RENTON http://www.dallascowboysteamonline.com/rod-smith-jersey , Wash. (AP) — Throughout its offseason team activities, the Seattle Seahawks appeared to be settled at safety. Bradley McDougald would just continue his role from a year ago stepping in as a full-time starter alongside Earl Thomas.

That was before Thomas decided to take his demands for a new contract to the extreme by holding out, creating an unexpected competition and a bit of chaos in Seattle’s defensive backfield.

With Thomas missing, Seattle’s safeties are a revolving door of combinations trying to find the pairing that makes the most sense ahead of the Sept. 9 opener at Denver. The process of seeing how all those combinations look gets its first true examination next Thursday when the Seahawks open the preseason against Indianapolis.

“These guys, they kind of joined forces in the offseason and kind of as a group, they knew they were up against it and wanted to make sure that they were going to give everything they had and put it all on the line,” Seattle coach Pete Carroll said. “Bradley McDougald has done a great job of being the leader in that group and it’s a good, tight group and they’re ready to take on the challenge of getting through camp and getting through all of the learning and the experience that’s necessary here is all part of the process, but their attitude is really strong and they’re really determined to do something with this.”

McDougald is almost certain to claim one of the positions. Which one is the question. He filled in as both free and strong safety last year when injuries sidelined Thomas and Kam Chancellor. McDougald was the starting strong safety after Chancellor was lost for the season in early November to a neck injury.

That doesn’t mean McDougald will be the strong safety. Throughout the first week of training camp, Seattle has rotated its safeties in both positions in an attempt to see how interchangeable the players can be.

“They have the opportunity to show themselves and it’s a lot of competition http://www.indianapoliscoltsteamonline.com/malik-hooker-jersey ,” defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. said. “Great communication, it’s showing up every day. Doing extra work, asking a lot of good questions. But, this is their chance to really step up and show us what they have.”

With McDougald seemingly a cinch to take one of the safety spots, the remaining position appears to be a four-way competition between Tedric Thompson, Delano Hill, Maurice Alexander and Mike Tyson. And it’s Thompson and Hill that appear to be getting the most opportunity early on.

It makes sense Seattle would give Thompson and Hill the most reps. The Seahawks invested major draft capital in the pair a year ago, taking Hill in the third round and Thompson in the fourth round. They were allowed to spend last season learning behind Thomas and Chancellor with the idea they could eventually take over for the veteran Seahawks safeties.

The replacement has arrived sooner than expected, accelerated by Thomas’ holdout.

“Earl is a special, special player. At the same time http://www.indianapoliscoltsteamonline.com/john-simon-jersey , the guys that are here are working really hard and competing and they have the opportunity to show what they can do,” Norton said.

From a look standpoint, Thompson fits the mold of a free safety and Hill looks more like a strong safety. But each is working at both positions as Seattle often adjusts its safety alignments based off the offensive formation. Neither has the sideline-to-sideline speed of Thomas, but Norton has said Seattle’s scheme won’t change.

“I view it as competing. First game is a little ways to go. I’ve got a lot to improve on,” Thompson said. “I don’t focus on if I’m starting today or not starting today. We all get the same amount of reps so it’s all about competing.”

MIAMI — The Miami Marlins spent June engaged in methodical but fruitful climb out of the basement in the National League East. The New York Mets can begin July by cementing their unimaginably rapid descent to the bottom of not just the division but the entire Senior Circuit.

The Marlins will look to move into sole possession of fourth place in the NL East Sunday, when they look to complete a sweep of the free-falling Mets in the finale of a three-game series at Marlins Park.

Marlins right-hander Dan Straily (3-3, 4.82 ERA) is scheduled to oppose Mets left-hander Steven Matz (3-5, 3.69 ERA).

The Marlins came back from an early two-run deficit Saturday to earn a 5-2 win over the Mets and their ace, right-hander Jacob deGrom. The win completed the best month of the season for Miami (34-50), which went 14-14 while winning five of nine series.

“That’s how you climb is continue to win series Kenny Clark Jersey , continue to win series,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly told reporters Saturday. “Hopefully somewhere in there, you throw an eight- or 10-game winning streak together to really take a chunk out of something.”

The Mets (32-48) are doing the exact opposite. New York went 5-21 in June, during which it lost eight of nine series and split the other. It was the third-worst month in franchise history behind/ahead of only July 1963 (4-25) and August 1982 (5-24).

In the process, the Mets went from five games out of first place and eight games ahead of the Marlins to tie for last, 14 1/2 games out of first. The two teams are tied for the worst record in the NL, though Miami is technically percentage points ahead of New York heading into Sunday.

The Mets are 21-47 since opening 11-1, the best 12-game start in franchise history. Only the Baltimore Orioles have a worse record since Apr. 13.

The Mets have not been in last place in the NL East after July 1 since 2005, when they had a 77-77 record while occupying fifth place on Sept. 24. This squad appears far more likely to flirt with 100 losses than with .500, but rookie manager Mickey Callaway said he will continue to remain patient.

“We just have to keep on having daily conversations to try and right the ship Tom Waddle Jersey ,” Callaway told reporters Saturday. “It’s difficult right now. I know the players are feeling it. I know the fans are feeling it. We’re going to continue to do everything we can with the staff, the organization and the players to try and get in a better spot than we are. Because this isn’t acceptable to anybody.”

Straily earned the win in his most recent start last Monday, when he allowed three runs over 6 1/3 innings as the Marlins beat the Arizona Diamondbacks, 9-5. Matz didn’t factor into the decision last Tuesday, when he gave up three runs over seven innings as the Mets beat the Pittsburgh Pirates, 4-3.

Straily is 1-1 with a 3.04 ERA in five career starts against the Mets. Matz is 2-2 with a 3.67 ERA in five starts against the Marlins.

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