Analysis: Seahawks Biggest Remaining Needs With 3 Weeks Until 2022 NFL Draft

While Seattle looks to be in excellent shape at positions such as receiver, safety, and guard after a busy free agency period, plenty of holes remain on both sides of the football heading towards the draft.

Nearly a month after the new league year opened, the Seahawks have spent the last several weeks primarily re-signing their own players and doing work behind the scenes wrapping up preparations for the upcoming 2022 NFL Draft by meeting with prospects, watching pro day workouts, and conducting medical examinations.

As a result, while Seattle has signed a few players from other organizations to aid in the process, general manager John Schneider and coach Pete Carroll still have several notable holes to fill on offense and defense. Complicating matters a bit, the team has less than $10 million in effective cap space to work with, limiting options to continue adding talent off the free agent market.

With the draft only three weeks away and offseason programs kicking off later this month, which positions stand out as the Seahawks greatest areas of need? And what may they do to address those needs in coming weeks?

1. Offensive Tackle

Projected Starters: Stone Forsythe, Jake Curhan

Reserve: Greg Eiland

Last month in an interview with Sports Radio KJR, Carroll said tackle was a "spot that's really of concern" and nothing has been done over the past couple of weeks to help address the problem. Former starters Duane Brown and Brandon Shell remain unsigned on the free agent market and nothing appears imminent in regard to either player returning next season. An aggressive push to sign Pro Bowler Trent Brown wound up being a wasted effort as he returned to the Patriots after a visit.

With both Brown and Shell patiently waiting for the right opportunity, the Seahawks currently have three tackles on the roster and none of them offer much experience. Curhan did start the final five games last season replacing Shell and played well, suggesting he could be a long-term solution at right tackle. But as a rookie, Forsythe played a grand total of 14 offensive snaps and while he performed well in late-game action against Nick Bosa and the 49ers, that's far too small of a sample size to have any idea if he's a viable successor for Brown. Eiland spent all of last season on the practice squad and never dressed for a single game.

In the long run, it's possible Forsythe and Curhan could develop into quality starters. But Seattle would be taking a huge risk going into next season without at least signing a few experienced veterans to compete against them. Brown or Shell could still come back after the draft, even if the team uses one of its high draft picks to address the position  on a prospect such as Ikem Ekwonu or Charles Cross. Either way, they need to add several capable bodies to protect whoever is under center next season and beyond.

2. Quarterback

Projected Starter: Drew Lock

Reserve: Jacob Eason

Speaking of under center, Carroll and Schneider have been working overtime trying to sell the idea of Lock being a viable starter since he arrived as part of the Russell Wilson trade. To an extent, their comments seem genuine, as the quarterback impressed them coming out of Missouri in 2019 and they have always thought highly of his arm strength and other physical tools. Only 25 years old, it's not out of the question he could rebound with the Seahawks and still become a franchise quarterback in the right scheme with quality weapons around him.

With that said, Seattle's brain trust may also be protecting themselves in case a better option doesn't present itself in coming weeks. After leading the NFL in interceptions in 2020, there's a reason why Denver benched Lock in favor of Teddy Bridgewater prior to last season. As Carroll and Schneider have noted on multiple occasions, they're still doing their diligence scanning what is out there at the quarterback position. They have been negotiating with veteran Geno Smith on coming back for a fourth season and the possibility of pursuing Baker Mayfield remains plausible, especially if Cleveland cuts him.

Of course, the door remains open for the Seahawks to draft a quarterback later this month as well. They met with Liberty's Malik Willis and Mississippi's Matt Corral at the combine in March and have Cincinnati standout Desmond Ridder scheduled to visit the VMAC next week. The team also had representatives on hand to watch Pittsburgh's Kenny Pickett and North Carolina's Sam Howell throw at their pro days. If they love one of those prospects, they could easily pick them in the first or second round to compete against Lock and potentially another veteran.

