K.J. Wright’s Seattle Seahawks predictions for 2023 season

It’s safe to say that K.J. Wright was correct about the Seattle Seahawks last year.

Hawks Live is back every Thursday at 7 p.m.

He picked the Hawks to make the playoffs as a wild card team and also to beat the Denver Broncos in Week 1. Wright also was on point with his belief that Geno Smith would be the team’s starting quarterback and Tariq Woolen needed to start at cornerback due to his game-changing ability.

That was all last year. What about for this upcoming season?

During this week’s edition of The K.J. Wright Show on Seattle Sports, Wright was asked to make a few more Seahawks predictions with Brock and Salk before the team kicks off this Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams.

Do Seahawks win the NFC West?

Here’s a simple one: After finishing second in the NFC West but still making the playoffs, will the Seahawks win the division over the San Franciso 49ers? Wright didn’t give a firm answer, but he did seem to hint at what he thinks will happen.

“I hope they do, but the 49ers are stacked. They’re so stacked,” he said. “There’s so many weapons on offense, so many weapons on defense. It’s like Legion of Boom 2.0 over there with that defense. They’re scary.”

Seahawks win total in 2023

As for wins, the Seahawks had nine last year. What about this year?

“I’m going 10 games this football season. One game better,” Wright said.

Wright thinks the Seahawks have a better team than last year, but he thinks the schedule is far more difficult.

“This schedule is a beast,” he said. “They’ve got the AFC North, they’ve got the NFC East, they’ve got their own division. This schedule is kind of brutal, so I’ve got them getting one game over (last year’s total).”

Will Geno Smith have more passing yards than last year?

Last season, Smith shined as the Seahawks’ starting quarterback, earning a Pro Bowl nod while leading the NFL in completion percentage, finishing fourth in touchdown passes and eighth in passing yards.

As far as yards go, Smith passed for 4,284 last season. Will he exceed that in 2023?

“He’s going over that. He’s going over,” Wright said.

Wright pointed to an improved offensive line, a wide receiver trio in DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett and rookie Jaxon Smith-Njigba as well as “a good running game to open stuff up more” as reasons why Smith will throw for more than 4,284 yards in 2023.

Will Kenneth Walker III have more rushing yards than last year?

2022 second-round pick Kenneth Walker III was big for the Seahawks last year, rushing for 1,050 yards and scoring nine touchdowns. Does he go over 1,050 rushing yards in 2023?

“Give me the over with Ken,” Wright said. “He split some time with (Rashaad) Penny last year. He’s going to split some time with (Zach) Charbonnet (this year), but he’s going to be the starter coming into the season. Last year he backed up Penny for a bit and then took over. He’s going to be the full-time guy, hopefully for 17 games … He’s going to get over 1,050 yards. That sounds kind of easy. He’s got 17 games to get it done.”

Who will be the Week 1 nickel corner?

The Seahawks have a very versatile secondary, so Wright gave a Week 1 prediction about what the secondary will look like this Sunday against the Rams when Seattle plays nickel.

“Let me make my nickel defense prediction that’s been bothering me all training camp. When we go nickel, I’m saying once again, Tariq Woolen and Tre Brown (outside) and Coby Bryant as my nickel when we play the Rams,” he said.

How many wins will the Broncos have?

This one isn’t Seahawks-centric, but does have a Seattle tie-in.

With former Hawks quarterback in Denver last year, the Broncos failed miserably to meet expectations and went just 5-12, gifting the Seahawks the No. 5 pick in this April’s NFL Draft.

So how do Wilson and the Broncos do this year with a new head coach in town in Sean Payton?

“Broncos Country … I think they get seven this year,” Wright said.

As for Wilson, how many games will he start for Denver this year after a disatrous first year with the Broncos?

“Every one of them. He won’t be on the bench,” Wright said.

Listen to the full K.J. Wright Show at this link or in the player near the top of this story. 

More on the Seattle Seahawks

• Huard: The 2 surprises from Seattle Seahawks’ Week 1 depth chart
• GM Schneider: Seahawks’ most improved position is DBs
• NFL Network’s Wyche: Chris Jones to Seahawks ‘would make a lot of sense’
• In Seahawks return, Bobby Wagner still feels at top of his game
• Rost on Seahawks: Making the case for each team to win NFC West
• Huard: Why is Seattle Seahawks’ ‘home run’ Geno deal now a ‘grand slam?’

Follow @TheBGustafson