. 6 -- receivers on the squad. WR Ben Obomanu distinguished himself during the morning practice, which was noteable for cool temperatures and downright tepid passing. During one-on-one drills, Obomanu made a great catch on a ball that CB Josh Wilson got his hands on. Obomanu showed a sure grip to secure the reception. He also made a nice catch during the 11-on-11 team portion of practice.
During the practice itself, Ben Obomanu continues to distinguish himself out on the field, and may be creating some separation between himself and the other receivers in the battle for the last two receiving spots on the roster.
Obomanu is a favorite because the competition isn't stiff, he has played with the team in the regular season before, he no longer has practice squad eligibility and did I mention the competition isn't very stiff? No receiver will pull away from the pack until the team has played a preseason game. Making catches in practice, especially in soft shells, says little about a wide receiver's ability to separate and catch in traffic. Those two skills define a pro receiver.
Walter Jones and Marcus Trufant continue to sit out practice. Mora described the origin of Trufant's injury:
"He was backpedaling," Mora said. "He was out working with Josh Wilson, he came out of a break, reached for a ball, got in an awkward position when he reached for the ball and it kind of locked up on him. Just one of those things."