Seattle Seahawks: Prioritizing team needs ahead of the draft

Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks offensive line.

With just over a week until the 2021 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks find themselves thin at several positions.

Following free agency, the Seattle Seahawks still have holes to fill. Some of them are more critical than others. For example, after Russell Wilson‘s post-Super Bowl “complaints,” more protection for their Pro Bowl signal-caller is a good idea. These are the positions where the Seahawks need help.

1. Offensive Tackle

Last season, right tackle Brandon Shell couldn’t stay on the field. When he did play, he couldn’t handle outside pass rushers. Even with his limited abilities, Shell was still an improvement over George Fant or Germain Ifedi, but that wasn’t a high bar.

Left tackle Duane Brown, the O-line anchor, turns 36 in August. Additionally, this is the final season of his contract. Either way (retirement or free agency), Brown’s time with the Seattle Seahawks is drawing to a close.

An ideal tackle could come in and play the right side this season while learning the offense. Then he could move to LT when Brown retires. Whether that person is available when Seattle picks is debatable.

2. Center

Seattle re-signed last year’s starter Ethan Pocic. In 2020, the first-year center was good but didn’t exactly nail it. Pocic struggled with line calls and, at times, needed more help from his guards than he should have.

Going forward, his best position is guard. If Gabe Jackson is a one and done in the Emerald City, Pocic will likely move to left guard in 2022. The Seahawks will then need to backfill center. Why not draft someone this year?

3. Linebacker

Stalwart K.J. Wright is a free agent. The ten-year pro is looking for his payday. At 31-years-old and with a lower salary cap, he’s still on the market.

There is still hope that the Seahawks find a way to bring Wright home, but it will take either a restructure or significant roster cut to make it work. So until either he’s re-signed or Seattle GM John Schneider finds a replacement, the job is open.

When Seattle’s other outside linebacker, Jordyn Brooks, missed a few games last year, his replacements Cody Barton and Ben Burr-Kirven looked overmatched.

If there is such a big need, why isn’t linebacker a higher priority? Two reasons. First safeties Jamal Adams and Quandre Diggs come up and support the run like linebackers. Second, the Seahawks, like many teams, use five defensive backs more often than they did in the past.

4. Defensive Tackle

Poona Ford, Bryan Mone, and Al Woods are all back with the team. Unfortunately, one of 2020’s starters, Jarran Reed, was let go to open up more cap space. After defensive end Carlos Dunlap joined the Seahawks mid-season, both Reed and Ford elevated their respective games.

Reed’s position on the interior defensive line will be a tough void to fill. On top of replacing him, the DL is a position where coaches like to rotate in fresh players. Another defensive tackle would help in the long term, especially one who can stuff the run.

5. Wide Receiver

2020’s third receiver David Moore left for Carolina as a free agent. Freddy Swain, last year’s sixth-round pick, showed some promise. Just not enough of it to take snaps away from anyone else. The addition of tight end Gerald Everett helps, but another solid possession receiver could open the field for Russell Wilson.

6. Cornerback

Both of last season’s starters, Shaquill Griffin and Quinton Dunbar, are gone. D.J. Reed and Ahkello Witherspoon are the new starters. Seattle also has holdover Tre’ Flowers, whose play is very inconsistent, and recent signee Pierre Desir.

This is the NFL; a team can never have enough cover cornerbacks. For a reminder, look at the number of injuries the Seattle Seahawks had in the secondary last year.

Related Story: PNWS 2021 Mock Draft 1.0

The good news is, aside from outside linebacker, there isn’t a pressing need anywhere. Obviously, with only three picks, the Seahawks can’t fill all their holes in this draft. A few quality pickups, however, could very much help. How do you prioritize the Seattle Seahawks positional needs heading into the draft? Let us know in the comments section below or on social media.

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