Bombs Away! Seahawks Have Given Russell Wilson Best Offensive Arsenal of NFL Career

Preparing to play in his sixth Pro Bowl back in January, Russell Wilson created a bit of a stir when he told an ESPN reporter the Seahawks needed to add "superstars" to the roster this offseason to compete for a Super Bowl.

In the ensuing months, Seattle didn't necessarily oblige to Wilson's demands. The team's highest profile free agent, Jadeveon Clowney, still remains unsigned five months after free agency kicked off in March. While Quinton Dunbar was acquired from Washington via trade for a fifth-round pick and Bruce Irvin and Benson Mayowa were re-signed, no "splashy" moves were made to address a defense that finished 22nd in scoring a year ago.

Meanwhile, a 35-year old Greg Olsen and Phillip Dorsett stood out as Seattle's marquee additions on offense. Though the Seahawks were linked to perennial All-Pro receiver Antonio Brown, nothing ever came to fruition with the NFL handing him an eight-game suspension for multiple personal conduct policy violations. Josh Gordon remained suspended, preventing him from re-signing before training camp.

But with less than two weeks before Seattle kicks off the 2020 season, the front office has truly gone "all in," starting with a trade for star safety Jamal Adams. They've also continued to stockpile weapons around their star quarterback. Those who have decried the Seahawks offensive approach and argued to #LetRussCook should be very pleased.

In just the past week, general manager John Schneider re-signed Paul Richardson, who produced 703 receiving yards and six touchdowns for the Seahawks in 2017, as well as Gordon, who is set to be reinstated in the very near future. Adding those two players to the mix, Wilson should be salivating looking at the receiving talent at his disposal.

Coming off his first 1,000-yard season, Tyler Lockett has been impressive throughout training camp and given his chemistry with Wilson, he may be even better in his sixth season. Across from him, DK Metcalf looks poised for stardom after producing 900 receiving yards and seven touchdowns as a rookie. This pairing should rank among the NFL's best duos in 2020 and the depth surrounding them will keep many defensive coordinators awake at night.

Behind Lockett and Metcalf, Dorsett and Richardson present two more elite speedsters with the ability to take the top off a defense as lethal vertical threats. Both players ran 4.33 40-yard dashes coming out of college and remain electric in open field, while Gordon provides impressive size and athleticism in his own right at 6-foot-3, 225 pounds and excels at moving the chains.

With those three additions, David Moore, John Ursua, and rookie Freddie Swain will be vying for the sixth and final receiving spot. All three of those players could potentially start or at least play a rotational role for other NFL teams, but only one of them will likely be on the roster when cuts are finalized on Saturday. That's how deep this group now is.

While Wilson has to be psyched about the abundance of speed and talent on the outside and will be eager to launch downfield bombs, he will also benefit from the best cast of tight ends he's had in his career, starting with the signing of Olsen and return of Will Dissly from injury.

At the tail end of his career, Olsen has looked spry in training camp, still possessing excellent speed and quickness for an NFL tight end. He and Wilson have already developed quite a rapport and as camp has progressed, Dissly has started to resemble the player who had four touchdown receptions in Seattle's first five games last season before suffering a torn Achilles tendon.

Away from Olsen and Dissly, the Seahawks placed a second-round tender on fourth-year tight end Jacob Hollister, who finished third on the team in receptions and receiving yards a year ago. Right now, he's probably third on the depth chart at the position, but provides a different element as an athletic target who can run routes out of the slot. Luke Willson was also re-signed to a one-year deal and remains a reliable veteran presence as a blocker and receiver.

Seattle also has several intriguing rookies battling for a roster spot, including seventh-round selection Stephen Sullivan and undrafted rookie Tyler Mabry. Fourth-round pick Colby Parkinson hasn't even returned to practice yet and with the possibility he could be activated soon, the group will only get more competitive.

In the backfield, Wilson might also have the best cast of running backs behind him he's ever had. Fully healthy, Chris Carson will enter a contract year coming off back-to-back 1,100-yard seasons and his backup, Carlos Hyde, rushed for over 1,000 yards with the Texans last year. Upstart rookie DeeJay Dallas and second-year runner Travis Homer provide excellent third down back options and former first-round pick Rashaad Penny will return from a torn ACL at some point during the season.

If there's a question mark on offense for Seattle, it starts and ends with the offensive line charged with protecting Wilson. Mike Solari's unit will be breaking in three new starters with Ethan Pocic, Damien Lewis, and Brandon Shell set to be in the lineup in Week 1 in Atlanta. If that group struggles to mesh and Wilson is constantly under duress, it won't matter how many dynamic playmakers he has to throw to.

But with Duane Brown still protecting the blind side and the tandem of Lewis and Shell impressing on the right side in training camp, the Seahawks remain confident the front line will be ready to go when the season starts.

If Wilson is kept upright, there's no question he has the best supporting cast around him he's had in his nine-year career. After inexplicably receiving zero MVP votes last year, with deep threats and red zone matchup nightmares aplenty in Seattle's arsenal, he should be the favorite to capture the award as he dices up opposing secondaries in 2020.

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