2023 NFL Offseason: Seattle Seahawks

Seattle Seahawks (Last Year: 9-8)

2023 NFL Season Preview:

Veteran Additions:
G/C Evan Brown, DE Mario Edwards, DT Dre’Mont Jones, DT Jarran Reed, LB Bobby Wagner, LB Devin Bush, S Julian Love.
Early Draft Picks:
CB Devon Witherspoon, WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba, DE/OLB Derick Hall, RB Zach Charbonnet, OT/G Anthony Bradford, NT Cameron Young, DE Mike Morris, C Olusegun Oluwatimi. Seahawks Rookie Forecast
Offseason Losses:
RB Rashaad Penny, RB Travis Homer, WR Marquise Goodwin, G Gabe Jackson, C Austin Blythe, DT Shelby Harris, DT L.J. Collier, DT Quinton Jefferson, NT Poona Ford, NT Al Woods, DE/OLB Bruce Irvin, LB Cody Ford, CB Justin Coleman, S Ryan Neal, S Johnathan Abram.

2023 Seattle Seahawks Offense:
The Seahawks were expected to be one of the worst teams in the NFL last year, thanks to Russell Wilson’s departure. Wilson had been one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, and the only possible replacements Seattle had for him were Geno Smith and Drew Lock, two previously highly drafted quarterbacks who had failed spectacularly in the NFL. Smith won the job over Lock in training camp, but there was still very little hope, as evidenced by Denver being favored by a touchdown in Seattle during the season opener.

Smith was terrific against the Broncos to open the season and never regressed. He ultimately completed 69.8 percent of his passes on a 30:11 touchdown-to-interception ratio, leading Seattle to a playoff berth. He was awarded with the NFL Comeback Player of the Year award, and deservedly so.

There’s some concern that Smith will regress back to the bust everyone was used to seeing, but his terrific receiving corps will make it difficult for him to struggle. D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett were already one of the best receiving duos in the NFL, and now Seattle will have a dynamic trio with Jaxon Smith-Njigba joining the team. Smith-Njigba was considered the top receiver prospect in the 2023 NFL Draft, and yet he somehow fell to the No. 20 pick. The Seahawks stole him at that spot, which bodes extremely well for the passing attack.

Another reason why Smith won’t decline is the offensive line. The Seahawks gambled with two rookie tackles last year, and it worked brilliantly. Charles Cross and Abraham Lucas, chosen in the first and third rounds of the 2022 NFL Draft, respectively, both played very well this past season despite their inexperience. There’s good reason to believe both will make big leaps now that they’ll have some games under their belt. That will be key, given that they have to shield Smith from Nick Bosa twice per year.

The Seahawks wanted an upgrade in the interior of their offensive line to pair with their tackles. They acquired one when they signed Evan Brown away from the Lions. Brown is a fine blocker who can play center and guard. He’ll likely start at the former spot, and he’ll be sandwiched between Damien Lewis and Phil Haynes. Lewis is a quality lineman, while Haynes figures to be the weak link of the unit.

An improved offensive line will also open more holes for Kenneth Walker, who had a stellar rookie season after taking over for the injured Rashaad Penny. Walker rushed for 1,050 yards and nine touchdowns. He also caught 27 passes, but he’ll likely cede the receiving work to second-round rookie back Zach Charbonnet.

2023 Seattle Seahawks Defense:
While Geno Smith, the receivers and the offensive line outperformed expectations, it was ultimately the defense that was the team’s downfall in 2022. Two problems in particular haunted the Seahawks. The first was that they couldn’t generate pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Despite this, the Seahawks didn’t address the edge rush at all during the offseason. The two ends will continue to be Uchenna Nwosu and Darrell Taylor. Nwosu was the lone player who generated pressure, finishing with 9.5 sacks. Taylor, conversely, was putrid. The team will be hoping that 2022 second-rounder Boye Mafe can make a big jump in production.

One player who could have really bolstered Seattle’s pass rush was Jalen Carter, but the Seahawks passed on him with the fifth pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Carter had off-the-field issues, but was arguably the top prospect in the entire class. The Seahawks at least found an upgrade at defensive tackle via Dre’Mont Jones, who was a solid player for the Broncos. Seattle otherwise has nothing at the position besides Jarran Reed, a mediocre player who turns 31 in December.

