2023 32 Teams/32 Days: Seattle Seahawks

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Seattle Seahawks - 32 Teams/32 Days

Division: NFC West

Prelude - An Offseason of Shock and Awe.

The 2021 Season, on a whole, was a deeply disappointing venture. The Seahawks offense was entirely inconsistent. Russell Wilson looked off the entire year and was hampered by injury for the 1st time in his career. The run-game also failed to gel together until the end of the season. Further compounding the inconsistency was the abysmal defense; finishing 17th in Run Defense and 31st in Pass Defense.

It was a volatile season and it showed in an underwhelming 7-10 record. Their first losing record in 10 Years. The second season over that span without a playoff berth. All the while, watching the rest of the division make the playoffs, with two of them meeting in the NFC Championship, and one of them winning the Super Bowl. Frustratingly Seattle sat watching on the couch.

Even with the underwhelming result, most Seahawks fans remained cautiously optimistic entering 2022. After all, they still had an offense of electric playmakers, helmed by Russell Wilson and a defense helmed by Bobby Wagner, the last member of the legendary Legion of Boom defense.

However, that feeling of optimism wouldn’t last. On March 8th, 2022, Pete Carroll and John Schneider traded Russ and released Wagner. While most Seahawks fans maintained strong faith in PC-JS’s system, those two moves casted the first major bit of doubt into the hearts and minds of Seattle fans. Those doubts mixed with seasons of disappointing playoff returns led to the rise of a sizable dissenting group, who thought we were making a major mistake by retaining Pete over Russ.

Regardless of whether you were Team “Anti-Pete” or “Team Trust the Process”, the general expectation was that the 2022 Seahawks would suck and the season would be brutal, but we’d enter 2023 with a bright future and a top draft pick as a result…

The 2022 Season

• Record: 9-8 (2nd in Division)

• Divisional Record: 4-2

• Season Finish: Lost in Wild Card Round (@49ers - 23-41)

Well…one of those things ended up being true. They are certainly entering 2023 with a bright future with a top draft pick. In a twist of fate, the 2022 Seahawks did NOT suck and the season was NOT brutal.

They had even made the playoffs! They may have been promptly bounced in the first round, but finishing as a playoff contender was still far beyond the wildest dreams of most Seahawks fans entering the year.

Just how did they pull it off? Well it all starts at the beginning: in the 2022 Offseason.

Free Agency

Players Retained

Player	Position	Contract	Seahawks Tenure
Quandre Diggs	FS	3 Year, $39 Million	(2019-*)
Will Dissly	TE	3 Year, $24 Million	(2018-*)
Al Woods	DT	2 Year, $9 Million	(2011, 2019-*)
Rashaad Penny	RB	1 Year, $5.75 Million	(2018-*)
Geno Smith	QB	1 Year, $3.5 Million	(2019-*)
Kyle Fuller	C	1 Year, $1.19 Million	(2019-*)

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[Players of Note]

• In his first three seasons with Seattle, Quandre Diggs proved himself to be a worthy successor to Earl Thomas. In those seasons, he had earned two Pro Bowl berths and was coming off three straight seasons with at least three interceptions.

• “Uncle Will” Dissly established himself as a fan favorite TE in Seattle. His stats don’t come off the paper like the Kelce’s or Mandrew's of the league, but his true strength shines as a blocking TE with an upside as a receiving security blanket.

• It’s rare that you see a player finally come into his own in his mid-30s. But Al Woods is one of those rare cases. Al Woods became one of Seattle’s starting defensive tackles in 2021 and he became the perfect complement to Poona Ford and proved to be a valuable veteran leader on the defense.

• Rashaad Penny, had earned himself one more chance with Seattle following a stellar finish to 2021. Over the final 5 weeks of the 2021 season, Penny had finished 2nd in rushing yards (behind only Jonathan Taylor). Even though he didn’t live up to the 1st Round hype, that level of production is worth seeing through

• Geno Smith, was Russell Wilson’s steady understudy in Seattle. After spending his first two seasons in Seattle holding the clipboard, he finally returned to start in 2021, becoming the first non-Russ QB to start for the Seahawks in nearly a decade. With Seattle trading Wilson to Denver, they chose to put their full faith in Geno for 2022

