Designing an Offensive Blueprint for Seahawks' 2021 Super Bowl Run
With Tom Brady and the Buccaneers defeating Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs 31-9 for a Super Bowl victory, an unprecedented 2020 season is officially in the books and offseason activity will ramp up league-wide in coming days and weeks.
Though there won't be an NFL Scouting Combine this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, schools will be hosting Pro Days over the next several weeks for coaches and scouts to evaluate incoming talent. Free agency will kick off at the start of the new league year on March 17 as teams brace for an offseason with significantly less salary cap room to work with.
After capturing an NFC West title in 2020, Seahawks general manager John Schneider and coach Pete Carroll will now shift their sights towards making a run to Super Bowl LVI, which will take place in Los Angeles next February. While big names such as Russell Wilson and Bobby Wagner remain under contract, the team's brain trust faces a bevy of tough decisions to make with several starters set to hit free agency and a number of stars needing contract extensions.
From an offensive standpoint, what does Seattle need to do this offseason to get back to the big game? Here's a five-step blueprint Schneider and Carroll should follow to facilitate a 2021 Super Bowl run.
1. Upgrade at the left guard and center positions in the trenches by any means necessary.
If there was any lesson to be learned from Sunday's Super Bowl, games are still by and large won in the trenches and controlling the line of scrimmage allowed the Buccaneers to dominate on both sides of the ball. Meanwhile, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was under siege all night behind a line missing both starting tackles and scrambled for nearly five full football fields before throwing the ball.
What does this mean for the Seahawks? While their offensive line showed dramatic improvement in the first half of the 2020 season, the unit fell back to Earth in the final nine games and struggled mightily protecting Russell Wilson in a playoff loss to the Rams. Though cap space is limited, Schneider must aim to bolster the interior offensive line in free agency, particularly at the center position. Going after an All-Pro such as Corey Linsley may not be financially doable - the argument can be made the team should do what needs to be done to make a push for him - but a seasoned veteran such as Alex Mack, David Andrews, or Ted Karras would also be upgrades over Ethan Pocic and could be far more affordable.
As for the left guard spot, Seattle may have a tougher time trying to find a better option than Mike Iupati. Much like at center, they likely won't be able to pursue a top-tier free agent such as Brandon Scherff or Joe Thuney, especially if they pursue Linsley. After those two, options are limited, with former Seahawk J.R. Sweezy as well as oft-injured veteran Kelechi Osemele standing out as potential alternatives with lengthy injury histories. One series of moves Schneider could make that would fit under the cap, however, is sign both Andrews and Karras and reunite the former Patriots duo, with the latter moving to left guard.
2. Extend Tyler Lockett to create cap space and lock up one of the NFL's best receivers for years to come.
There have been some grumblings about the Seahawks potentially shopping Lockett on the trade market. But while he may be able to fetch a decent draft pick in return, the Seahawks would be creating another problem to have to address by trading away their star receiver and there's no guarantee they would find a worthy replacement. Instead, Schneider's focus should be on offering him a new multi-year deal that locks him up for the foreseeable future and create cap flexibility in the process.
Currently, Lockett ranks 23rd in the league for receivers in terms of salary per year. Coming off a 100-reception season and back-to-back 1,000-plus yard seasons, he has earned a significant pay raise and Seattle should accommodate with a deal averaging between $13-14 million per year. Striking an extension through 2024 should drop his cap number significantly from $14.95 million, opening the door to address other positions this offseason in free agency and re-sign players.
3. Behind DK Metcalf and Lockett, seek out an additional weapon who can create from the slot and after the catch.
One of the biggest reasons the Seahawks offense became stagnant in the second half was the lack of overall production behind their top two receivers. David Moore once again struggled with consistency issues, Freddie Swain was quiet for most of the final two months, and Phillip Dorsett never played a down for the team due to a foot injury.
While it's certainly possible Moore or Dorsett could be brought back, Seattle should be aiming much higher given the amount of talent in this year's free agent class and the lack of cap space teams will have league-wide to pay players. One veteran who could be an intriguing signing to consider on a short-term, incentive-laden deal would be T.Y. Hilton, who has battled some injuries in recent seasons but still produced 762 receiving yards and nearly 14 yards per reception in 2020. Teaming the speedy, versatile wideout up with Lockett and Metcalf could create a dangerous trio for Wilson without breaking the bank.
Another possibility could be former Rams receiver Josh Reynolds, who would reunite with new offensive coordinator Shane Waldron in Seattle. The former Texas A&M standout enjoyed a career year in 2020, catching 52 passes for 618 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He played over 200 snaps in the slot and produced a respectable 225 yards after the catch, making him an ideal target for the Seahawks who should be available to sign for an affordable rate.
4. Sign an athletic "move" tight end who compliments Will Dissly and Colby Parkinson.
Just like the receiver position, the Seahawks should be looking for potential bargains to shore up a tight end group that has already lost Greg Olsen to retirement and Stephen Sullivan in free agency. Re-signing Jacob Hollister remains a possibility, but his struggles as a run blocker are well-documented and he may not be a good fit for Waldron's system.
Instead, the Seahawks should try to bring in Gerald Everett, providing another familiar face for Waldron to build his attack around. Though the former South Alabama star has never eclipsed 500 receiving yards in a season, he's been reliable, catching 60 percent or more of his targets in each of the past three seasons. He did have seven drops in 2020, but in the two seasons prior, he didn't record a single drop. He also has after the catch potential, as he produced 243 yards after the catch on just 41 receptions last season, and has steadily improved as a blocker in his NFL career.
Tight end could also be a position that Seattle tries to address in the draft, especially with Dissly entering the final year of his rookie contract. Players such as Boston College's Hunter Long could be available on day three and present excellent fits for Waldron's 11 and 12 personnel-heavy scheme.
5. Even if Chris Carson isn't re-signed, don't force the issue drafting a running back early or overspend for a replacement.
Set to hit free agency for the first time, it remains unclear whether or not the Seahawks will re-sign Carson, who once again dealt with injuries during the 2020 season and only ran for 681 yards in 12 games. Fellow veteran Carlos Hyde will also be a free agent and his future with the team remains uncertain.
Considering Seattle's financial situation, it seems highly unlikely both Carson and Hyde will be back in 2021. In fact, it wouldn't be a surprise if both wind up playing elsewhere, and if that happens, the organization may feel obliged to use an early draft pick at the position given the talent in this year's class. But before Schneider makes such a move or pays another veteran free agent such as Leonard Fournette, he should consider that the team may not need to make any significant moves given the investments made at the position in the past three years.
Assuming Waldron runs more plays from under center in general and uses outside zone as the staple run concept of Seattle's offense, Rashaad Penny could be in line for a breakout fourth season as long as he can stay healthy. The system would fit his skill set perfectly. Behind him, DeeJay Dallas flashed in a pair of starts as a rookie and offers a contrasting style as a between-the-tackles runner with receiver-caliber hands out of the backfield. Alex Collins could be re-signed cheap to provide another "hammer" at the position, while Travis Homer will return as a third-down option. That group could be more than productive enough with a quality line in front of them at under a $5 million total cap hit.
