Seahawks rookie safety Bud Clark injured in preseason game

Seattle Seahawks rookie safety Bud Clark left Saturday's preseason game against the Tennessee Titans with an apparent ankle injury, as reported by NBC Sports. Clark was carted off the field in the first quarter after coming up to tackle Titans running back Tony Pollard. Trainers prepared an air cast for his leg, and teammates took a knee as he was placed on a cart.

Clark, a second-round pick out of TCU, was competing with Ty Okada to fill the role left by departed free agent Coby Bryant. Okada appears to have held onto the starting safety job, but Clark was expected to contribute from the start of the season.

Maxen Hook replaced Clark on the next series, with D'Anthony Bell taking over the third-safety role.

Injury concerns at safety

Clark's injury adds to the Seahawks' uncertainty at the safety position. Nick Emmanwori, another key safety, underwent arthroscopic ankle surgery in July and has been on the PUP list. He came off the list but has not participated in on-field team drills. ESPN's Brady Henderson reports Emmanwori is expected to miss some time in training camp but is expected back for Week 1.

Emmanwori dealt with ankle issues throughout last season but played through them in the Seahawks' Super Bowl victory. He, along with running back Kenny McIntosh and cornerback Tyrone Broden, were placed on the PUP list but are eligible to return at any time. McIntosh is recovering from a torn ACL suffered in last year's training camp.

The Seahawks also had receiver Jake Bobo sustain a knee injury in a joint practice on Friday, which required him to be carted off.

Clark's potential role

Clark, who recorded 214 tackles, 21 pass defenses, and 15 interceptions in his college career, was in line for a significant role as a rookie. He was expected to open the season as a key member of special teams and provide depth behind Okada and Julian Love at safety, possibly playing situationally as a third safety.

In his preseason debut, Clark had three tackles. He got the start Sunday night at safety alongside A.J. Finley, with Okada, Love, and other starters resting.

Quotes from coaching staff

Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald told ESPN's Kalyn Kahler, "We brought him in to look at it, and we'll kind of go from here and figure out what are the next steps."

Outlook

With Clark potentially sidelined and Emmanwori limited, the Seahawks may face challenges in their safety depth as they prepare for the regular season.