Players Departed

Player	Position	New Team	Contract	Seahawks Tenure
Russell Wilson	QB	DEN	Trade	(2012-2021)
Bobby Wagner	MLB	LAR	5 Year, $50 Million	(2012-2021)
D.J. Reed	CB	NYJ	3 Year, $33 Million	(2020-2021)
Duane Brown	OT	NYJ	2 Year, $20 Million	(2017-2021)
Chris Carson	RB	FA	Retired	(2017-2021)
Gerald Everett	TE	LAC	2 Year, $12 Million	(2021)
Jamarco Jones	OG	TEN	2 Year, $4.8 Million	(2018-2021)
Brandon Shell	OT	MIA	1 Year, $1.04 Million	(2020-2021)
Rasheem Green	EDGE	HOU	1 Year, $3.25 Million	(2018-2021)
Carlos Dunlap	EDGE	CIN	1 Year, $3 Million	(2020-2021)
Kerry Hyder	EDGE	SF	1 Year, $1.5 Million	(2021)
Ethan Pocic	C	CLE	1 Year, $1.19 Million	(2017-2021)

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[Players of Note]

• Losing Russell Wilson was a painful move conceptually, but it was ultimately in the best interest in the team. The vision of Russ and of the Seahawks fell irreparably out of sync and the front office chose to trade him while we could still get something in return instead of him walking for nothing. Denver was more than willing to give up a haul to end their QB woes.

• Bobby Wagner was another painful, yet necessary, move for the sake of the team’s future. Dude was the linchpin of the defense but his cost was becoming too constraining and made the difficult decision to part ways.

• D.J. Reed was a dang good corner and an absolute steal at his initial contract. Unfortunately, his fantastic play moved him out of our price range. The Jets proceeded to get a stellar right-hand man for Sauce Gardner

• Duane Brown was probably the best tackle of the Pete Carroll era but the Seahawks chose to go for youth instead of re-signing their soon-to-be 37-Year old tackle. After spending most of the offseason without a suitor, he finally joined the Jets to replace the injured Mehki Becton

• Chris Carson was a heck of a story. You don’t often see a 7th Round RB turn into a team’s long-term answer at RB. Unfortunately, he suffered a neck injury that posed a massive threat to his health if he continued to play and he ultimately chose to retire after 5 Seasons

• Gerald Everett was a valuable weapon in LA but he never really rose to that higher level with us during his time in Seattle. Not a bad player by any means and he was still a decent offensive piece. It’s just that we’ve never really had a TE truly pop off under Carroll (Maybe Graham). To his credit, the Chargers proved to be a much better fit for his services.

• Jamarco Jones was a decent depth piece for our team and always seemed to start a game or two in each season but he never really carved out a permanent place on our team. His time at Tennessee hasn’t done a lot to change the story, spending basically the entire 2022 season on IR

• Brandon Shell was a solid right tackle to complement Duane Brown for a few years. But, like with Brown, we chose to go for youth at the position in 2022

• Rasheem Green was a solid edge rusher who flashed greatness from time to time but not enough to re-sign. Green was among the best pass rushing options in Houston in 2022, although that was to the tune of 3.5 Sacks.

• Carlos Dunlap’s tenure with Seattle felt like a breath of fresh air. Our pass rush at the time of his 2020 trade felt like it was stuck in a logjam. Dunlap’s arrival finally got things clicking. Heck, Dunlap was probably our best pass-rushing option during his time with us. Dunlap did end up making the right choice in the end, joining the Chiefs in 2022. After spending so many seasons without sniffing a playoff win in Cincy and Seattle, he finally got that playoff win…and a Super Bowl ring in KC. Can’t help but be happy for him.

• Kerry Hyder’s time with us was basically a vacation. He spent 2020 with the Niners. Joined us in 2021 for a rotational pass rush role, and subsequently re-joined the Niners in 2022.

• Ethan Pocic was a frustrating case for us because he was far from a bad center. However, he was never really what you expect from a second-round pick center. Center has been such a hard spot for us ever since trading Max Unger.

Players Acquired

Player	Position	Previous Team	Contract/Trade
Drew Lock	QB	DEN	via Russ Trade
Shelby Harris	DE	DEN	via Russ Trade
Noah Fant	TE	DEN	via Russ Trade
Uchenna Nwosu	EDGE	LAC	2 Year, $19.055 Million
Quinton Jefferson	DT	LV	2 Year, $9.5 Million
Austin Blythe	C	KC	1 Year, $4 Million
Artie Burns	CB	CHI	1 Year, $2.035 Million
Marquise Goodwin	WR	CHI	1 Year, $1.273 Million
Justin Coleman	NCB	MIA	1 Year, $1.12 Million
Bruce Irvin	EDGE	CHI	1 Year, $1.12 Million
Godwin Igwebuike	RS	DET	1 Year, $895 Thousand

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[Players of Note]

• Part A of the Russ Trade, Drew Lock became the challenger to Geno Smith’s presumptive starting job. The battle lasted all offseason, which Geno Smith ultimately won. “Horse Cock” was a fun story but he was ultimately relegated to holding the clipboard all year.

