WYMAN AND BOB

Where should the Seahawks focus for their first offseason move?

Jan 10, 2019, 12:59 PM | Updated: 1:24 pm

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Will Shaquill Griffin and the Seahawks' defense take a step forward in 2019? (AP)

(AP)

Now that the Seahawks’ season is officially over, 710 ESPN Seattle’s Danny, Dave and Moore jumped right into a conversation about the moves Seattle should make this offseason. Specifically, what should be the Seahawks’ first personnel decision?

Wyman’s Football 101: Grading the Seahawks’ WRs and TEs

The trio agreed the most immediate addition should be to the defense, but differed when it came to which position group could use the most help. Here are their takeaways:

Dave Wyman: Pass rush

“Whether (Seattle adds) an outside backer like Barkevious Mingo, who can play a little linebacker (and) a little bit of putting your hand in the dirt, or it could be through the draft. Maybe they sign somebody. Or maybe it’s someone you have: Rasheem Green could become (that guy). We heard the other day that they’re going to kick Naz Jones out to the 5 technique, which means he’s going to be an outside rusher, playing outside on the tackle — it’s not the LEO, but he’ll have a chance to rush from the outside. What you got out of Quinton Jefferson was good, and Dion Jordan really made a lot of plays. But pass rush would be the one thing. If they can get another guy to go along with Frank Clark and Jarran Reed, then man, this defense (would improve). They always say the best pass defense is a good pass rush, and if they could add a couple play-makers — if you could get another guy with double digit sacks, or even just six or seven — then oh my Gosh, this would be an even better defense.”

Jim Moore: Somebody to help the run defense

“I don’t really look at the pass rush as being any huge need, especially with Reed coming on the way he did. And seeing Frank Clark this season, and knowing they’re going to either give him a new deal or franchise him — and maybe give Reed an extension, too, I would think. I’m just more concerned about the run defense. I thought the pass rush was fine for the most part. I mean, they had 43 sacks, and it seems like they got their share of hits and hurries, too. The run defense though is ultimately what caused their demise a little bit, and it seemed like it was a season-long problem.”

Danny O’Neil: A play-maker in the secondary

“Maybe that’s Tre Flowers emerging into that role. Bradley McDougald had a really good year. But (Seattle should add) another person to take the ball away. I think we all hoped Shaquill Griffin was going to take that step this year when he had a couple picks against Chicago in Week 2.

“What’s interesting is that this team is in a place going forward where it needs to add to the side of the ball that it rebuilt first. The first time around, when the Seahawks got not just good, but when they got great under Pete Carroll the first time, quarterback and offense was the last thing that was put in place. It was the defense that kind of arrived there. In 2011, they had a really good defense. In 2012, you really felt like it was a championship-caliber defense. But then, it was, ‘Can they get the quarterback?’ The quarterback was the last thing to put in place.

“Now, I think it’s pretty clear that they’ve got the quarterback. They’re running the ball well again. I think you can expect that next season they’re going to be able to pick up where they left off in terms of running the ball. For me it’s going to be: how do they take that next step on the defense? And there’s lot of really, really good signs about what happened this year. But you’re going to try to see something that’ll put this defense in 2018 (to the next level). It was rebuilt, I think, better than some expected, but not quite as great as it once was. But they still had a heck of a season… I think it was an average defense, but it wasn’t worse that it was a year ago. And you can expect it to get better going forward. Not only that, but they’re probably going to start having a little more spending room of guys to be able to add. And Bradley McDougald is an example of the kind of talent that they’ve been able to buy even at a bargain price. I think there’s really good things in store for Seattle’s defense.”

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