While the Seahawks didn’t fix their first problem, the second issue was at least addressed. This liability was Seattle’s poor play against the run. In fact, the Seahawks had the worst rush defense in the NFL last year. That will almost certainly not be the case in 2023, as Bobby Wagner was signed back from the Rams. Wagner is not the All-Pro linebacker he once was, but he’s coming off a great season. The Seahawks also signed Devin Bush, a former first-round pick who has been a disappointment in the pros. Jordyn Brooks, likewise, hasn’t lived up to his first-round billing.

While the Seahawks could have further enhanced their run defense by selecting Carter, they used the No. 5 choice on Devon Witherspoon. This was an unusual move by the Seahawks, who often find stellar cornerbacks in the middle rounds. Witherspoon, however, was the top cornerback in the class. He and Tariq Woolen figure to form one of the best cornerback tandems in the NFL before long. Woolen had a stellar rookie campaign as a fifth-round pick last season. Seattle also has Tre Brown, a talented, but oft-injured corner, who could make an impact if he can stay on the field.

Rounding out the secondary, the Seahawks will start Quandre Diggs and Julian Love unless Jamal Adams can make an early return from injury. Adams will play at some point, but even if he doesn’t, Seattle will be fine at the position. Diggs is an exceptional talent, while Love performed well last year.

2023 Seattle Seahawks Schedule and Intangibles:
The Seahawks had a tremendous home-field advantage when they were great. The deafening noise at Qwest Field is why they were a ridiculous 49-12 as hosts over the past seven seasons prior to 2019. Oddly enough, the Seahawks have been better on the road (9-7) than at home (7-11) in the past two seasons.

Jason Myers was once again one of the top kickers in the NFL, hitting 34-of-37 tries, including all six of his attempts from beyond 50.

Michael Dickson finished second in net punting last year.

Seattle has a mixed schedule. It has some easy opponents like the Panthers, Redskins, and Titans. However, the Seahawks also have to battle the Eagles, Bengals, Lions, and Ravens.

2023 Seattle Seahawks Rookies:
Go here for the Seahawks Rookie Forecast, a page with predictions like which rookie will bust and which rookie will become a solid starter.

2023 Seattle Seahawks Positional Rankings (1-5 stars):

Quarterbacks	Offensive Line	Secondary
Running Backs	Defensive Line	Special Teams
Receivers	Linebackers	Coaching

2023 Seattle Seahawks Analysis: Some will likely believe that the Seahawks’ 2022 result was a fluke. In a way, it was, as Seattle’s dreadful defense made it difficult for the team to reach the playoffs following a quick start. However, Seattle made some terrific transactions this offseason, so the team has a good chance of improving and tightening the gap between them and the 49ers in 2023. That said, a tougher schedule could mean that the Seahawks’ win total regresses to the mean.

Projection: 8-9 (2nd in NFC West)

2022 Projection: 3-14. 2022 Actual Result: 9-8.
2021 Projection: 10-7. 2021 Actual Result: 7-10.
2020 Projection: 12-4. 2020 Actual Result: 12-4.
2019 Projection: 9-7. 2019 Actual Result: 11-5.
2018 Projection: 6-10. 2018 Actual Result: 10-6.
2017 Projection: 11-5. 2017 Actual Result: 9-7.
2016 Projection: 12-4. 2016 Actual Result: 10-5-1.

NFL Draft Team Grade: B- Grade

Goals Entering the 2023 NFL Draft: The 49ers lost some talent this offseason, so the Seahawks might be able to make a run and challenge them for the divisional title. To do so, they’ll need to make huge upgrades to their pass rush, which was very weak last year. Finding other defensive linemen to help in run support would be crucial as well.

2023 NFL Draft Accomplishments: The Seahawks made a couple of strange picks to kick off the 2023 NFL Draft. It was shocking to see them take Devon Witherspoon at No. 5 overall. Witherspoon was the top cornerback in this class, but Seattle does so well with drafting corners in the middle and late rounds. It’s such a huge advantage for them, so it was disappointing to see them ruin their great leverage like that. They must have really soured on Jalen Carter in the final hours leading up to the draft.

Another odd selection was Zach Charbonnet in the second round. The Seahawks had tons of success with Kenneth Walker last year, so wasting such an early selection on a running back was not wise, especially with so many other glaring needs.