• Part B of the Russ Trade, Shelby Harris played a valuable leadership role on Denver’s defense and was generally beloved by Denver fans. What we got in return was that same valuable veteran presence on the defense. The 2022 Seahawks defense was young and it certainly had its growing pains. It was definitely important to have a player with Harris’s experience on the roster

• Part C of the Russ Trade, Noah Fant was the most statistically impressive return we got from the Wilson trade. Fant was the receiving threat of Seattle’s TE room. Although it was a slight dip in production compared to his time in Denver, Fant was a still valuable receiving target for our offense. I’d definitely be interested to see what Seattle could do with Fant in 2023.

• Uchenna Nwosu was the surprise winner of Seattle’s FA class. Upon Seattle’s signing Nwosu, Chargers fan, u/xThe-Legend-Killerx, opined on the signing - “I always liked Nwosu. Never truly met expectations, but showed potential” Well Mr. Killerx, Nwosu finally lived up to that potential in Seattle: 9.5 Sacks, 66 Tackles, 12 for a loss. Nwosu was the best edge rusher we’ve had since we traded Frank Clark. Dude was fantastic.

Pete Carroll is a sentimental man. He often likes to bring back old flames for another ride. Carroll made three of those nostalgic signings in 2022:

• Quinton Jefferson was a former starting defensive end for Seattle between 2016 and 2019. Ironically, despite playing a reduced rotational role for Seattle in 2022, he hit his career high in sacks with 5.5

• Justin Coleman is honestly such a depressing case. Dude was among the best Nickel Cornerbacks in the league in his two years with Seattle and got paid handsomely by Detroit for that play in 2019. Coleman made his way back to Seattle in 2022 with his old position well and open. However, 2022 Justin Coleman was a far cry from 2018 Justin Coleman. Coleman lost his job to 4th Round rookie corner Coby Bryant in the preseason. Shame to see it end up like that.

• Bruce Irvin was the last major reunion story. Irvin was 35 years old and well past his prime, but he was a member of those Seahawks Super Bowl teams. He brought some ties back to those teams of old. Many of the young Seahawks probably grew up watching the Legion of Boom defense. Irvin was there and a part of it. So even if he only had 3.5 Sacks, that leadership role is important.

• Austin Blythe became Seattle’s new starting center in 2022. Blythe started every game for Seattle, but that was probably the highlight of his tenure. His run blocking was absolutely atrocious and was PFF’s 31st Ranked Center, which isn’t exactly good for your new replacement center.

• Marquise Goodwin was a pleasant surprise. Goodwin carved out a nice role as Seattle’s 3rd Wide Receiver.

• Godwin Igwebuike was a fun late season addition. A former member of Seattle’s XFL team: the Dragons, Godwin inherited the role as the team’s primary kick returner. Igwebuike had himself a decent stretch with 104 return yards against Carolina, 83 at home vs San Francisco, 68 in Kansas City and 150 in the Wild Card Round. Interesting potential there.

The Great Seahawks Draft Class of 2022

For this section, I will go over each Seahawks draft pick, summarize how they did, and give them a grade

Round 1, Pick 9 - Charles Cross - OT - Mississippi State

• In season’s past, Pete Carroll and John Schneider typically played cute with their first round draft picks, drafting their ideal guys, regardless of whether the pick was a reach for that spot. Sometimes it worked, but it also could blow up in their faces. But now, after trading their franchise QB, it was crucially important to nail this first pick; not the time to mess around. So they went with the predictable and safe option, drafting Cross.

• Cross immediately slotted into the Left Tackle spot, a notoriously difficult role for a rookie. Cross stepped up to the task. Cross started all 17 games, played in all but two of Seattle’s offensive snaps, and finished in the Top 10 for rookie O-linemen. There are still some areas of growth with Cross to be sure. However, his rookie year is exactly what you want to see in your franchise LT of the future.

• Grade: A-

Round 2, Pick 40 - Boye Mafe - EDGE - Minnesota

• Boye Mafe was a quick riser in the draft discussion last year off of an impressive Senior Bowl. Mafe was an aggressive, physical, pass rusher at college. However, he was also a little undersized, raw in run protection, and a little unrefined in terms of technique. He was always going to be a developmental draft selection. His 2022 production shows that. Mafe was still learning in 2022, playing in under 40% of the team’s defensive snaps. To his credit, that potential has shown itself, earning 3 sacks on the year. It’s still very much a WIP. Still though, a lot to like with Mafe, so far.

