Seahawks Offseason Needs NFL 2022: Free Agency And Draft Preview
Are the Seahawks done trying to contend? They traded Russell Wilson for picks and players, but you just don’t trade Wilson unless you’re tanking or you have a better player coming. The latter seems unlikely so the Seahawks look like they are waving the white flag in the stout NFC West. Let’s get this tank started. Seattle has to start this tank right by addressing the Seahawks offseason needs correctly. If they don’t, this could be a disaster.
Seahawks Free Agency
By trading Russell Wilson and releasing Bobby Wagner, Seattle looks like they have about $41 million (3rd most) to address the Seahawks offseason needs. I’m not sure what Seattle’s plan is. The worst thing you can do as a tanking team is not commit to the tank. Is there anything they can do to contend the very next year, especially after trading Russell Wilson? Probably not. Should they consider trading DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett? Probably. Will they? Who knows. What Seattle failed to do for Russell Wilson is put a line around him to protect him. Despite their QB situation, that absolutely should be the first priority. The problem is this free agency class is scarce in OL. They do have a lot of cap to throw around, maybe they can get the higher-end OL by paying more. I recommended against it though. Instead, they can address the Seahawks offseason needs by filling out the defense. They need players on every level of the defense. Luckily on the DL and the secondary, there are plenty of players they can sign on those levels and should pursue that route.
Seahawks Draft
After seemingly not going to have a 1st round pick, the Seahawks now do and it’s a doozy because it is in the top 10. Seattle is so unpredictable here. I haven’t addressed the QB thing because I wanted to do that here. What do the Seahawks about QB? Should they draft a QB here at 9 (no.) Should they sign one in FA (still iffy.) The best thing the Seahawks can do is sign a QB that is just okay and be ready to draft a QB next year. But what does that mean at 9 then?
The plan is so simple but so intricate for the Seahawks: Draft the best possible player on the board. No, QB won’t be an issue. But Seattle will have to play the waiting game and just PRAY top-end talent drops to them at 9. At EDGE, you hope Kayvon Thibodeaux or Aidan Hutchinson drops to you. Tackles could be nasty if Evan Neal or Ikem Ekwonu somehow drops. I like Derek Stingley Jr here too if he’s there. That’s the top 5 players for the Seahawks (probably the rest of the NFL). But, if one of these guys drops, man oh man. There’s also this possibility: Trade down. Top 10 pick? Don’t want to reach on a pick? Could use more picks to get this tank really going? I’m licking my lips. It doesn’t have to be a far drop, but some teams are going to want to trade up here and get one of the guys they want. The Seahawks don’t have to reach and can let the talent drop to them. I would even say if one of those guys I mentioned above doesn’t make it to 9, trade down.
The Seahawks are now looking at these guys after they trade down: Ahmad Gardner, Andrew Booth Jr. Jordan Davis, Devonte Wyatt, Devin Lloyd, Nakobe Dean, Charles Cross. That is a good list for your tier 2 guys the Seahawks should look like. So, not only are you getting more picks, but you’re not reaching on a pick. Assuming those top 5 guys from earlier aren’t there and Seattle trades down, I would say they should look at LB first, especially after losing Bobby Wagner. That moves Nakobe Dean and Devin Lloyd up the list. Then I really like the DTs here with Jordan Davis and Devonte Wyatt. That’s a solid outing for the 1st round depending on the potential trade package.
Trade down or not, the Seahawks have 40 and 41 they can pick from here. (They could trade one of these picks too). At 40 and 41, if they did not choose an LB in the 1st, I do like the idea of getting Christian Harris with one of these picks if he’s available. Around this time you can still get a good corner in Derion Kendrick or Roger McCreary too. There could be some great OL talent that dropped this far if the Seahawks are interested. If they traded down from 9 and got extra picks. They’re in a great position to trade down again to even get more picks with 40 and 41 before we even know a potential trade package.
In the 3rd, I do like the idea of getting a guard here. Ed Ingram, Jamaree Slayer, Darian Kinnard would not be bad picks here. A lot of the other draft talent dries up here where the guards are a little bit richer.
Trade down, trade down, trade down. That’s the best advice I have for Seattle to address the Seahawks offseason needs. Seattle should not rush this and can play their cards right. The Rams have no future, they might be able to contend for 3 more years MAX. Then they’re fucked. Cardinals do have a future, but Seattle can contend with them if they play their cards right. Don’t worry about a QB, just find someone to start and prepare for next year. The QB class is at least better than this one and depending on how well the Seahawks draft and use their cap in free agency, Seattle can make some noise in the next couple of years without Russell Wilson. But it all starts with this one.