That said, the Seahawks also had some stellar picks. Jaxon Smith-Njigba was a steal at No. 20. Anthony Bradford provided great value at the beginning of Day 3, and he should offer an upgrade in the interior of the offensive line. Mike Morris and Olu Oluwatimi were also steals in the fifth frame.

There was some good and some bad for the Seahawks in this draft class. While it was disappointing to see them commit a couple of blunders in the early stages, they did well to make up for those errors with some other selections.

NFL Draft Individual Grades:

5. Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois – D Grade
Uhh, what? Did the Seahawks forget that they’re experts at drafting cornerbacks in the middle and late rounds? Did they also fail to remember that they have a talented No. 1 cornerback? Seattle really needed to improve its pass rush. Picking Witherspoon here over Jalen Carter seems ridiculous.

20. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State – A+ Grade
How in the world did Jaxon Smith-Njigba drop to Seattle? I understand the Seahawks have D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, but the latter is in his 30s and won’t be on the roster much longer. Besides, Seattle needed a better third receiver in the short term. This is a tremendous pick.

37. Derick Hall, DE/OLB, Auburn – C+ Grade
Derick Hall doesn’t have great athleticism and upside, so I thought he should have been slated in the third round. I don’t think this is terrible value, however, and Hall fills a big need for a team that couldn’t get to the quarterback last year.

52. Zach Charbonnet, RB, UCLA – D Grade
I don’t understand this pick. Kenneth Walker had a tremendous rookie year, so a running back was one of the last things the Seahawks needed. I like Zach Charbonnet as a receiving back, but the Seahawks pretty much wasted this selection.

108. Anthony Bradford, OT/G, LSU – B+ Grade
The Seahawks had two stud rookies at tackle last year, but needed help at guard. Anthony Bradford can actually play both positions. He’s a solid prospect who looked very smooth in the combine drills to help himself. This is a quality pick to help Geno Smith.

123. Cameron Young, NT, Mississippi State – B Grade
The Seahawks were terrible against the run last year, so they needed to make a pick like this. Cameron Young will help them stuff the rush. He makes sense in the middle of the fourth round.

151. Mike Morris, DE, Michigan – A- Grade
Mike Morris isn’t a high-upside player, but is a powerful end who can stuff the run and get to the quarterback. He should have been chosen earlier than this, so I love the pick.

154. Olusegun Oluwatimi, C, Michigan – A Grade
Olusegun Oluwatimi is a solid center prospect and I thought he would be chosen earlier than this, perhaps late third or early fourth. The Seahawks needed a center, and they’re getting great value.

198. Jerrick Reed, S, New Mexico – B+ Grade
A safety makes sense for the Seahawks, especially one whom I had in the fifth round. Jerrick Reed is a good athlete, but size limitations dropped him. He’s still a good pick here in the sixth frame.

237. Kenny McIntosh, RB, Georgia – A- Grade
Another running back? This would be much better if the Seahawks didn’t waste a much earlier pick. Kenny McIntosh is a great receiver out of the backfield, and I thought he would go way earlier than this.

Season Summary:
Seattle’s playoff appearance was shocking, as the team was expected to be a last-place team in the wake of the Russell Wilson trade. Geno Smith was a surprisingly solid replacement, but the defense really let him down.

Offseason Moves:

Seahawks sign DE Mario Edwards

Seahawks sign LB Bobby Wagner

Seahawks sign S Julian Love

Seahawks sign LB Devin Bush

Seahawks sign G/C Evan Brown

Seahawks sign DT Jarran Reed

Seahawks sign DT Dre’Mont Jones

Team Needs:

Quarterback: The Seahawks need to make a decision on Geno Smith. He’s a free agent, so they could re-sign him and draft a potential replacement in the future. Re-signed Geno Smith
Two Defensive Ends: Seattle had one of the worst pass rushes in the NFL last year. Two new edge rushers are needed to bolster this unit.
Two Defensive Tackles: Stopping the run was also an issue for the Seahawks. Two new defensive tackles are needed as well. Signed Dre’Mont Jones and Jarran Reed
Center: Seattle’s offensive line was much better last year than it was in the past. However, there was still a big weakness at center that must be addressed. Signed Evan Brown
Linebacker: Here’s another area of the defense that must be bolstered. Cody Barton is a free agent, but he could be upgraded anyway. Signed Bobby Wagner and Devin Bush
Wide Receiver: A third receiver is needed to accompany D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett.

