Well, here we stand a few weeks after the initial wave of NFL free agency, and a month before the NFL Draft. Starting next week, I will be doing draft articles with thoughts on what the Seahawks might do to further build back towards being a Super Bowl contender.

The NFL Draft is like Christmas for me. I dork out about it annually, and I look forward each year writing these pieces, but until then, I thought it would be a great idea to examine further the current roster in order to determine how close they are towards legitimate contention, and how they might prioritize this year’s draft class.

The Seattle Seahawks made a wave of moves, mostly either short term two year contracts, or one year “prove it” deals to some proven vets to plug in holes, and a couple bigger moves to keep Leonard Big Cat Williams and Noah Fant on the roster. Curiously, they haven’t done much at the position of guard, their biggest need, and this particular lack of action has been panic inducing for many fans, but I think there is more to come here, and I will touch further on that below.

On the whole, I’m pretty good with all their activities. I love keeping Williams and Fant, I like what they did at linebacker, and I really dig the Sam Howell trade. These were all much needed moves, in my opinion. The real moves to jettison this franchise forward over the next few years is what they do in this draft, however.

In my view, it is the smart teams that remain dedicated to building through the draft, and not get too involved in the crazy money of free agency. Seattle, for the most part, has demonstrated this restraint once again this year. Here is a look of the health of the roster heading towards the draft next month.

Quarterback: Healthy

Say whatever you will about him, most metrics say Geno Smith is a top 15 quarterback in the league, and Seattle has him on an affordable deal in 2024. This is a win. Coach Mike Macdonald has described his desire of having an offense that will power up in the run game, and be explosive off of play action, and build the pocket passing off of that. Geno is a very good play action QB, and a great deep ball passer. I look for him to find success in Ryan Grubb’s offense.

In the wings is young gun Sam Howell who started for the Washington Commanders last year, and Seattle swapped some picks for. Most in the league would probably view Howell as a top backup with some upside to become a regular starter. This is how I see him. Geno is the starter, but Howell has the talent to make things interesting, and he could be the future.

With the trade of Howell, I don’t expect Seattle to draft a quarterback high this year. It was very telling that they traded for him right after offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb attended Bo Nix’s pro day. Grubb also know Michael Penix Junior better than anyone in the league.

Could have Seattle determined that there isn’t much difference between Howell and Nix and Penix? I think that is possible, but Schneider has stated his disappointment in only selecting two QBs in fourteen years. My translation to all of this is that, at some point in the draft, Seattle will select someone to develop behind Howell and Geno Smith. We shall see.

Running Back: Strong

Seattle is blessed with Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet as a one two punch, and I believe Kenny McIntosh has the talent to be a playmaking factor, as well. I think they add a player in this draft, or afterwards in free agency if they don’t make that selection, but I suspect these guys to be the big three.

Walker has all kinds of playmaking abilities as a home run hitter once he hits the open field, but for my money, I am excited to see more of the hammering elements of Charbonnet this year. He feels like a classic Baltimore Ravens back with shades of Chris Carson and Marshawn Lynch. I’m excited to see how this all fits into Grubb’s offense.

Wide Receiver: Elite

DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, and Jaxon Smith Ngijba make for arguably the best receiving trio in the the league. If these three stay healthy, whether it is Geno Smith or Sam Howell throwing the rock, that quarterback is going to be blessed.

My expectation is the DK Metcalf is going to become a monster in Ryan Grubb’s offense much the same way Rome Odunze did the last two years at Washington. Pete Carroll never seemed much interested in truly featuring his weapons like other offenses do in the league. That changes this year with this staff. DK is going to become the absolute star he was always meant to be.

Tyler Lockett reworked his deal to become more affordable and will stay reliable. It will be interesting to see between him and JSN who takes on the more significant role in this Grubb offense. Seattle burnt a first round pick on JSN for a reason last year. It will be interesting to see how this evolves.

Behind these three is a reliable route running and sure handed Jake Bobo, and explosive Dee Eskridge who the team is going to give a final chance to make an impact. This is an exceptionally deep draft at receiver. I think we could see Seattle take a dip into these waters.

Tight End: Promising

I am one of the few who is pretty high on Noah Fant, and I was pleased to see Schneider make the two year commitment to him, bringing him back. Like DK, he has rare size and speed for this position, and like DK, I thought Carroll never figured out how to take nearly enough advantage of that. I am excited to see what Grubb does with him. I think he can be a star in this league with the right scheming.

