Time to get the Seattle Seahawks talk going. Arizona has improved a lot, but Seattle is most likely the favorite in the division again. The offense is elite, we already know that. Can the defense be better? Can a draft class with only three picks in it help the team win now? Let’s break it all down.
Will the Defense Bounce Back?
Down the stretch, the Seattle Seahawks defense really let them down. You would think the team would do something to address it. Well, other than fourth round corner Tre Brown from Oklahoma, a draft pick was not spent on defense. While he is a good player, is fourth round player going to make an impact on a defense right away? It’s possible, but it doesn’t usually happen. Speaking of the secondary, Jamal Adams is looking for a new contract. It doesn’t seem like they are close right now. Along with Adams, the rest of the secondary is made up of Quandre Diggs, D.J Reed, and Ahkello Witherspoon. Brown could make it in as a nickel, but it will be an uphill battle.
Next up, the linebackers. K.J Wright has not been resigned yet. Right now, it looks like Ben Burr-Kirven will take is place. Bobby Wagner and Jordyn Brooks join him. Brooks will be on the weak side, Burr-Kirven will take the strong side, and Wagner is in the middle. If the defense begins to struggle, Cody Barton has played a good amount and did well. Maybe Seattle could switch to a 3-4 and give Barton a chance. This would all depend on the defensive line and if they begin to struggle. Or, maybe switching alignments is the plan already. We don’t always hear a lot about Seattle, so they might be full of surprises this year.
FInally, the defensive line. There are two young and stout defensive tackles in the middle of it all in Poona Ford, and Bryan Mone. The ends are much older, and that may be cause for concern. Carlos Dunlap and Kerry Hyder Jr are 30 and 32 respectively. I talk about age a lot in these articles, so I may be over making this point. There are older players who continue to play well with age. However, that is not always the case, and a defense with older players tend to really slow down.
A Soaring Offense
A Russell Wilson led offense is always going to be dangerous. He is getting older, so a good run game is more important than ever. Chris Carson resigned which is great news. What is going to happen with Rashaad Penny? As a former first round pick, he really hasn’t done much, and part of that is because Seattle won’t put him in. Travis Homer and DeeJay Dallas have even gotten more opportunities than him. Maybe a running back needy team reaches out regarding a trade and swings a deal.
DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett are the regular starters, and now speedster Freddie Swain moves into the slot. He isn’t the only turbo ability receiver on the roster. Second round pick D’Wayne Eskridge from Western Michigan runs a subb 4.4 and is a leading candidate to become the fourth receiver. Gerald Everett came over from the Rams and Will Dissly could factor in as well. We haven’t heard much about Dissley, could be a dark horse in the offense.
Finally, the offensive line. In round six, the Seahawks rounded out their three picks with the six foot eight and 307 pound Stone Forsythe from Florida. He probably has the best chance to play right away. Again, we don’t know for sure he will make an impact. But, Duane Brown his olding out, and Forsythe is next line. Brown and and Brandon Shell are also going to be free agent tackles. With Brown MIA on the blindside, Forsythe may get thrown into the fire. Ethan Pocic is a young center, so that is a good thing. Damien Lewis is also a young player at left guard, but right guard Gabe Jackson is 30. The line isn’t in horrible shape, but it should still be a priority to improve moving forward. Overall the roster is good, but not actively improving areas of need could come back to bite them.
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