2017 Seattle Seahawks Offseason Preview
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2016 Season Recap
To a certain extent, Pete Carroll and co. had a solid season, finishing with an NFC West-best 10-5-1 record. They played like Super Bowl contenders at times, and then there were days when turn into a cellar-dwelling team. In short, consistency was written all over the Seahawks, who heavily relied on Russell Wilson to bail them out in several games. And yes, they still made the playoffs for the fifth-straight season, but they also found themselves exiting in the Divisional Round again versus the Falcons.
Winning is the culture in Seattle, but the team needs to fix some glaring holes, especially in the offensive line, to get over the hump next season.
Top Free Agency Need(s)
Wilson played through a number of injuries in 2016, which is partly due to Seattle’s invisible offensive line. The unit barely provided protection for their prized signal-caller, allowing a total of 111 quarterback hits, the fourth-most in the NFL, along with 42 sacks (6th-highest).
The Seahawks need to invest on a proven name or possibly draft someone in the first round to address this issue. They have the cap space to make a splash in the offseason, so they better spend wisely on the right free agent. The Bengals’ Andrew Whitworth might be the answer, as he led the league in pass-blocking efficiency (98.0) this season.
Top Draft Need(s)
Offensive Tackle. Seattle loves to run, but the team ranked among the worst overall in rushing yards per game (99.4) this season. As mentioned earlier, that’s partially to the lack of pass protection. The Seahawks could use the 26th overall pick in nabbing someone like Wisconsin’s Ryan Ramczyk, Alabama’s Cam Robinson or Utah’s Garrett Bolles to replenish the O-line.
Cornerback. DeShawn Shead suffered a torn ACL in the playoff loss to Atlanta, leaving the No. 2 cornerback position open. The Seahawks need someone to fill in this role, or at least add help in the secondary unit, if they’re not willing to re-sign or wait on Shead.
Defensive Tackle. The Seahawks defense lacks pass-rushers who can bother or instill enough pressure on opposing quarterbacks. DTs Tony McDaniel, John Jenkins and Ahtyba Rubin combined for just 2.5 sacks in 2016.
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