• Grade: C+

Round 2, Pick 41 - Ken Walker III - RB - Michigan State

• Out of all of our draft selections, Walker was the most maligned. “The Seahawks still have Chris Carson and Rashaad Penny, why draft another RB?” the pundits cried out. However most reasonable Seahawks fans understood the motive. Chris Carson had a serious neck injury the year before and Rashaad Penny had constantly battled injuries up to that point. That foresight paid off: Chris Carson retired from his injury and Penny went down with a season-ending injury early on. K9 showed his potential as a workhorse back during his time with Michigan State and K9 quickly took advantage of his fortunate circumstances with Seattle.

• Walker finished the season with 1,050 rushing yards, 9 TDs, and finished with the most first place votes for NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year. After years of inconsistent or injured RB rooms, Walker looks to quickly establish himself as Seattle’s best running back since Beast Mode. A fantastic pick

• Grade: A+

Round 3, Pick 72 - Abraham Lucas - OT - Washington State

• It’s rare enough to find one rookie tackle immediately ready to start from Game 1. It’s nearly unprecedented to find two. Seattle found two. Abraham Lucas was an immensely talented right tackle for the Cougars and managed to slide to Seattle’s selection in the 3rd. Lucas immediately earned himself a role as the Seahawks’ starting right tackle and he started 16/17 games at that spot. Lucas was also graded in the Top 10 for PFF’s rookie O-lineman as well. Finally, Charles Cross and Abe Lucas are the first pair of rookie tackles to start at least 16 games in each tackle spot since the NFL expanded to 16 games back in 1978. That’s a damn impressive rookie.

• Grade: A+

Round 4, Pick 109 - Coby Bryant - CB - Cincinnati

• While Sauce got a lot of media attention leading up to the draft (and rightfully so), his partner in crime for the Bearcats was far from a slouch either. Bryant was a physical beast at Cincy and was known for imposing that might on opposing offenses. Despite his relatively low draft spot for a corner, Bryant immediately found a role as the team’s starting nickel cornerback. Bryant continued his thumping ways to the tune of 70 combined tackles and four forced fumbles. The latter stat was tied for the 2nd most in the NFL last season and the most by a defensive back. He let up a little in coverage but a nickelback is warranted a little leniency in comparison to a full-on starting cornerback.

• Grade: B+

Round 5, Pick 153 - Tariq Woolen - CB - UTSA

• Leaving UTSA, Tariq Woolen was considered a bit of a project. His ceiling was always sky high with supreme size, speed, and wingspan for the position. But he was receiver-to-corner convert at a smaller school so many expected him to be a bit of a project player. He’d likely need a year or so to get up to the NFL level. Woolen defied that expectation with Seattle and immediately earned a starting role on Seattle’s defense. Not only did he start from Day 1, but he was fantastic. He finished tied for the interceptions in the league with 6, earned a 71.6 PFF Rating, and allowed a 48.5 Passer Rating in coverage. Woolen became the first rookie drafted in the 5th round or later to make the Pro Bowl in his first year since the league instituted the modern 7-Round format. For all of these reasons, Woolen was a DROY finalist. Getting a player like that in the 5th Round is a win in every sense of the word.

• Grade: A+

Round 5, Pick 158 - Tyreke Smith - EDGE - Ohio State

• Smith is a bit of an unknown. An alum of Larry Johnson’s legendary D-line regime at Ohio State, Smith may not have been a Bosa or a Young but he was presumably drafted to help out with the Seahawks pass rush woes. Unfortunately, he wouldn’t see the field in 2022. Missing the entire season due to multiple hip injuries. It remains to be seen if Smith can carve out a role on the team, but he may be the odd man out. As it stands right now his grade is INCOMPLETE

Round 7, Pick 229 - Bo Melton - WR - Rutgers

• I honestly had high hopes for Melton. He was the saving grace of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights offense. But Melton ended up on the practice squad and was subsequently grabbed by the Green Bay Packers. However it’s hard to be bummed, the 7th Round is usually a crapshoot. So a lost player can be pretty inconsequential

• Grade: D

Round 7, Pick 233 - Dareke Young - WR - Lenoir-Rhyne

• Young stands as one of the rare DII draft selections. Young was a very versatile player at Lenoir-Rhyne and was asked to play multiple different parts on the team. While his receiving impact as a rookie was very minimal (just two catches for 24 yards), Young found his spot to shine on the special teams unit. Young played on 60% of the Seahawks special teams snaps in 2022. It remains to be seen if Young will inherit a bigger role in 2023, but what I’ve seen is promising. Even if he doesn’t become anything more, getting any significant production out of a 7th Round Pick is worth talking about.