Pharaoh Brown will be the primary blocking tight end, and was rated elite by Pro Football Focus that way, and he can also catch the rock. Tyler Marby and Brady Russell are slated to battle for the third spot, I wouldn’t be surprised if this a spot they use the draft for, as well.

Offensive Line: Gas Inducing

To be fair, all of these assessments are projection, and for all we know, the offensive line will become a strength of the team with the new coaching staff, but as of this date, on paper this group is scary thin. Seattle has talent at tackle with Charles Cross, George Fant, and Abe Lucas, but both guard spots and the center position all feature unknowns outside of Anthony Bradford who played okay enough as a rookie. Yikes.

Right now, I am not super stressing the incompleteness of this vital unit. The overwhelming strength of the draft this Spring appears to be the offensive line. There is little doubt that Seattle is setting themselves to take advantage of that strength and I would expect to at least make a couple selections to round this group out.

It also would not shock me if we ultimately see Abe Lucas shift to one of the guard spots to better protect his knee. It was interesting that they brought back George Fant who played really well at right tackle for the Texans last year. The playoff Texans wanted him back, but he chose to sign a 2 year $ 14 million deal with Seattle, instead. Right now, he has been called their swing tackle, but why would he come back here to be a backup when he could have stayed in Houston to start and pass block for CJ Stroud?

Something doesn’t smell right, but if envision a starting unit from left to right featuring Cross, Lucas, Olu Oluwatimi, Bradford, and Fant, all of a sudden Seattle’s offensive line feels a bit of formidable. Maybe Seattle drafts a right tackle with their first pick and another guard in the middle rounds, and by the end of the 2024 season, this is a clear area of strength of the team. We shall see.

Defensive Line And Edge Rushers: Hopeful

Big Cat Williams gives this defensive line probably the best defensive tackle it has had in the past couple decades. For a franchise that drafted Hall Of Famer Cortez Kennedy in 1990, and Sam Adams a few years afterwards, the track record for great DTs coming through here afterwards has not been stellar. Sure, John Randle made a pit stop here in the early 2000’s, and we had Brandon Mebane here from the Mike Holmgren to the Pete Carroll eras, and Jarran Reed has been decent, but Seattle has not had the disruptive force inside like Big Cat brings in a long ass time. That’s why they are paying him $21 million APY for the next three years.

Williams mixed with Reed, and Johnathan Hankins and Dre’Mont Jones give them an interesting blend of veteran experience up front. Jones disappointed last year after being a big free agent signing in 2023, but I think he fell victim of being forced to play out of position in a scheme that never felt sound under the previous coaching staff. I’m interested to see what Macdonald is able to do with him in this new scheme.

Behind the seasoned vets is Cameron Young and Mike Morris drafted last year, who both look like players that can potentially blossom into starters, and Myles Adams who has played well in the past in spots as a situational DT. Because of Young and Morris, I don’t know how likely it is that this team drafts more DT types this year. The new staff might be tasked to developing them more.

In terms of the edge rushers, Uchenna Nwosu and Boye Mafe could both shine in Macdonald’s new scheme, and I expect Derick Hall to take a big step forward after a slow rookie season. Darrell Taylor has been brought back, as well, and while fans aren’t happy with how he’s played against the run in the past, he’s always been an effective enough of a passer over the recent years to think he’s worth a roster spot for that very reason.

I like the potential of these edge rushers, but I could stand to see more added. Because they spent high round draft capital on Mafe and Hall in recent years, and invested big money into Nwosu, I actually would almost rather seem them add a short term proven vet like Kyle Van Noy (who both played for Macdonald in Baltimore) rather than draft the position high again this Spring. I want this unit to feel like a deep rave of rushers this year. Outside of Nwosu and Mafe, however, presently it feels like a wave of maybes.

Middle Linebacker: Interesting

It feels blasphemous to suggest the a couple of solid not spectacular veterans coming in on one year deals to replace Bobby Wagner and Jordyn Brooks could make this unit better, but that’s kinda what I’m feeling about Tyrel Dodson and Jerome Baker. I mean Wagner no disrespect, but I don’t trust him in coverage at this stage in his career in a scheme that calls for solid coverage linebackers, and I kinda feel the same way about Brooks. Dodson is described as a hit the gaps hard linebacker against the run but was highly graded coverage guy by Pro Football Focus last Fall, and Baker has been a highly regarded coverage ‘backer, as well.

