Seattle is poised for significant changes this year with new OC Klint Kubiak. Last year was yet another frustrating year with next to no ground game and an inability to compete in the trenches. I am hoping this change will be the start of something new. Let’s discuss needs by position and how free agency or the draft may impact.

QB:

This is Geno’s team. QB Geno Smith is and will be the quarterback barring injury for the next 2 to 3 years. The depth here is questionable with QB Sam Howell being the primary backup. Howell was drafted a couple of years ago and has shown some flashes, but most likely is not a future starter. Seattle could make a move in free agency, but I do not think the options there are much better than the one’s in the draft. So that would only make sense if they were conserving draft picks so they did not have to take a chance on someone like QB Jaxson Dart. But I would take Dart on day 2 over trading for QB Joe Milton or QB Trey Lance in free agency. Both would be too high of a price for someone to back up Geno and maybe someone even better falls to them in next year’s draft.

RB:

Seattle’s running backs had great stats per carry, but were woefully underutilized. That is a good thing for fantasy coaches because it means their value almost has to rise this year. RB Ken Walker is a great threat and RB Zach Charbonnet had flashes last year of showing he could be a premier back too. Really RB Kenny McIntosh and RB George Holani have talent too making this perhaps the strongest unit on the team.

I will talk about the offensive line here because an emphasis on the ground game may make them more important here. LT Charles Cross and RT Abe Lucas, now that he is healthy again, are all you need to know for Geno anyway. They are in good shape at tackle. That said, if the right talent slips to them in the first round they should nab them. You signed up for local spin, so here is one. What if the line was such a mess last year because of the system? What if Kubiak comes in and suddenly LG Christian Haynes, OC Olu Oluwatimi, and RG Anthony Bradford (or even RG Sataoa Laumea) are solidly average starters in a ground focused game plan supporting Cross and Lucas who are above average? Then drafting early for the offensive trenches looks like a mistake. OL Grey Zabel seems like the smartest first round pick for Seattle, but if all those happen to be true that opens up the draft. Or if a free agent guard is brought in like RG Trey Smith.

WR:

I think we have seen the last game of WR Tyler Lockett, unfortunately. WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba took his place as the future last year. And then there’s WR DK Metcalf. DK has all the tools to be one of the best in the league and just does not put them together. Trading DK for draft picks and/or a pro-bowl lineman or edge would be intriguing to me. But I am not sure Seattle feels the same. Assuming Lockett is gone and DK stays, Seattle should still take a late draft pick on a receiver but not be aggressive for one in free agency.

TE:

Tight end has been a mess in Seattle forever. I just do not see the value in keeping TE Noah Fant and I think TE Pharaoh Brown is gone too. This is a fantastic draft for tight ends and I would love to see one fall in the right spot for Seattle on day two if not day one. But we have had terrible luck in the draft and free agency and especially trades at this position. Of the three I think the draft is the better one to try.

Defense:

The defense really got better last year. I really wanted DE Jared Verse in last year’s draft, but when somehow both he and DT Byron Murphy were available I do think Seattle made the right pick. I would feel much better about that if Seattle found their own Verse at pick 18 this year. Things fell just right last year, so why not hope they do again and have DE James Pearce Jr. out of Tennessee just waiting for us to pick? With that logic I might as well hope for DT Kenneth Grant to be there. But really if Seattle was even to reach for the best defensive lineman available with a hope to further improve on their pass rush, I would be fine. Again this is a situation where improvement on the offensive line has already happened by free agency or by current players improving with the scheme.

Seattle should keep all of their linebackers and will see continued improvement here. I think I can say the same for safety.

I was not thrilled with the performance (or maybe attitude?) of CB Riq Woolen and he is going to be up for contract negotiation soon. Generally I would say Seattle could stand pat in the secondary, but getting additional draft talent would be wise.

Free agency being the first news to hit starting mid-March, I would expect something may happen there with the interior offensive line. I would be concerned about virtually every other position being targeted in free agency because they would likely overpay compared to similar talent available in the draft. And the true elite guys are worth paying to get over the hump for the Super Bowl run and Seattle is not positioned for that yet.

End.