4 things I've learned about Seahawks in last 4 weeks
Leonard Williams, Riq Woolen, and the 2024 draft: Seaside Joe 1729
The Seattle Seahawks are in a slump. After losing 37-3 to the Baltimore Ravens in Week 9, then sneaking by a Moons team that has lost by a combined score of 76-29 in their last two games, the Seahawks have dropped NFC West contests to the Rams and 49ers.
If nothing else, I’ve learned a few things about these Seahawks.
Leonard Williams must be extended
If there’s any silver lining to these last four games, it could be that the Seahawks were able to add a defensive line talent like Leonard Williams at the trade deadline. Never a guy to get a lot of sacks, which combined with his status as a former top-10 pick has probably always dinged his reputation more than it should, Williams has been as dispruptive as any Seattle defensive lineman over the past month.
If the Seahawks can simply come to a contract agreement with Williams, that will probably be better than anything they could have done with next year’s second round pick. This is not to say that I can guarantee that the trade will DEFINITELY be a win for Seattle, only that the odds of him being valuable for the next 3-4 years are likely higher than the odds of the player chosen with that pick being as valuable for the next 3-4 years.
Setting aside salary cap ramifications or a long-term future, Williams is a steal for a mid-second round pick. (And plenty of second round picks don’t have long-term futures or good careers.)
I mention Williams first because I know what I want the Seahawks to do with their first pick next year (which I’ll be detailing next) but then I asked myself what they should do with their second round pick and I was reminded of the Williams trade. If they had not traded for Williams I know what I would have wanted them to do and that would be selecting a defensive lineman for the trenches. Bingo.
Seattle can still do that.
Though they do not have their second rounder, the Seahawks have two third rounders and whether they stay where they are or move up back into the second, Seattle’s going to have shots on day two either way. Now if they can secure Williams on an extension—Atlanta’s Grady Jarrett makes $16.5 million per season at about the same age—they will have more options with what they want to do with those picks.
I think Seattle intended to sign Williams when they traded for him anyway, hence giving up as much as they did.