Seahawks roster: 5 remaining needs that could be filled with first 5 draft picks
Seahawks roster: 5 remaining needs that could be filled with first 5 draft picks
Free agency was a great first step, but current depth chart and 2024 free agents exemplify direction Seattle could go in the draft: 3/26/2023
In 2022, the Seattle Seahawks had the necessity to use rookies for immediate needs and the luxury of finding out that four of them—Charles Cross, Ken Walker III, Abe Lucas, and Tariq Woolen—were talented and ready enough to step in.
A year later, the Seahawks have even more draft capital than they had in 2022, but this time they’re coming off of a better season, with a better roster, and will be following a more efficient free agency period in which Seattle could field and entire starting offense and defense right now. Longsnapper is the sole remaining “gotta-have-it need” as of Sunday but even in that scenario Pete Carroll’s got a backup plan.
The Bobby Wagner signing gives the Seahawks a clear starting inside linebacker and return to a Bobby Wagner culture on defense; the additions of Dre’Mont Jones and Jarran Reed offset the departures of Shelby Harris and Poona Ford; the Julian Love signing insures either the nickel position or a late/non Jamal Adams return or both; Evan Brown could be a Week 1 option at center; re-signing Geno Smith and Drew Lock means that the Seahawks can draft a quarterback but aren’t in that weird nexus of “will they, won’t they, who will they?” like the Colts and Falcons.
When you look at the Seattle Seahawks current roster, there are obvious needs beyond longsnapper that remain open—a nose tackle option better than Bryan Mone and Myles Adams, depth at running back, a third receiver, depth on the offensive line, and probably at least one more edge would stand out to me right now—but could the Seahawks field a 53-man roster/46-man gameday roster this season that is comprised of these players plus a longsnapper?
Yes.
Would that team win the Super Bowl? It may not be a stretch to think that an improved version of 2022 could come out of the NFC, although there are a quite a few AFC teams that I would think are at least 10-point favorites in that Super Bowl.
But the offseason isn’t over and Seattle may not be finished with reunions or new unions. Moves will come after the draft, there could be a couple more to-do items before the draft. Clearly though what’s left to decide after the Wagner news is how to utilize this draft to not only help the 2023 Seahawks—which should not be as much of an issue this year as it was last year—but to especially prepare for the 2024 season and beyond.
Wagner’s one-year deal adds to an increasing pile of 2024 free agents that is headlined by Jordyn Brooks (if the Seahawks don’t pick up his fifth-year option out of fear that he won’t be the same post-ACL surgery), Uchenna Nwosu, two of their three tight ends, all three of their expected starting interior offensive line players, Ryan Neal, Darrell Taylor, and probably at least one of their two high-paid safeties.
In this Sunday’s bonus Joe, let’s assess how the Seahawks current needs and 2024 needs could and probably should impact their draft plans at #5, #20, #37, #52, and #83. As well as what’s on the table for help in the immediate future with regards to nose tackle, receiver, running back, and yeah, longsnapper.
If you are not a premium subscriber, here’s what you will get today: I’ll give you my position predictions on the first five picks in the Seahawks draft (last year, I predicted Seattle would go LT/EDGE/RB with first three picks and double-down on OT, EDGE, and CB…which is what they did) after first breaking down the 31 players who seem locked into the roster, the 10 who look close to it, and how Seattle will fill the remaining 12 positions.
This is the 50th article I’ve written in March; Seaside Joe posted 48 articles in January and 43 articles in February for a total of 151 articles about the Seahawks in the year 2023 alone. It’s not April yet, DRAFT MONTH, and Joe has also posted for 1,484 consecutive days.
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Let’s start by asking ourselves, “Who is DEFINITELY going to make the team and how many actual roster spots does Seattle have left? What positions are seemingly going to get another must-keep player added by August?” This should give us a clear idea of how much of a luxury a third quarterback actually would be and an idea of how probable it is that the Seahawks are going to give increased playing to some of these players who sit at or near starting positions as of today.
Then finally, my predictions on the 5 positions that the Seahawks will take with their first 5 picks.