Defense is the clear area where the Seahawks need to improve if they’re going to take a step forward next season following their trip to the playoffs.

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Seattle allowed the seventh-most total yards (6,149) to their opponents among NFL teams in 2022 and the eighth-most points (401), though they did tie for seventh in sacks with 45.

The Seahawks will have a chance both in the draft and free agency this offseason to make the necessary improvements, but when the 2023 season comes along, there’s one thing that Stacy Rost of Seattle Sports’ Bump and Stacy says will be a telltale sign of if the Seahawks truly made an upgrade.

Here’s what she had to say:

Question: What accolade do you hope to see earned by a Seahawks player next season?

Stacy’s answer:

I’ll keep it really simple: a Pro Bowl. I want to see a Pro Bowl defensive lineman. It’s something that this team hasn’t had since Michael Bennett was a Pro Bowler back in 2017, and it’s really confusing because Frank Clark actually had a career-high in sacks (with the Seahawks in 2018); he’s never surpassed 13 sacks and yet his three Pro Bowl seasons have all been with Kansas City in the seasons since then. So I would love to see Seattle for the first time in six years get a Pro Bowl defensive lineman, whether it’s a rookie or, you know what, I’ll even maybe consider some outside linebackers given the recency of the switch to a 3-4 (defense). But I think it’s much needed for this team. The most successful teams excel there, and I’d love to see it for Seattle.

Catch Bump and Stacy live from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays on Seattle Sports. Click here to listen to podcasts of every hour of Bump and Stacy.

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