The Seattle Seahawks ended their less than stellar 2016 with a record of 10-5-1 and a loss to the Atlanta Falcons in the divisional round of the playoffs. A lot of disappointment came from excessive injuries, the major one being safety Earl Thomas. A lot is said is that the Seahawks defense fell apart after Thomas was injured and this can be considered true with an additional look at the latter half of the season. In this article, we are looking ahead at the Seattle Seahawks in 2017.
Looking Ahead at the Seattle Seahawks in 2017
Free Agency and Draft
Free agency is a crucial time in the off-season when team offices have the opportunity to re-sign expiring player contracts from their team and sign available free agents from around the league. The Seahawks are expected to lose quite a handful of players in the upcoming off-season, including kicker Steven Hauschka, cornerback DeShawn Shead, linebacker Michael Morgan, recently signed wide receiver Devin Hester, and fullback Marcel Reece, to name a few.
This last season it seemed as if the Seahawks roster holes were fully exposed on both sides of the ball. For a few years, the Seahawks have managed to get away with spending as less as possible on an offensive line but it’s clear that it’s time to pull out their wallet. The best route here is to sign a free agent linemen, not draft one and wait for him to develop. This position is extremely crucial for the Seahawks and time is expiring for them to resolve the problem before serious consequences.
Another area of improvement is the cornerback. It’s safe to say that Richard Sherman’s name is in stone on the roster but it’s the opposite side of the field that is a worry. Currently, Deshawn Shead is listed opposite Sherman but his recent ACL injury is worrisome. The resolution does not come from second string Jeremy Lane, who still has yet to prove himself. The next step for Seahawks to find another stellar corner is to look in free agency. If they can’t find one worthy enough there, then the NFL Draft is the next best spot. Teams will never know when they will draft the next Hall of Famer. Pro Bowler Richard Sherman was drafted in the fifth round of the 2011 NFL Draft and safety Kam Chancellor was drafted in the fifth round of the 2010 NFL Draft.
Russell Wilson
Quarterback Russell Wilson was off his game in 2016. For the most part, injuries to his ankle and knee early in the season were a contributing factor but he continued without much improvement even after his recovery later in the season. Wilson has surprisingly remained injured-less until his fifth year in the NFL, so it’s possible that that the occurrence put him off ease. But with the assurance that he is going into 2017 healthy, this may spark his confidence to increase.
Coordinator Controversy
There is heavy controversy among Seattle fans as to whether the Seahawks should keep or fire offensive and defensive coordinators Darrell Bevell, and Kris Richard, respectively. A lot of the failures on the Seahawks offense is penned towards Bevell’s play calling and find him to have the “IQ of a seven-year-old.” On the other hand, some fans are disappointed after Dan Quinn, the Seahawks former defensive coordinator, left to join the Atlanta Falcons as the head coach. Richard has not lived up to the abilities that Quinn left behind with the Super Bowl XLVIII-winning defense, but so far, he has not yet shown a side that of failure.
Main Photo:
