Seahawks Check in at No. 6 on Latest SI Power Rankings
With the bulk of free agency and the 2020 NFL Draft now in the rear view mirror, rosters are largely set for next season, which means it's time for the latest Sports Illustrated power rankings.
As expected, the Buccaneers surged up to No. 11 after signing quarterback Tom Brady, but they weren't the only team to make a dramatic rise in the rankings. The Eagles, who traded for cornerback Darius Slay and drafted several receivers for quarterback Carson Wentz, also moved up seven spots to No. 5. The Lions also exited the cellar, jumping seven spots to No. 25.
On the flip side, the Patriots took a nose dive eight spots with Brady leaving town. Joining them as the biggest fallers on the list, Bill O'Brien and the Texans also plunged eight spots after inexplicably trading receiver DeAndre Hopkins to the Cardinals for running back David Johnson.
While those five aforementioned teams moved substantially in SI's first rankings since after the Super Bowl in February, the Seahawks moved up three spots from No. 9 to No. 6 overall. Two members of the six analyst panel picked them as high as No. 5 overall, positioning the team among top contenders.
Along with adding several key veterans to the mix in tight end Greg Olsen and cornerback Quinton Dunbar, Seattle also earned a received a respectable draft grade (B), which helps explain the team's steady rise up the rankings.
But not every analyst was sold on the Seahawks prospects of being a legitimate Super Bowl threat. Gary Gramling ranked them 17th overall and remains skeptical about coach Pete Carroll's team based on a great deal of luck coming their way last season, writing:
Everyone loves the Wilson-Wagner-Carroll troika—rightfully, they're all quite lovable—but a couple of notes on the 2019 Seahawks, who might have had the flukiest 11-win season the NFL has ever seen. First, opponent kicker luck. Opposing kickers missing field goals—taking distance into consideration—at a rate well below the league average is not in a team's control. By my measure, Seahawks opponents should have had 10 more points from kickers over the course of the year, which would have put the Seahawks' pedestrian plus-8 point differential in the negative for the year, so, yeah, about 17th-best in the NFL.
Gramling also pointed out Seattle's fluky turnover production, as they managed to generate 32 interceptions without an elite pass rusher or ballhawk in the secondary. Specifically, he doesn't see any way they'll be able to come close to replicating 16 fumble recoveries a second straight season.
Once those turnovers dried up late in the season, the Seahawks limped down the stretch to a 2-4 finish, with their only victories coming against the hapless Panthers and wounded Eagles.
To refute Gramling's argument, however, it's also worth noting Seattle had its own injury issues late in the season. Safety Quandre Diggs and tackle Duane Brown missed the last two regular season games and the team had to bring Marshawn Lynch out of retirement with Chris Carson, Rashaad Penny, and C.J. Prosise all suffering season ending injuries in December.
With all of those players expected to be back next season and the additions made throgh free agency and the draft, Seattle should remain a top team in the NFC with Wilson guiding the ship. If Jadeveon Clowney returns or Everson Griffen signs with the team, the situation will look even better.
