With draft looming, Seattle Seahawks have list of needs to address
As the Seahawks entered the offseason, we identified five areas the team needed to address, rating them in order of perceived urgency.
With free agency largely done and attention now turned toward the NFL draft April 27-29, it’s time for a little offseason progress report along with a look at what work remains.
1. Offensive line
Key free agent additions: Tackle Luke Joeckel, guard Oday Aboushi.
Key departures: No players from last year’s offensive line have signed with another team.
Where things stand: Seattle took some significant steps to try to improve what is generally considered its number one area of need, even if each step comes with a fair amount of risk and uncertainty.
Joeckel, who signed a one-year, $8 million contract, is likely to get a chance to take over at left tackle. Aboushi (one year, $975,000) will get his shot at winning the right guard spot, which could move 2016 first-round pick Germain Ifedi to right tackle. Joeckel, though, is coming off ACL/MCL surgery while Aboushi has started just eight games the past two seasons, making each something of a question mark.
Bringing in two vets the team hopes can win starting jobs could mean Seattle won’t reach high for a lineman in the draft. It’s considered a weak year for offensive linemen overall and while the Seahawks are likely to add at least one, they could wait until the mid-to-lower rounds to take advantage of the strengths (notably, defense) of the draft up high.
One big piece of unfinished business should be completed this week when right tackle Garry Gilliam is expected to sign his tender as a restricted free agent after turning down a contract offer last week from the 49ers. The 49ers, though, could make one more run at Gilliam. And if Gilliam leaves that obviously changes the complexion of the offensive line a bit.
2. Cornerback
Key free agent additions: Seattle signed Perrish Cox and Demetrius McCray prior to unrestricted free agency. Neither is a lock to make the final roster.
Key departures: None.
Where things stand: The lingering Richard Sherman trade rumors continue to put a cloud of uncertainty over the cornerback spot. If a trade is to be made it would likely come by the first round of the draft on April 27.
Regardless, Seattle still needs to add reinforcements at cornerback with DeShawn Shead unlikely to be ready for the start of the season, and using a first-round pick would be no surprise.
3. Adding defensive depth
Key fee agent additions: S Bradley McDougald, LB Michael Wilhoite, DE Dion Jordan.
Key departures: LB Brock Coyle.
Where things stand: After a season in which their defensive depth was tested as much as it had been in years – coming through with mixed results – Seattle took some potentially significant steps to shore up the foundation, signing five defenders in the unrestricted free agency period.
McDougald started the last two years at free safety and could be the primary backup at both safety spots for Seattle as well as possibly carving out a regular role in sub packages. Seattle is taking a flyer on Jordan, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2013 draft who hasn’t played since 2014, hoping he can add pass rushing.
Wilhoite was the biggest name of three linebackers signed to beef up the depth there and find someone to possibly take over at strongside linebacker.
Seattle, though, still needs to add a defensive lineman or two via the draft or free agency.
4. Running back
Key free agent additions: Eddie Lacy.
Key departures: None
Where things stand: The signing of Lacy made clear the urgency the Seahawks felt to add to a mix of running backs that last year was decimated by injuries.
There will be much offseason conjecture about how Seattle will split the work between Lacy, Thomas Rawls, C.J. Prosise and maybe even Alex Collins in 2017.
After a year when finding a healthy body each week was often a challenge, the Seahawks will relish solving that problem.
5. Receiver depth
Key free agent additions: None.
Key departures: None.
Where things stand: So maybe the Seahawks don’t consider receiver the problem area others do as they have made no real significant moves for next season (Seattle made a really interesting receiver acquisition last week in signing LSU track star Cyril Grayson. But considering he hasn’t played football since high school in 2011 he has to be considered for now as a long-term project).
Seattle was able to keep its 2016 receiving corps essentially intact by re-signing tight end Luke Willson, and could add a receiver in the draft, though the overall quality of receivers this year isn’t considered as good as the last few.
But the team’s overall lack of activity at this spot indicates optimism that Tyler Lockett will return fully healthy for the start of the 2017 season.
And while Willson’s return helped solidify the tight end corps for 2017, both Willson and Jimmy Graham can be unrestricted free agents after the season, which could mean Seattle might dip into what is regarded as a historically strong draft class.