Are the Seahawks set up best for long-term success in the NFC West?
Jan 2, 2021, 4:11 PM
DK Metcalf is one of many key players the Seahawks have drafted the last few years. (Getty)
(Getty)
For the first time since 2016, the Seattle Seahawks are NFC West champions. But aside from eight players, the roster has essentially totally turned over in that span.
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Stars like Russell Wilson, Bobby Wagner, K.J. Wright, Tyler Lockett and Jarran Reed were on that squad, as were current practice squad members Alex Collins and Luke Willson as well as injured special teams captain Neiko Thorpe, but other than those eight, it’s basically a new roster.
Now, Seattle is loaded with young talent, will win at least 11 games in 2020, and look to be set up for more long-term success under head coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider. That comes as the rest of the NFC West has also accumulated young talent and looked to be primed to take the division away from Seattle.
Danny O’Neil of 710 ESPN Seattle’s Danny and Gallant said it’s remarkable that Seattle has been able to retool and rebuild the roster without actively “tanking” and accumulating top draft picks like others in the division have done in recent years.
“Whatever the word for that is, that’s what the Seahawks have done over the past two or three years, in which they’ve essentially turned over almost their entire roster without having a losing record and they’re now back to the point where I believe they have the best young roster in the division,” he said.
The San Francisco 49ers, for example, drafted in the top 10 from 2016 to 2019, drafting three defensive linemen and an offensive tackle. Seattle regularly drafted at or near the end of the draft due to successful seasons. The Seahawks have won at least nine games every year since 2012.
“The Seahawks have not drafted near the top of the first round and yet you look around the division and say ‘who’s the best team set up going forward?’ and I think it’s the Seahawks,” he said.
Former NFL receiver Michael Bumpus called what the Seahawks have done a “slow, steady grind” that’s been worth it.
“They didn’t take the easy way out. They didn’t take and that shows character,” he said. “They’re going to make the best out of what they’ve got and that’s what they’ve been doing, and then along the way they’re going to add some pieces that hopefully pan out in the future. They realized this is a marathon, it’s not a sprint … It’s a long process and the Hawks have a really good process.”
O’Neil said it’s easy for teams to start to fold after they pay their quarterback, but the Seahawks look to be ready to show they’re one of the NFL’s top four teams despite Wilson being the league’s second-highest paid player entering the 2020 season.
“But the thing that becomes a challenge … is that quarterback gets expensive, and Russell’s been expensive for four or five years now, and they’ve gotten to the point where that can weigh things down (but it hasn’t),” he said.
While having those later draft picks and less money due to Wilson’s salary, the Seahawks have added impact players like DK Metcalf, Damien Lewis, Jordyn Brooks, L.J. Collier, Ugo Amadi and others in just the last two seasons. The 2017 and 2018 drafts also added key players like Chris Carson, Shaquill Griffin and Will Dissly. Starting defensive tackle Poona Ford was added as an undrafted free agent in 2018 as well.
“I feel like they’ve got a young nucleus,” he said.
Bumpus added that this offseason will be tough with Griffin and Wright set to hit free agency and Carlos Dunlap and Jamal Adams will likely be seeking new deals.
“They have some youngsters, but the foundation of this team, the older guys, what are you going to do with them?” he said.
Paul Gallant noted that this offseason will be especially critical as the salary cap is likely going down due to revenue loss from COVID-19.
“There’s a part of me that wants to keep everything together, but there’s part of you that has to realize the limitations of the salary cap and I wonder how many players are going to be convinced that it’s worth maybe to take less in the long haul,” he said.
Listen to the conversation from Wednesday at this link or in the player below.
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