There are two ways to look at the one year deals both players signed. One way is that you can look at it as the wanting to draft and develop this year behind them, and they are potentially just stop gap starters. The other way it can be seen is that the team believes in their potential and sold to them an opportunity to come out here into a very linebacker friendly system run by Macdonald that will reset their free agent for next Spring when they can really cash in on the big dollars, and the team will be more than happy to keep them around long termed.

Personally, I think the truth probably lies somewhere in between. I think Seattle is looking to draft a talented young linebacker this Spring, and they also have a serious mind towards Dodson and Baker shining in a way that at least one of them sticks around longer termed.

At any rate, I am interested in this group and what Macdonald might do with it. He has professed that his love is coaching linebackers and seeing the game from that perspective on defense. Carroll was always a defensive backs guy, and preferred the back seven. I am hopeful with Macdonald being a linebacker dude that the front seven will always be the strong point of emphasis moving forward.

Cornerback: Strong

Despite a disappointing sophomore season, I am still a big believer in Riq Woolen. His combined length, speed, and playmaking abilities on the ball can still make him an elite corner in the league. He needs to probably play in a zone press scheme and his fundamentals need to be honed in. Macdonald’s defense in Baltimore the last couple seasons predominantly played zone coverages. If he can scheme to Woolen’s strength, and if Woolen works his ass off to work out his own kinks, he can still be a star in this league.

Devon Witherspoon is already a star, in my view, and will remain Seattle’s difference maker on the backend, playing outside and nickel corner. He will be the chess piece in the secondary that Jamal Adams was expected to be when Seattle traded for him.

Mike Jackson, Tre Brown, Artie Burns, and Coby Bryant give Seattle high quality depth. Jackson, and Brown are starters in the league, but in Seattle they will be backups. Burns provides solid veteran depth, and Bryant has split time at nickel corner and safety, but was an outside corner in college. It would be nice to see Bryant finally settle on one spot and master it.

Safety: Okay-ish

I am not going to build this unit up anymore than I think it is, and I am not going to tear it down, either. Seattle has re-shifted it’s approach to the position by moving on from uber expensive starters Quandre Diggs and Jamal Adams, and replaced them with Julian Love and Rayshawn Jenkins on more affordable salaries.

Neither Love or Jenkins appear to be bad players. Both seem to play the run and pass well enough, and I thought Love played pretty well at times for Seattle last year in replacement for Adams. The team has also added veteran K’Von Wallace into the mix, and has Jerrick Reed on the roster, who some believe was a promising rookie last year before he suffered a season ending knee injury.

This is a position I anticipate they will address further in the draft.

Final Thoughts

Seattle has hedged themselves up pretty well heading towards the draft with the one exception being offensive guard. Unless they plan to move Abe Lucas inside, it feels like there is one more player left to add pre-draft, and former Jets and 49er Laken Thomlison has been somewhat linked to the team, recently.

Whether they add another veteran offensive lineman or not, this is the draft of drafts to address the offensive line. I expect Seattle to add at least two more players here by the time the draft is completed. I wouldn’t be surprised if they added three. It’s projected to be that good.

I also expect them to add an off the ball linebacker, as well. Keep an eye on Michigan linebacker Junior Colson being a potential target for the team if they trade back a few times to replenish more day two picks. He’s experienced in Macdonald’s system, and was highly productive for the National Champs. It would not stun me if he ends up being their first pick after trading back.

As much as I would lose my noodle with excitement if this team drafts Michael Penix Junior next month, and I don’t expect this to happen. I think they like Sam Howell as a potential long term answer at quarterback maybe more than some realize. That said, I still anticapte, at some point in this draft, they will take a shot on a quarterback to develop. I just don’t think they want to force that pick in the early rounds if they aren’t completely sold on a guy. Therefore, I would look at the middle rounds for them to maybe take a shot at a player like Tulane’s Michael Pratt who they met with at the NFL Scouting Combine.

I anticipate that safety, and tight end will also be areas that they will look to continually shore up. For myself, I would like them to add one more edge rusher, and I wouldn’t turn my nose on adding another defensive tackle, either, if the dude can rush.

At any rate, overall I like how this roster is rounding out. There is elite talents sprinkled through the skill positions of this team. Adding more beef inside feels like the final stage of overall completion of this roster construction, and this is the draft to do this that. I dig it.

Go Hawks