• Grade: B-

2022 Season Game-by-Game Recap

Week	Opponent	Date	Result	Game Highlights	Succinct Summary	Play of the Game
1	Vs. Denver Broncos	9/12/22	W, 17-16 [1-0]	Highlights	Written Off but Not Writing Back	Geno escapes pressure and throws TD to Dissly
2	at San Francisco 49ers	9/18/22	L, 7-27 [1-1]	Highlights	Slammed in Santa Clara	Woolen blocks field goal for defensive TD
3	Vs. Atlanta Falcons	9/25/22	L, 23-27 [1-2]	Highlights	Seattle Stallout	Tariq Woolen’s 1st Career Interception
4	at Detroit Lions	10/2/22	W, 48-45 [2-2]	Highlights	Motor City Shootout	Rashaad Penny puts the game away
5	at New Orleans Saints	10/9/22	L, 32-39 [2-3]	Highlights	Making Mountains out of Taysom Hills	Geno Smith threads the needle
6	Vs. Arizona Cardinals	10/16/22	W, 19-9 [3-3]	Highlights	A Win to Reset The Vibe	Ken Walker outmaneuvers 7 Cardinals defenders for the 1st Down
7	at Los Angeles Chargers	10/23/22	W, 37-23 [4-3]	Highlights	Ken Walker’s Breakout Game	K9 puts it away
8	Vs. New York Giants	10/30/22	W, 27-13 [5-3]	Highlights	A High Class Bout of Teams on the Rise	Walker’s Thriller TD Run
9	at Arizona Cardinals	11/6/22	W, 31-21 [6-3]	Highlights	A Sweep at State Farm	Noah Fant with the masterful 51-Yard Catch
10	at Tampa Bay Buccaneers	11/13/22	L, 16-21 [6-4]	Highlights	Mucking it Up in Munich	Tariq Woolen intercepts the trick play right over Tom Brady
11	Vs. Las Vegas Raiders	11/27/22	L, 34-40 [6-5]	Highlights	Jacob-literation	Quandre Diggs doubles it up with two interceptions in the 1st Quarter
12	at Los Angeles Rams	12/4/22	W, 27-23 [7-5]	Highlights	A Game So Fine at SoFi	DK Metcalf Game-Winning TD in spite of glue-like coverage by Jalen Ramsey
13	Vs. Carolina Panthers	12/11/22	L, 24-30 [7-6]	Highlights	We Really Got Swept by the 2022 NFC South	Tyler Lockett with the Toe Drag Swag TD
14	Vs. San Francisco 49ers	12/15/22	L, 13-21 [7-7]	Highlights	The Sheer Momentum of The Best Defense in the NFL	Ken Walker with the long catch to bring Seattle to the Red Zone
15	at Kansas City Chiefs	12/24/22	L, 10-24 [7-8]	Highlights	The Sheer Momentum of The Best Offense in the NFL	Ken Walker reverses field into a big gain
16	Vs. New York Jets	1/1/23	W, 23-6 [8-8]	Highlights	Battle of the Best Draft Classes	Ken Walker kicks the game off with a bang
17	Vs. Los Angeles Rams	1/8/23	W, 19-16 [9-8]	Highlights	The Season Ain’t Dead Yet!	Quandre Diggs keeps Seattle alive with the clutchest of INTs
Wild Card	at San Francisco 49ers	1/14/23	L, 23-41 [Eliminated]	Highlights	Had ‘Em in the 1st Half, Not Gonna Lie	DK Metcalf with the deep TD catch

The Terrifying Lows, The Dizzying Highs, (and The Creamy Middles) of the 2022 Season

[NOTE] - The full length of my post exceeded the character limit. So I have isolated the High, Low, and Creamy Middle Section to its own separate comment, down below. Ideally I would’ve preferred to keep it all together but I’m limited by the constraints of the formatting.

Link to the comment

The Stats

• Team Offensive Rankings - 407 Points Scored (9th), 3,934 Passing Yards (11th), 2,042 Rushing Yards (18th)

• Team Defensive Rankings - 401 Points Allowed (25th), 3,595 Passing Yards Allowed (14th), 2,554 Rushing Yards Allowed (30th)

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Passing Stats

Player	Position	Accuracy	Statline
Geno Smith	QB	399 Completions/572 Attempts (69.8%)	4.282 Yards, 30 TDs, 11 INTs

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Rushing Stats (at least 100 rushing yards)

Player	Position	Statline
Ken Walker III	RB	228 Carries, 1,050 Yards - 9 TDs, 0 Fumbles
Geno Smith	QB	68 Carries, 366 Yards - 1 TD
Rashaad Penny	RB	57 Carries, 346 Yards - 2 TDs, 1 Fumble
DeeJay Dallas	RB	35 Carries, 186 Yards - 1 Fumble

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Receiving Stats (at least 100 receiving yards)