Follow me @walterfootball for updates.

2023 NFL Free Agent Signings:

Bobby Wagner, LB, Rams. Age: 33.
Signed with Seahawks (1 year)

Bobby Wagner was a declining player in his final days in Seattle, but he revived his career with the Rams last year. He was cut to save some money, but he should still be able to perform on a high level for another season or two.
Julian Love, S, Giants. Age: 25.
Signed with Seahawks (2 years, $12 million)

Julian Love had some down years earlier in his career, but made some big improvements to his game this past season.
Devin Bush, LB, Steelers. Age: 25.
Signed with Seahawks (1 year)

Devin Bush has been a disappointment as the former No. 10 overall pick. He hasn’t been terrible, and he still has some potential, but he hasn’t lived up to his draft billing yet.
Dre’Mont Jones, DT, Broncos. Age: 26.
Signed with Seahawks

Dre’Mont Jones tends to get trampled in run support, but he’s a solid pass-rushing presence with 18.5 sacks in the past three years.
Evan Brown, G/C, Lions. Age: 26.
Signed with Seahawks

Evan Brown did very well last year while filling in for injured starting offensive linemen. He performed well at both center and guard.
Jarran Reed, DT, Packers. Age: 30. — Signed with Seahawks
Mario Edwards, DE, Titans. Age: 29. — Signed with Seahawks

Seattle Seahawks Free Agents:

Salary Cap: TBA.

Ryan Neal, S, Seahawks. Age: 27.
Signed with Buccaneers (1 year)

Ryan Neal came out of nowhere to perform on an extremely high level in the second half of 2022. He was terrific in coverage.
Rashaad Penny, RB, Seahawks. Age: 27.
Signed with Eagles (1 year)

It’s a shame that Rashaad Penny broke his fibula after five games last year because he was off to a great start, averaging 6.1 yards per carry.
Geno Smith, QB, Seahawks. Age: 32.
Re-signed with Seahawks (3 years, $105 million)

It’ll be interesting to see what the Seahawks do with Geno Smith, who is coming off a phenomenal year by his standards. He completed 69.8 percent of his passes on a 7.5 YPA, all while throwing 30 touchdowns compared to 11 interceptions. He also rushed for 366 yards.
Poona Ford, NT, Seahawks. Age: 27.
Signed with Bills

Poona Ford is coming off a down year, but was previously known as a stout run defender. Perhaps he’ll rebound in 2023.
Cody Barton, LB, Seahawks. Age: 26.
Signed with Redskins (1 year)

Cody Barton should only be a two-down player because he’s decent versus the run, but struggles in coverage.
Austin Blythe, C, Seahawks. Age: 31.
Announced retirement

Austin Blythe was a decent pass protector last year, but struggled to open up running lanes. He’s as mediocre as it gets.
Shelby Harris, DT, Seahawks. Age: 32.
Shelby Harris has lost some of his pass-rushing prowess, but he’s still a stout run defender.
Bruce Irvin, DE/OLB, Seahawks. Age: 36.
Al Woods, NT, Seahawks. Age: 36. — Signed with Jets
Johnathan Abram, S, Seahawks. Age: 26. — Signed with Saints
Artie Burns, CB, Seahawks. Age: 28. — Re-signed with Seahawks
Marquise Goodwin, WR, Seahawks. Age: 32. — Signed with Browns
Travis Homer, RB, Seahawks. Age: 25. — Signed with Bears
Gabe Jackson, G, Seahawks. Age: 32.
L.J. Collier, DT, Seahawks. Age: 27. — Signed with Cardinals
Quinton Jefferson, DT, Seahawks. Age: 30. — Signed with Jets
Laquon Treadwell, WR, Seahawks. Age: 28. — Signed with Ravens
Justin Coleman, CB, Seahawks. Age: 30.
Drew Lock, QB, Seahawks. Age: 26. — Re-signed with Seahawks
Jalen Tabor, S, Seahawks. Age: 27.
Josh Jones, S, Seahawks. Age: 28.
Kyle Fuller, C, Seahawks. Age: 29. — Signed with Broncos
Cullen Gillaspia, FB, Seahawks. Age: 28.
Darryl Johnson, DE, Seahawks. Age: 26.