TAKING STOCK: 2022 SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

BY ADAM GREENE

While they were out of the NFC playoff race, the Seattle Seahawks still managed to win their final two games, including the season ender against the playoff bound Arizona Cardinals. Quarterback Russell Wilson, at the time, opined that he hoped it wasn’t his final game in front of the 12^th man at Seattle’s Lumen Field. For his sake, and for Seattle’s, it might be best if he was wrong.

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

2021-22 Record: 7-10, fourth place NFC West

Playoffs: N/A

NOW WHAT?

Well, so far the Seahawks have done next to nothing, but Wilson has purged his social media of all mentions of the team as you do before asking for a trade, I guess. He floated a trade last season, even calling his shots for a few teams, only to end up back behind the offensive line he was so angry about when the offseason began.

Seattle didn’t bother making a coaching change, sticking with 70 year old Pete Carroll, who should be playing with his grandkids and working on his putting game instead of putting in 80 hour NFL head coaching weeks. This is a team with plenty of holes that Wilson’s play has patched over for the last couple of seasons. His patching prowess wasn’t what it needed to be last year.

As such, for both him and for the team, they could deal him for picks. And they should get a ton, at least three first rounders and more. Wilson can keep the Seahawks hovering around .500 on the team, but he can help them build a new, more competitive squad by taking an AFC team to the playoffs.

FREE AGENCY

The Seahawks have plenty of cap space to keep or add free agents if they want to use it, currently sitting at $35.399 million under. This could be a real reason to keep Wilson, as building with the right pieces would at least make Seattle competitive again. Of their own possibly departing players, Duane Brown is old, but serviceable, and worth keeping at left tackle. They’re also set to lose starting right tackle Brandon Shell and center Ethan Pocic if they don’t pay them. There’s no point in keeping Wilson if you’re not going to protect him. Safety Quandre Diggs played his way into a solid payday, but the Seahawks haven’t been excited to spend money on their defense in the last half decade and safety is undervalued. Tight end Gerald Everett was a solid performer, catching 48 passes for 478 yards and four touchdowns.

They need pass rushing help and have the money to spend, so bringing back a guy like Jadeveon Clowney wouldn’t be ridiculous. Calias Campbell and Jason Pierre-Paul, all likely looking at some last contracts, make sense too.

DRAFT

Unless they trade Wilson, Seattle has no first round pick, but they haven’t used them much in Carroll’s tenure anyway. The Seahawks were always prone to trade down for more picks and it served them well, keeping them in the hunt in the NFC, and a contender in the NFC West, for a decade. Their first selection comes at No. 41 overall and what they do with it all depends on Wilson. If he stays, take a guy like Nicholas Petit-Frere, offensive lineman out of Ohio State. If he goes, and you’ve already spent your first round pick on an offensive lineman or QB, go with an edge rusher like Arnold Ebiketie from Penn State.

NFC WEST

The NFC West is the toughest division in football and the home of the current Super Bowl Champion Los Angeles Rams. It’s also where the team the Rams hosted in the NFC Championship, the San Francisco 49ers play. It also just so happens that the team the Rams had to beat in the opening round of the playoffs, the Arizona Cardinals, are in there too. This is a loaded group and Seattle, with some luck and Wilson, can compete for a Wild Card. But if they deal him and swing for the rebuild, they might suffer for it now, but could really get back into the mix in the future.

Follow Adam Greene on Twitter @TheFirstMan.

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