Player	Position	Statline
DK Metcalf	WR	90 Receptions, 1,046 Yards, 6 TDs
Tyler Lockett	WR	84 Receptions, 1,033 Yards, 9 TDs
Noah Fant	TE	50 Receptions, 486 Yards, 4 TDs
Marquise Goodwin	WR	27 Receptions, 387 Yards, 4 TDs
Will Dissly	TE	34 Receptions, 349 Yards, 3 TDs
Colby Parkinson	TE	25 Receptions, 322 Yards, 2 TDs
Ken Walker III	RB	27 Receptions, 165 Yards
Travis Homer	RB	16 Receptions, 157 Yards, 1 TD
DeeJay Dallas	RB	17 Receptions, 126 Yards

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Defense Stats

Player	Position	Statline
Uchenna Nwosu	EDGE	9.5 Sacks, 3 Force Fumbles, 66 Tackles (12 TFL)
Darrell Taylor	EDGE	9.5 Sacks, 4 Force Fumbles, 26 Tackles (8 TFL)
Quinton Jefferson	EDGE	5.5 Sacks, 29 Tackles (6 TFL)
Bruce Irvin	EDGE	3.5 Sacks, 28 Tackles (5 TFL)
Boye Mafe	EDGE	3 Sacks, 41 Tackles (3 TFL)
Poona Ford	iDL/DT	3 Sacks, 35 Tackles (6 TFL)
Shelby Harris	iDL/DT	2 Sacks, 44 Tackles (5 TFL)
Al Woods	iDL/DT	2 Sacks, 39 Tackles (5 TFL)
Jordyn Brooks	MLB	161 Tackles (103 Solo), 1 Sack, 1 Force Fumble
Cody Barton	MLB	136 Tackles (84 Solo), 2 Sacks, 2 Interceptions
Tariq Woolen	CB	6 Interceptions, 16 Passes Defended, 63 Tackles, 1 Def. TD
Michael Jackson	CB	1 Interception, 12 Passes Defended, 75 Tackles
Coby Bryant	N-CB	4 Force Fumbles, 2 Sacks, 70 Tackles (4 TFL)
Quandre Diggs	FS	4 Interceptions, 7 Passes Defended, 71 Tackles, 1 Force Fumble
Ryan Neal	SS	1 Interception, 8 Passes Defended, 66 Tackles, 1 Force Fumble

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Special Teams Stats

Player	Position	Statline
Jason Myers	K	34/37 Field Goals Made (91.9%) - 41/42 Extra Points Made (97.6%)
Michael Dickson	P	66 Punts, 2,924 Yards, 48.5 Yards/Punt, 22 Inside-20’s
DeeJay Dallas	RB	26 Returns, 372 Return Yards - 14.3 Yards/Return
Godwin Igwebuike	RB	11 Returns, 308 Return Yards - 28 Yards/Return
Dee Eskridge	WR	7 Returns, 150 Return Yards - 21.4 Yards/Return
Tyler Lockett	WR	1 Return, 7 Yards - 7 Yards/Return

Roster Review

This will be a look back on the 2022 position groups and how they performed in 2022

• QB - Geno Smith stepped into the roster handily and showed that he can still be a great starter in the league today. Considering that we turned a long-term backup into a Top 10 starter, that deserves a great deal of credit. Regardless of if we bring Geno back or if we go for someone in FA/Draft, our QB group looks bright.

• RB - Our investment in Ken Walker proved wise. After Rashaad Penny went down, Walker stepped up into a bellcow role as a rookie. Our RB depth beyond Walker is still a question mark, but as long as Walker leads the show, and most importantly, stays healthy, then our RB room should be strong.

• WR - With two wide receivers with No. 1-level talent, our offense has a nice stable floor. DK and Lockett showed just why we extended them long-term. Like with the running backs, our depth is still a question mark. Marquise Goodwin was great as a speedy, deep threat but he’s on the wrong side of 30 and coming off of an injury. Depth is a key priority.

• TE - Our tight end group was a three-headed dragon. Noah Fant, Uncle Will, and Colby Parkinson, all had their time to shine. It was especially present in our 3-TE sets which helped get the ball down the field at multiple points. If Shane Waldron can utilize their talents even more in 2023, then they can prove to be a crucial part of the offense.

• OT - When you have two rookie tackles hit the ground running from Day 1, that is a great O-Line in the making. I can’t wait to see how Cross and Lucas improve in Year 2.

• iOL - This is a critical area of improvement for 2023. Damien Lewis is still a decent starter and Phil Haynes is a great depth piece but Gabe Jackson looked washed on the field and Austin Blythe’s production was really poor. Upgrades are needed

• EDGE - While Nwosu and Taylor both had decent seasons, we’ve lacked an absolute wrecker on the pass rush for a good bit now. Boye Mafe is developing nicely, but outside of him, depth has also been a bit of a concern.

