No fights, more starring by Byron Murphy in 1st of 2 Seahawks-Titans joint practices

There weren’t any birds flying around the field. Perhaps they were shading themselves from the South’s summer heat and humidity.

Yet there was a whole lot of chirpin’.

Jamal Adams did most of it. And little else.

The former Seahawks $70 million safety now Tennessee Titans situational, hybrid linebacker wrestled Seattle lead running back Kenneth Walker to the ground on the first play of 11-on-11 scrimmaging Wednesday, the Seahawks’ first joint practice in 33 years. Coaches from both teams yelled for players to keep each other off the ground, to prevent injuries — and hot tempers.

They mostly did.

Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf even began the first team scrimmage by going across the line into the Titans’ defensive huddle to cordially shake hands with Tennessee’s players.

Metcalf’s former teammate Quandre Diggs, whom new-regime Seattle cut with Adams on the same day this March, was the starting free safety for Tennessee Wednesday. Diggs’ most notable play came when he ran over from the center of the field and covered Seattle wide receiver Jake Bobo on a deep route down the left sideline.

Geno Smith’s pass was about 2 yards past Bobo and Diggs. That didn’t keep Diggs from whoofin’ at Bobo then punching the bounding ball another 10 or so yards past the sideline.

“Yeah, that was fun man. I really missed those guys, Quandre, Jamal,” Smith said after the Seahawks and Titans scrimmaged for most of the 2-hour, 15-minute practice. “Good friends of mine. Always rooting for those guys.

“They’re in the wrong colors right now. But those are our guys, and we love those guys.”

Yes, love.

There were no fights in the Seahawks’ first of two joint practices with the Titans at the Saint Thomas Sports Park outside downtown Nashville. Immediately before it began, Seattle’s Mike Macdonald and Tennessee’s Brian Callahan, both first year head coaches, called all 180 players from both teams together and demanded they compete hard, but clean.

Byron Murphy was like most of us. The Seahawks rookie first-round draft choice and defensive tackle was surprised there was no fighting.

“That’s what I was thinking about. Before I ever came down here I was thinkin’, ‘Man, I’m fixing to go in and I’ve got to strap it up. There’s fixin’ to be fightin’,” Murphy told The News Tribune on 93.3 KJR-FM radio from the edge of the practice field immediately following the practice.

“But before we even started practice we all came together and just laid out everything: ‘We are here to get great work’ and ‘Iron sharpens iron.’ Just compete to get better.

“We were warned about that, too, before we got here,” Murphy said. “(Macdonald was) like, ‘Man, we don’t need to be going down here fighting. We are here to get better, to get work. Get in and get out.”

Yet there was a lot of trash talking. Of course there was. Particularly by Adams, and especially during punt-coverage and punt-return scrimmaging. Gunners from both teams on the outside got thrown into sidelines and roughed up in front of teammates who gave exaggerated roars relative to the contact, to maintain the practice’s energy.

Macdonald said he was excited by the day. These joint practices were his idea. He coached in them for most of the last 10 summers as an assistant coach then defensive coordinator for John Harbaugh’s Baltimore Ravens.

“I felt the mentality was right,” Macdonald said of day one here. “I can’t wait to watch the tape. I just told the team, you get to jawing and things, and some extra stuff, (but) for the most part, we were responsible, and I thought we did a good job.

“But I just want the guys to know what shows up on tape is who we are. So, let’s make sure we’re doing the right things between the lines when we watch it and we’ll go from there.

“But, exciting time.”

The most exciting Seahawks player continues to be Murphy.

Player of the Day: Byron Murphy (again)

The rookie defensive tackle did to Titans offensive linemen what he did to those from the Chargers in his first NFL preseason game last weekend.

That is, dominate them.

The first defensive player picked in this year’s NFL draft continues to look like the best choice the Seahawks could have made in the middle of the first round 3 1/2 months ago.

Seattle’s 16th-overall pick used his speed off the snap to overwhelm Daniel Brunskill, Tennessee’s starting right guard last season, in a one-on-one pass-rush drill. With one step Murphy was on a clear path to the quarterback. Brunskill was standing there looking back at number 91 in white, as if Murphy was a bus he just missed.

Murphy’s next turn was against Titans backup left guard Andrew Rupcich. Murphy raised his right arm and side then flashed a swim move. It drowned Rupcich.

Then in 11-on-11 scrimmaging, Macdonald began showing the defense’s deceptiveness for which the coach is renowned. Murphy faked a pass rush from over the guard. He back-pedaled into the middle of the defense, like a linebacker.

Yes, the tackle was in pass coverage across the middle of the field. Titans quarterback Malik Willis threw the ball away from Murphy’s surprise coverage, to the right flat.

On the next play, Murphy got inside the Titans’ left guard and pushed him through his chest into Willis for a sack. It was one of the only times in the controlled scrimmaging a quarterback couldn’t throw the ball — because his own man was in his face.

On the third play, the Titans learned. They did what the Chargers did Saturday in Murphy’s first NFL game. They double-teamed him. The rookie pushed both the center and guard into the backfield.

“Oh, man, it went great,” Murphy said. “Great experience. First time ever doing this, in my life. I had lots of fun, man. Very competitive. Great work.

“Got after it today.”

Murphy said he’s noticed his speed off the snap at 6 feet and 306 pounds has been a decisive advantage for him against NFL centers and guards so far in training camp, plus the one preseason game against the Chargers and Wednesday against the Titans.

“Man, just having that speed, that first quick step, that twitch, it means a lot. It helps me separate myself from others,” Murphy said. “It helps me defeat offensive linemen. They aren’t as quick as me.

“I use that as an advantage.”

Murphy credits his swim move that is decisively beating NFL offensive linemen to the teachings his college line coach from the University of Texas, plus refinements he’s gotten this spring and summer from new Seahawks defensive line coach Justin Hinds.

“I got the swim move from Bo Davis. I taught me a lot down there when I was at Texas. I always work on the swim move,” Murphy said. “Yessir, I always work on the swim and rip. And ever since I’ve been on with Coach Hinds he’s been getting me right on the swim.

“Just want to use it.”

Macdonald challenged Murphy after his eye-popping preseason debut to be consistent with that level of performance.

Wednesday, he was.

Macdonald has been trying to for the first three weeks of this Seahawks training camp to temper enthusiasm — others’, and perhaps his own — about his prized rookie defensive tackle dominating at a spot of critical need for these Seahawks. They finished 30th in the league in total defense and 31st against the run last, 9-8 season.

The coach tried again to do that following Murphy’s latest work. Asked following this first joint practice if he feels he needs to temper the excitement about Murphy, Macdonald deadpanned: “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Not that the NFL is easy for Murphy already, but is the 21-year-old surprised at how well what he learned and did in college at Texas is translating to the pros?

Is he surprised at what he did to the Chargers’ line in California Saturday, and to the Titans’ line in Tennessee Wednesday?

“Man, it’s crazy. I was expecting it, but not like this, not happening this fast. I thought it was going to take more time. But I’m getting it down. Quick.

“So I’m very happy for myself. Very proud.

“Yes, sir.”