NFL.com’s Edholm: Seahawks one of league’s most complete teams

May 31, 2023, 1:10 PM

Seahawks QB Geno Smith prepares for a snap against the Jets on Jan. 1, 2023. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

(Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

Seattle Sports

First, the Seattle Seahawks raised some eyebrows with their 2022 NFL Draft class.

Then they surprised everybody by making the playoffs in their first season after trading away franchise quarterback Russell Wilson.

Now, it’s the Seahawks’ 2023 offseason that is turning heads.

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In an article listing the 10 most complete teams in the NFL for the upcoming season (read here), NFL.com Lead Draft Writer Eric Edholm ranked the Seahawks ninth. He joined Seattle Sports’ Wyman and Bob on Tuesday to detail why he feels the Hawks belong on the list.

“I tried to find teams that had as few questions as possible, as much depth as possible,” Edholm told hosts Dave Wyman and Bob Stelton. “… There were some teams like Cleveland who almost made the cut that when I looked at it big picture, I said, ‘Boy, they have more talent than you think.’ And I think that applies to Seattle, too, even coming off a playoff team (in 2022).

“I think heading into last year, there was some some real question about, hey, how much are they going to be in the hunt right away? A lot can change in a year’s time, obviously it can swing back the other way, but the Seahawks are right there in the mix just because of the fact that they’ve plugged a lot of holes and done a good job of replacing some outgoing vets.”

Improved depth for Seattle Seahawks’ defense

When it comes to free agency this offseason, the Seahawks have put an emphasis on the front of their defense, signing defensive lineman Dre’Mont Jones away from Denver and reuniting with lineman Jarran Reed and legendary linebacker Bobby Wagner. That stands out to Edholm, as does the overall depth Seattle is cultivating.

“I know Dre’mont’s gonna come in with some expectations and Jarran Reed’s obviously a well regarded player, but the depth is really I think what hurt him as much last year when they had a couple of injuries up front,” he said. “… Another year in the system, (there’s now) more depth certainly. I think obviously getting Bobby back can’t do anything but help, I would imagine, coming off of a really great season.”

Even though the Seahawks cut Wagner after the 2021 season, he showed in one year with the Los Angeles Rams that he still has star ability, even at 32 years old.

“I know it got lost in a terrible Rams campaign, but boy, he looked great,” Edholm said of Wagner. “Made a lot of impact plays. He was the same impact guy he’s been for a decade.”

As for the back end of Seattle’s defense, the team has used the draft and trades in recent years to put together front-line talent. Cornerback Tariq Woolen was a Pro Bowler as a rookie in 2022, while the Hawks used the No. 5 overall pick in April’s draft on Illinois corner Devon Witherspoon. And at safety, they have veteran Pro Bowlers Quandre Diggs and Jamal Adams.

“The secondary (is) becoming, I guess, the second version of the Legion of Boom. This is a lot of young talent,” Edholm said. “As a draft guy – that’s kind of what I do most of the year – I really like the group they’re putting together and in time it could be pretty special.”

More weapons for Geno

Another surprise Pro Bowler that the Seahawks had last season was quarterback Geno Smith, who had been Wilson’s backup in previous years but took off after winning the QB job in training camp. He has since signed an extension with Seattle and could be primed for an even bigger season thanks to two additions the Hawks made in the earlier rounds of this year’s draft: first-round wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba and second-round running back Zach Charbonnet.

“I think Smith-Njigba is a terrific safety blanket,” Edholm said of the Ohio State product. “My favorite receiver in the draft this year by a good measure. I had him as my No. 11 or 12 overall player… I think he’s better than people give him credit for and he’ll be a Cooper Kupp-like contributor at some point in his career. Maybe not quite that volume, but that type of player. So you add that to the offense, you theoretically get another year better on the offensive line, those tackles and everything, it’s all there for (Smith) to be strong, especially with another another guy in the backfield too who can catch passes in Charbonnet.”

You can listen to the full Wyman and Bob conversation with Edholm in the podcast below.