• DT - This position needs improving, big time. Poona Ford brings talent but he’s a FA and his playstyle isn’t a perfect match for our scheme. Al Woods is a veteran leader but he’s 35. Most damning of all, is our perpetually piss poor run defense. We’ve GOT to work on that.

• LB - Linebacker was a very up-and-down spot for our team. Jordyn Brooks was a tackling machine but his performance regressed behind the line of scrimmage. Cody Barton was also maddeningly inconsistent. With bright moments but also plenty of infuriating plays. Not awful by any means but you could feel the inconsistency there.

• DB - The secondary has consistently been Pete Carroll’s best area. He always seems to bring the best out of his players. Tariq Woolen mastered the project corner Any% speedrun over the offseason, quickly becoming our best cornerback in his first year. Mike Jackson provided a decent No. 2 option alongside Woolen. Coby Bryant also stepped up into a productive Nickel corner in 2022. Although his coverage skills are still growing, he brought a great degree of physicality to the secondary. Quandre Diggs was still a ball hawk, as per usual. It seemed as if he was still hampered by a broken leg suffered at the end of the 2021 Season, as his tackling ability regressed greatly. We regrettably lost Jamal Adams to another season-ending injury, but Ryan Neal stepped up admirably in his absence, finishing as PFF’s top safety in 2022. Whatever form the secondary takes in 2022, you can count on it to at least be solid.

• ST - Special Teams was also a pretty consistent group in 2022. Jason Myers was almost always money, going 34/37 on field goals and 41/42 on extra points. He did make a few errors (a potential field goal in Week 4 to keep the game from growing as close, A missed extra point to prevent a 3-point halftime lead in Week 5, and missing a potential game-winner in Week 18) but on a whole, he was mostly money. Michael Dickson was still as stellar as ever as a punter. Losing your Long Snapper can be very risky but Carson Tinker managed to take over the role without any issue. The other spots from gunners, to returners also lived up to expectations.

Staff Review

• Pete Carroll - Head Coach/Executive VP of Football Ops - If there was any doubt about Carroll’s ability in a modern NFL, they were put to rest in 2022. Entering his 71st year on Earth and 13th with Seattle, Carroll weathered all storms, adversity, and concerns and returned Seattle to the playoffs. This season to me feels like Carroll solidifying a truly strong case for the HOF. I’ve never felt more vindicated in my trust and faith in a staff-member. Godspeed you gum-chewing legend

• John Schneider - General Manager/Executive VP of Football Ops - Schneider's image also went through a similar refurbishment. After multiple years with multiple draft misses, many questioned if Schneider could still draft like he did during 2010-2012. Well it turns out that he could. Schneider and Carroll stopped playing cute with their selections and picked for needs without reaching too far to meet them. The results showed. If Schneiders hits on the 2023 Draft like he did in 2022, expect this team to step up big time.

• Shane Waldron - Offensive Coordinator - Waldron’s offensive scheming in 2021 caused mild concern with the offense underwhelming late down the stretch. 2022 was another story entirely. Geno Smith proved a far better fit for his scheme and it showed in the offensive returns. Definitely happy with where Waldron stands.

• Clint Hurtt - Defensive Coordinator - After firing Ken Norton Jr, following the 2021 season, we hired his replacement internally. Said replacement being D-Line coach, Clint Hurtt. I wish I could say that we made big strides under Hurtt in 2022, but that hasn’t really panned out that way. The defense feels…slightly…better than last year but a lot of the defense’s two major flaws still reared their ugly heads: piss poor tackling and awful run defense (which especially sucks because that’s right in Hurtt’s ballpark). One has to hope that better players on D and better tackling will fix these issues. But if the problem is systemic from coach-to-coach, then that’s a big problem. Let’s hope not.

• Larry Izzo - Special Teams Coordinator - Izzo has been a large part behind the general consistency of the Seahawks special teams unit. Even when players go down, Izzo is able to coach adequate replacements. Carson Tinker and Godwin Igwebuike being particular examples.

• Sean Desai - Associate Head Coach/Defensive Assistant - Sean Desai was a hot coaching candidate entering 2022, with multiple coordinator jobs potentially on the table for him. Desai instead chose to join Carroll’s defensive staff in a reduced role. Some theorized that he may have been an heir apparent for Carroll. In terms of 2022, from what I can best gather, is that his role was on working with the secondary. Considering that Seattle’s secondary was the highlight on the defense, I can see where the hype for him came from. However, that hype eventually grew too great for us to hold onto, as Desai joined the Eagles as their defensive coordinator.

