For the second-straight season, the Seattle Seahawks battle at safety will be among the most pressing matters to resolve before the season starts in 2019 but also for the second-straight season, the Seahawks are dealing with murkiness surrounding the position heading into training camp.

Last year, the main drama at safety revolved around when or if Earl Thomas would ever show up. In his absence for the entire offseason, training camp and preseason, Tedric Thompson mostly took over the job and pushed Bradley McDougald over to strong safety. When Thomas suffered a season-ending tibia break in week four, it was Thompson again who got the call and started for the majority of the season but by the end of 2018, Lano Hill had begun to emerge as a viable option with Thompson's struggling some on the backend; however just when it seemed likely Hill would take the starting job, he suffered an injury in week 17 and Thompson returned to his starting post in the team's road playoff loss to the Dallas Cowboys.

In the offseason, the Seahawks added to the battle by drafting Marquise Blair in the second round and Ugo Amadi in the fourth round. Both could compete for starting safeties spots but as of right now, who knows what's going on at the safety position, as injuries have thrown the competition out of whack for now.

McDougald, who has the ability to play strong or free safety, has yet to practice after undergoing offseason knee surgery. Despite being able to soldier through 2018, knee tendonitis hampered McDougald for the entirety of the season and still he was able to separate himself as the team's best safety when Thomas went down. In addition to McDougald's absence, Blair did not practice with a hamstring injury and Hill also remains out after he sat during Organized Team Activities. None of the three practiced on the first day of mandatory mini-camp either.

Now may be a good time to tell you that Lano Hill is the man formerly known as Delano Hill. Apparently, he had a change of heart on his name last week during OTA's.

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While OTA's and mandatory mini-camp are good times to heal up from injury and the organization certainly should take their time at all times with their injured players; it doe make it hard to handicap the safety race. The Seahawks normally tip their hand as to the leaders in the clubhouse during the offseason program and beginning of training camp with the players who get the first reps on the first team.

On Tuesday, according to the Seattle Times' Bob Condotta, Shalom Luani and Thompson received the first team reps but they're decidedly not the favorites to start in 2019 but fill-ins for an injury-riddled position group. The one somewhat-intriguing note from that pairing will be if Amadi never breaks through for some starters reps. Amadi is healthy and in fact, the team's injuries are preventing him from getting a look at nickel cornerback, as the Seahawks had hoped.

The Seahawks have options at safety. Thompson could be better in year two as a starter. Hill seems to have finally found his footing in the NFL. Blair has emerged as a contender to push Hill at strong safety. McDougald is a lock to start and although right now, it feels like he'll be moving back to free safety, If Thompson wins the job, he can remain at strong safety.

But, the Seahawks can't examine their depth until their depth actually returns.