3. Linebacker/EDGE

Projected Starters: Jordyn Brooks, Cody Barton, Darrell Taylor, Uchenna Nwosu

Reserves: Ben Burr-Kirven, Joel Iyiegbuniwe, Jon Rhattigan, Tanner Muse, Aaron Donkor, Lakiem Williams

With the Seahawks transitioning towards more 3-4 looks defensively under coordinator Clint Hurtt, this positional need can be split into two tiers. From a starters perspective, teaming Taylor up with Nwosu should give the team tremendous flexibility at the outside linebacker spots with both players capable of pinning their ears back as pass rushers and dropping back into coverage when called upon. In the middle, Brooks looks poised to be the franchise's next star linebacker and Barton played well enough down the stretch last year to suggest he could replace Wagner long-term.

But even if Barton can step in as a viable plug-and-play option and the pair of Taylor and Nwosu thrives in Hurtt's scheme, depth remains a concern across the board. Both Burr-Kirven and Rhattigan will be coming off of torn ACLs, with the latter potentially not ready to return for training camp. Iyiegbuniwe primarily played special teams for the Bears and has limited defensive experience in four prior NFL seasons. Muse, Donkor, and Williams were relegated to practice squad duty most of last year and likely will be camp bodies who battle for special teams roles.

Luckily, the incoming 2022 draft class presents intriguing options across the board with plus-depth at EDGE and off-ball linebacker. If fortunate enough, a top prospect such as Oregon's Kayvon Thibodeaux could slide into their lap at No. 9 overall. Utah's Devin Lloyd, who excels in coverage and as a pass rusher, could also be in play as a perfect replacement for Wagner if the team trades down to recoup a pick or two. On day two, prospects such as Western Kentucky's DeAngelo Malone and Georgia's Channing Tindall could be intriguing fits as well.

4. Cornerback

Projected Starters: Sidney Jones, Tre Brown, Justin Coleman

Reserves: Marquise Blair, Artie Burns, Ugo Amadi, John Reid, Nigel Warrior

Despite losing D.J. Reed to the Jets in free agency, Carroll remains giddy about Seattle's cornerback group. Re-signing Jones, who played his best football last season after being acquired from the Jaguars, as well as Brown's impending return from knee surgery and the addition of Burns gives the team three solid options on the outside. Meanwhile, a reunion with Coleman along with the return of Blair and Amadi should set up a fun competition in the slot in August.

Looking beyond Carroll's unbridled offseason optimism, however, the Seahawks would be wise to further invest in the position. Jones, Burns, and Brown have all dealt with significant injuries in the NFL and if any of those players went down, depth behind them looks shaky at best. John Reid and Nigel Warrior lack starting experience in the league and there would be a substantial drop off if either player was thrust into the lineup. Blair's durability issues and Coleman's age also create some questions at the nickel spot as well.

While Reed stood out as an exception being claimed off waivers, Seattle has typically had its best success drafting and developing corners. If Cincinnati star Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner or LSU's Derek Stingley are available at No. 9 overall, both would be immediate starters with All-Pro upside. This year's draft has impressive depth at the position as well with players such as Auburn's Roger McCready and UTSA's Tariq Woolen likely to be available on day two to bolster the position.

5. Center

Projected Starter: Austin Blythe

Reserves: Kyle Fuller, Dakoda Shepley

Unlike a year ago, the Seahawks didn't sit pat this offseason at the pivot position, swapping out former starter Ethan Pocic for Blythe, who previously played for offensive coordinator Shane Waldron and offensive line coach Andy Dickerson with the Rams. He started for three years in Los Angeles and given his ample experience in the scheme, he could play his way into long-term plans if he bounces back from an injury-marred lone season in Kansas City.

Still, Blythe has been far from dominant in the NFL and his presence shouldn't stop Seattle from pursuing an upgrade in the draft, especially with the questionable depth behind him. Fuller struggled mightily in a handful of starts last year before being benched in favor of a healthy Pocic, while Shepley has no regular season experience beyond special teams. Neither of those players inspires confidence as more than a spot starter.

If the Seahawks want to swing for the fences, Iowa's Tyler Linderbaum jumps out as the best center in this class and could be up for consideration in the first round if they trade down. On day two, Chattanooga's Cole Strange met with the team in Mobile and also has a top-30 visit scheduled, so he could be on the radar in the second or third round. Even on day three, Kentucky's Luke Fortner and Nebraska's Cam Jurgens could have starter potential, giving Schneider plenty of options to choose from.