• Dave Canales - Quarterbacks Coach - Dave Canales was one of the last remaining staff members from Pete’s first year in Seattle. Canales bounced around multiple roles on the Seahawks offense, from WR coach, to Pass Game Coordinator, to QB coach. 2022 was Canales strongest year with the team, helping foster Geno’s return to stardom. That role led to him being a hot interview candidate for OC jobs, ultimately leading to a promotion as Tampa Bay’s Offensive Coordinator position

• Aaron Curry - Defensive Assistant - It’s not very often when you see a team’s biggest bust come back to play a valuable role for the same team he busted for. Aaron “Safest Pick in the Draft” Curry came back to the Seahawks in 2019 as a defensive assistant. After a few seasons under Seattle, he was promoted to the Steelers’ defensive staff as their interior linebacker coach.

The remaining coaches on Seattle’s staff have less to say about them than the bigger names. That's not to say that they're bad coaches, there's just not a lot that I can add to the discussion. So they’ve been omitted.

Free Agents on the Horizon

Significant Free Agents specifically

Player	Posistion
Geno Smith	QB
Poona Ford	DT
Ryan Neal (RFA)	SS
Cody Barton	ILB
Rashaad Penny	RB
Travis Homer	RB
Drew Lock	QB
Mike Jackson (ERFA)	CB
Godwin Igwebuike (ERFA)	RS
Marquise Goodwin	WR
LJ Collier	EDGE
Tyler Ott & Carson Tinker	LS
Bruce Irvin	EDGE
Penny Hart	WR
Josh Jones	SS
Laquon “” Treadwell	WR
Jonathan Abrham	FS
Artie Burns	CB
Kyle Fuller	C
Justin Coleman	NCB

Ranking Team Needs for 2022

• 1.) Interior Defensive Line - We have to fix that Run D somehow - Need: EXTREME

• 2a) Interior Offensive Line - Major holes at C and RG, that need to be filled posthaste - Need: Very High

• 2b) Edge Rushers - We need to improve at pass rush and our ability to get after the QB - Need: Very High

• 3.) Quarterback - Whether it's Geno, a top prospect, or both. We need to solidify our QB plans for 2023 - Need: Very High

• 4.) Linebacker - Our linebacker’s flaws showed themselves on the field in 2022. Getting a solid interior option to help support Jordyn Brooks and stop intermediary runs is crucial - Need: High

• 5.) Wide Receiver - Depth beyond Metcalf and Lockett is up-in-air. Getting our 2023 QB a solid 3rd receiver can’t hurt. - Need: Somewhat High

• 6.) Cornerback - Can’t hurt to find a talented No. 2 to go alongside with Woolen - Need: Somewhat High

• 7.) Tight End - While we have a solid group right now, only Dissly is under contract beyond 2023. Some long term insurance would be reassuring - Need: On the Horizon, Growing Closer

• 8.) Offensive Tackle - Cross and Lucas should be stalwart starters for the next two seasons but depth is needed to keep the skies from falling if they miss time - Need: Depth Support

• 9.) Running Back - K9 is pretty locked in as starter but, like with OT, depth could be addressed - Need: Depth Support

• 10.) Special Teams - Both our kicker and punter are elite and under contract. Pretty well set - Need Minimal

Why Root for the Seahawks

The Seahawks are a team on the rise. Plenty of young, exciting players with the cap space and draft capital to expand to even greater things. The team culture is incredibly fun and chill; from the players to the coaching staff. The moments of excitement and intensity keep you invested. We play in a division full of teams that always keep things interesting, with two strong divisional rivalries with the San Francisco 49ers and LA Rams. We also have some growing rivalries between fellow young teams on the rise with the Detroit Lions and the New York Jets. The fandom is a passionate one with a penchant for being loud, but we welcome new fans with open arms and we’d love it if you'd choose Seattle if you’re looking for a team. Go Hawks.

Some Final Words

Finally, I would like to share a few words of thanks. Firstly, I want to thank u/ehhhhhhhhhhmacarena for hosting this series and allowing me to take part. This has always been a small dream of mine for a few years now. I’m really stoked to finally be able to write one up.

I would like to thank the Seahawks fanbase, whether among my personal circles or online. I couldn’t have done this without the passion and joy that this team and fandom has brought me.

Finally, I would like to thank u/King_Rajesh. Rajesh was the person behind the Seahawks' write-ups on r/NFL over the past 7 years. He always brought a great deal of dedication, passion, and focus to his research. I’ve always respected that from his pieces. From one king to another, I offered my deepest degree of gratitude for the years of service.

I put my heart and soul into this piece. It was a great deal of work. I hope that it has lived up to the standards that are to be expected for these pieces. I hope to carry on what I’ve learned here into the future.

Thank you all for your time!