Post-Draft Ranking of Seahawks' Positional Needs
Last month, I ranked the Seahawks' positional needs entering the 2021 NFL Draft. Over the course of the three-day event, general manager John Schneider and his staff hit on three of the needs I mentioned in the list with the selections of receiver D'Wayne Eskridge, cornerback Tre Brown, and offensive tackle Stone Forsythe.
However, nearly a month removed from the draft, there are still areas along Seattle's roster that could use improvement or much-needed depth—or both. The Seahawks, of course, don't have a ton of salary cap space to work with ($6.6 million in effective cap, per OverTheCap.com) to address every single remaining need of theirs. At least, they don't appear willing to pull the necessary levers - restructuring Bobby Wagner and/or Russell Wilson's contracts - to do so.
Therefore, they'll have to be diligent in the way they go about constructing the rest of their roster. As of now, they're at max capacity with 91 players—International Pathway Program allocation Aaron Donkor being the exception to the 90-man roster limit. But that won't hinder them from adding further talent via free agency, which still boasts a great deal of quality NFL players set to contribute in 2021.
Here's what Seattle should prioritize the rest of the way.
1. Center
Foregoing the top center prospects in the draft to select Eskridge in the second round, the Seahawks seemingly made it clear they're committed to Ethan Pocic in 2021. That said, Pocic doesn't inspire a ton of confidence following his struggles towards the end of the 2020 season. This should still be a position they look to upgrade at over the summer, though the free agent market for centers is basically a one-man show right now. Former Chief Austin Reiter is still available despite strong back-to-back campaigns, so that's the name to keep an eye on here. But it feels like, if Seattle was interested in Reiter, something would have happened by now.
2. SAM Linebacker
The Seahawks appear to have a plan at strongside linebacker, confirming their execution of a popular offseason theory about moving 2020 second-round pick Darrell Taylor to the position. With Taylor earning glowing reviews off his first reps at SAM during last weekend's rookie minicamp, the spot looks to be his to lose. But the possibility of a reunion with 10-year veteran K.J. Wright looms, though there's been no indication of a signing coming to fruition. If Wright does return, however, it would give Seattle a more dependable option at SAM and allow Taylor to get back to fully focusing on what he does best: rushing the passer.
3. 3-Tech Defensive Tackle
Honestly, I considered putting this at No. 1. The interior of the Seahawks' defensive line is a concern with Jarran Reed now in Kansas City, particularly from a pass rushing perspective. And if one of Poona Ford or Al Woods comes down with an injury, this spot could get ugly in a hurry and a player like Robert Nkemdiche, frankly, isn't likely to fix that. While it's easy to understand why the Seahawks like the upside of Bryan Mone and Cedrick Lattimore, some veteran insurance could be useful. There's plenty to be found in the current free agent market, with seasoned vets such as Geno Atkins, Kawann Short, Jurrell Casey, and Sheldon Richardson still waiting to find out where they're going to play in 2021. If I'm Schneider and company, I'm kicking the tires on any of those guys and seeing how it works out in training camp this summer.
4. Left Cornerback
It's official: the Seahawks are no longer restricting themselves to outside corners over six-feet tall with arms of 32 inches or more. They're going to give their 5-foot-9 fourth-rounder Brown every chance to earn the team's starting job at left corner opposite the similarly built D.J. Reed. And if he can't win it, one of Ahkello Witherspoon, Tre Flowers, Damarious Randall, or Pierre Desir will. But while they're not short of options on the roster, there's still a great deal of uncertainty at the spot and fans are still clamoring for the return of Richard Sherman. Both the Seahawks and the three-time All-Pro have gone public with their openness to reunite this offseason, but it simply may not be able to work out from a financial perspective. That said, Sherman would undoubtedly solidify their defensive backfield and raise the ceiling of their overhauled defense even further.
5. Tight End Depth
Despite one of their biggest offseason acquisitions coming in the form of tight end Gerald Everett, the Seahawks still feel pretty light at the back-end of the position. Given Will Dissly's shaky injury history and Colby Parkinson's ailments in 2020, Seattle is facing a similar situation at tight end like it is at defensive tackle—one injury could derail the entire position group. Players like Tyler Eifert, Jesse James, and Luke Willson remain available in free agency, so if they feel uncomfortable with the limited depth they have in Tyler Mabry and Nick Guggemos, they can fix that.
6. Receiving Depth
Taking Eskridge in the second round and landing a trio of talented receivers in undrafted free agency, the Seahawks' receiving corps is a lot deeper than it was heading into the draft. Therefore, it shouldn't come as a surprise if this is the group they rock with all the way up to the start of the season in September. However, more veteran depth is never a bad thing, especially for a unit that could roll into Week 1 with three rookies in tow. Former Seahawk Golden Tate is still out there, as well as intriguing lottery ticket Dede Westbrook. But are either necessary? Not really.
7. Right Tackle
In several of his pre and post-draft media appearances, head coach Pete Carroll didn't seem all too committed to Brandon Shell at right tackle. The team appears to be very high on backup Cedric Ogbuehi, who played well for a handful of weeks in place of the injured Shell last season. They also selected Forsythe in the sixth round, with many believing his best fit as a pro will be on the right side. Furthermore, there are a pair of legitimate right tackles sitting out on the free agent market right now: Mitchell Schwartz and the recently released Morgan Moses. Much has been made about a potential fit between the Seahawks and one of those two players over the past week or so, but frankly, I don't see it. The financial gymnastics it would take to land either one is arguably unnecessary considering the depth they have, no matter who the starter ends up being. And while Shell and Duane Brown hitting free agency in 2022 is a cause for concern, that's probably a bridge best crossed when they come to it at this point.
