Seahawks Give Candid Update on Tory Horton After Richard Sherman News

Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald gave a revealing update on Tory Horton’s move to cornerback, making it clear the team likes the traits but is not ready to put a firm timetable on when the unusual position switch will actually hit the practice field.

Horton is dealing with what Macdonald described as “some health things” as Seattle works him into a new role at defensive back. That makes the experiment more complicated. The Seahawks are not just asking Horton to change positions. They are asking him to do it while waiting for a clearer return-to-field timeline.

“He’s dealing with some health things right now in terms of his timeline on when he can get back on the field,” Macdonald told reporters during rookie minicamp. “So right now we’re not exactly sure when that’s going to happen, but he’s in the meetings and he’s got a great spirit about him.”

For Horton, the timing matters. Seattle is taking a patient approach with a player who has rare size for cornerback and no practice reps yet at the position under Macdonald’s staff.

“We haven’t seen him take a rep yet at corner, so we’ll see when the time comes,” Macdonald said.

Mike Macdonald Says Tory Horton Has Traits to Play Defensive Back

The most interesting part of Horton’s move is the profile.

A reporter noted to Macdonald that there may not be a precedent for a 6-foot-6 cornerback in the NFL, and asked what the position switch could look like for a player with that kind of height. Macdonald did not dismiss the challenge, but he pushed back on the idea that Horton is simply a tall athlete being forced into an awkward fit.

The Seahawks coach pointed to Horton’s bend, movement skills and lateral quickness as reasons the team is willing to explore the move.

“He can bend really well,” Macdonald said. “He’s not like just a straight-legged six-whatever, six-foot-whatever. He can move and he can get in and out of breaks, and his lateral quickness is really good.”

Macdonald also highlighted Horton’s ball skills, competitiveness and special teams ability. That last part could be important. A developmental defensive back does not have to immediately crack the rotation on defense to stay relevant on an NFL roster. If Horton can cover kicks and continue learning cornerback, special teams could give Seattle a reason to keep investing in the experiment.

“He’s a great special teams player,” Macdonald said. “He’s a great gunner. So those are traits that you look for in defensive players.”

Macdonald said Horton “did a great job” early in the process last year before getting hurt, and the Seahawks believe his skill set could eventually translate to defense.

“We love his movement ability, and he’s got ball skills, and he competes, and he’s got a great attitude,” Macdonald said. “We felt like it could translate to being a heck of a DB one day.”

That last phrase is important: “one day.” This does not sound like a quick flip or a move Seattle expects to solve immediately. Asked about the toughest obstacle in moving to the other side of the ball, Macdonald leaned into patience.

“People do it all the time, moving from one side of the ball to the other, mostly from receiver to DB,” Macdonald said. “Why put a timetable on it? Let’s just see where it goes and see how he takes it up.”

Richard Sherman’s Seahawks Visit Added Weight to DB Development

Horton’s position switch came during a rookie minicamp that also featured a notable Seahawks defensive back presence: Richard Sherman.

Macdonald sounded enthusiastic about having Sherman around the building, saying the former Seahawks cornerback is “welcome anytime.” Sherman remains one of the most recognizable defensive players in franchise history, and Macdonald spoke about him as part of Seattle’s football identity.

“It’s great to see Sherm,” Macdonald said. “Hopefully he’s got a key here. He’s welcome anytime.”

Later, Macdonald expanded on why it matters to have former players like Sherman around young defensive backs.

“One, he’s one of the best ever do it, which is cool, and he’s ours,” Macdonald said. “So we take a lot of pride in having great players like that.”

Sherman’s visit was not about Horton specifically, but the timing lines up with Seattle trying to develop defensive backs, teach standards and evaluate how young players absorb the demands of the position.

Macdonald said technique is important, but he emphasized that Sherman’s value goes beyond footwork or coverage details.

“I think just the mentality that it takes to play DB and corner at a high level for our organization — breathe life into these guys,” Macdonald said.

That leaves Horton as one of Seattle’s more unusual offseason players to watch: a tall, toolsy special teams contributor trying to become a defensive back, with one of the franchise’s greatest corners back around the building as a reminder of the standard Seattle is still trying to build toward.

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