Seattle Seahawks: Building off a surprising 2022, Part 2 – Defensive Upgrades
Andrew Elderbaum
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This year’s defense was something out of Pete Carroll’s nightmares. The line couldn’t stop anyone, the linebackers missed tackles, and the guys in the secondary looked like Ferdinand Magellan with some of the angles they would take.
The result was Seattle finishing 30th out of 32 teams in rushing yards allowed. The two teams below them were Houston and Chicago.
Seattle needs to address this issue through the draft, preferably with their top pick. There are 12s out there who want to trade down and accumulate future first-round picks while wish-casting for the players they might get with them.
The flaw is this isn’t Madden, and the next season can’t be simulated. Seattle is trying to win now, not tank for future assets.
Regarding trading back for more picks in this year’s draft, the Seahawks can do it with their other first round pick at number 20. They need a game-changing defensive lineman, and there are enough high-end ones in this draft to get someone very good with the fifth overall pick.
In a perfect world, Chicago will trade out of the top slot with anyone BUT the Colts. If they do either Jalen Carter or Wil Anderson should make it to Seattle. Cater would be the best fit for Seattle. He could blow up the middle, allowing Uchenna Nwosu and Darrell Taylor to apply pressure off the edges.
If Carter and Anderson are gone, the next best option is massive Tyree Wilson over Myles Murphy for the same reason.
There’s also Nolan Smith, who should be lurking around the 20th spot. He’s drawn comparisons to the Eagles Hassan Reddick in draft circles and could be a pass rushing force early on. Behind Smith, BJ Ojulari, Siaki Ika, and Will McDonald will all be floating around the same area. The Hawks should be able to dramatically improve their defensive line in the first round.