NFL training camps will be starting very soon and teams will be breaking in new players that they traded for, drafted, or signed in free agency. This season will look a little bit different as it will have 17 regular season games instead of 16. The 2021 Seattle Seahawks faces of the franchise are particularly returnings all-stars, from the offense, defense, and special teams.
2021 Seattle Seahawks: Faces of the team
Russell Wilson
This off-season has been an eventful one for the Seahawks star quarterback. He was discussed in several trade talks throughout the off-season. Reportedly, his agent even put out a list of teams that he would want to be traded to that included the Cowboys, the Saints, and the Raiders. The trade talks either never started or were shut down for the time being and now he will focus on getting even better after his career year last year. He has a new offensive coordinator in Shane Waldron along with the stars like Chris Carson, D.K. Metcalf, and Tyler Lockett. Last season, Wilson threw a career high 40 touchdowns but fell off some to end the season. He will look to play high level football for the entirety of the season. They were a top offense in the first half of the year but fell off over the second half of the season.
Wilson will also will have an improved offensive line with the addition of guard Gabe Jackson so he should more time to throw this year. This comes as a relief as he has been hit more than any quarterback in the NFL since joining the league in 2012. Wilson does need to work on getting the ball out of his hands faster. He was towards the top in the NFL last season in slowest release time of the ball. If Wilson gets the ball out of his hands faster, this offense has a chance to be lethal this year.
Bobby Wagner
Bobby Wagner has been the face of the Seattle defense for the past nine seasons. He is the only member of the Legion of Boom defense remaining on the team. This season, the defense he is leading is flying under the radar. Wagner was yet again a pro-bowl nominee last season after a fantastic year. He did, however, show a little bit of age. He was a tad bit slower to the ball and missed more tackles than he typically does. Wagner is going to lead a linebacker group that is very young with second year man Jordyn Brooks getting a much bigger role this season. Wagner will be unlikely to have his running mate K.J. Wright back this season, so he will have to rely on the youth of this team.
Wagner’s voice in the locker room is just as impactful as his play on the field. This is a defense that was one of the worst in the league through the first eight games of the season. However, they were ranked top five on defense the last eight games. Wagner’s leadership should have the Seahawks as a top ten defense in the NFL.
Michael Dickson
Special teams does not get enough love for what they do. The Philadelphia Eagles laughed at the Seahawks for trading up for Dickson in the 2018 draft. He is proving to be worth the trade and has become the face of the special teams. During his first three seasons, Dickson has averaged 47.5 yards per punt. He was first-team all pro his rookie season and has been keeping steady since then. He helps the Seahawks defense by flipping field position especially last season. Dickson just signed a new four-year 14.5 million dollar contract this offseason so he is here to stay. He has been a fan favorite since arriving in Seattle, and he has this special teams as one of the best in the league.
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