Pro Football Focus Ranks Seahawks Offensive Standouts Heading Towards 2021 Season

With NFL offseason programs in full swing across the country, Pro Football Focus officially released their annual position-by-position rankings using their play-by-play grading and premium stats.

Where do the Seahawks top offensive players stack up against the rest of the league at their respective positions? Here's a look at eight players who made PFF's lists - and one who somehow didn't - with their final rank, key stats, and an assessment of the ranking.

Russell Wilson

PFF Ranking: 4th out of 32

Key Stat: Since 2016, Wilson leads all NFL quarterbacks with 214 big-time throws.

If Wilson would have been able to maintain his torrid pace from the first eight games of the 2020 season, he likely would have finished even higher on this list. At one point, he was on pace to break Peyton Manning's single-season touchdown record and looked to be the clear frontrunner for MVP honors. Despite his performance declining significantly down the stretch, coming in fourth behind Aaron Rodgers, Patrick Mahomes, and Tom Brady seems just about right, as he still threw a career-best 40 touchdown passes and belongs among the NFL's elite at the position.

Chris Carson

PFF Ranking: 8th out of 32

Key Stat: Since 2018, Carson has broken a whopping 136 tackles and generated 3.0 yards after contact per carry.

Despite coming off a somewhat "down" season by his standards with under 700 rushing yards, Carson remained in the top 10 on this list in large part due to his efficiency and improvements as a receiver. While his overall production was down substantially compared to his prior two seasons, he averaged a career-best 4.8 yards per carry and established new personal bests with 287 receiving yards and four receiving touchdowns out of the backfield. When healthy, the bruising runner has proven himself capable of being a top-five back. Durability has been a persistent issue, however, which makes his ranking more than reasonable compared to his peers.

DK Metcalf

PFF Ranking: 15th out of 32

Key Stat: In two NFL seasons, Metcalf ranks seventh among receivers in contested catches (30) and broken tackles (26).

Taking a major leap forward in his development in his sophomore season, Metcalf used his rare blend of size and speed to dominant opponents all year long. He produced five games with 100-plus receiving yards and led all NFL receivers with 475 yards on vertical routes, emerging as one of the game's most lethal downfield weapons. Drops were still an issue and he has plenty of room for continued growth as a route runner, but after breaking Steve Largent's franchise mark for receiving yards in a single season and scoring 10 touchdowns, the sky looks to be the limit for the budding superstar and he should keep climbing this list in future seasons.

Tyler Lockett

PFF Ranking: 22nd out of 32

Key Stat: Lockett and Russell Wilson have posted a 136.6 passer rating over the past three years, the highest of any quarterback/receiver pairing.

While Metcalf's ranking seems appropriate, Lockett continues to be one of the NFL's most underrated playmakers and it's hard to believe there are 21 better receivers in the league right now. Per Pro Football Reference, since 2018, he's one of only 12 wideouts with at least 200 receptions, 3,000 receiving yards, and 20 touchdowns. Amongst that exclusive group, he has the highest catch rate (76.1 percent) and ranks fifth in touchdowns (28) despite being 10th in total targets. He's coming off a record-breaking season with 100 receptions, north of 1,000 receiving yards, and 10 touchdowns. One of the game's most consistent receivers deserves more respect.

Gerald Everett

PFF Ranking: 21st out of 32

Key Stat: Everett was credited with six dropped passes in 2020, eclipsing his combined career total in three prior seasons.

Everett's inclusion as one of the top 32 tight ends in the NFL is a fascinating one. He has never been known for his blocking prowess, often played second-fiddle to Tyler Higbee in the Rams' offense over the past four years, and battled drop issues a year ago. However, he has been viewed as a quality receiver in the past, earning a 79.3 grade from Pro Football Focus during the 2018 and 2019 seasons. He was also one of only three tight ends with more than 20 broken tackles forced during that span. Now expected to be a full-time starter for the first time and reunited with offensive coordinator Shane Waldron in Seattle, this ranking seems to be a projection more than anything for the 27-year old.

Duane Brown

PFF Ranking: 11th out of 32

Key Stat: Brown earned an 80.0 or better grade in pass protection and run blocking in 2020.

Battling injuries throughout the 2019 season, Brown seemed to be entering the twilight phase of his NFL career. But back healthy and staying fresh with a revised practice plan, he bounced back and then some last season, earning a top-five grade among all eligible tackles while playing at an All-Pro level protecting Wilson's blind side and opening up run lanes for Carson and company. Set to turn 36 years old in August, his age remains worrisome and his eventual decline could be coming at any time. But given how well he played last year and how consistent he's been throughout his entire career, sitting outside the top 10 tackles doesn't make much sense.

Gabe Jackson

PFF Ranking: 16th out of 32

Key Stat: Jackson was credited with allowing 10 sacks over the past three seasons.

Jackson has never finished lower than 19th among guards in pass blocking grades, but Pro Football Focus hasn't been as high on the veteran blocker in recent years. He was charged with 26 allowed quarterback pressures in 2020, the highest total of his career. He also continued to struggle as a run blocker, finishing 46th and 47th among qualified guards in that department during the 2019 and 2020 seasons. A change of scenery could go a long way towards helping Jackson return to pre-2018 form, but based on his prior grades, this ranking isn't a surprise in the middle of the pack.

Damien Lewis

PFF Ranking: Unranked

Key Stat: Lewis earned PFF's second-highest overall run blocking grade (81.5) among qualified guards, finishing behind only Colts All-Pro guard Quenton Nelson.

As far as Seahawks left off these rankings, the omission of Lewis at the guard position is easily the most alarming one. An immediate starter at right guard, he earned All-Rookie honors from the Pro Football Writers Association and also finished in the top five for run blocking grades among all qualified guards via Pro Football Focus. Though he's a work in progress in pass protection and finished with the most penalties of any player at his position a year ago, he's an ascending young talent who should be cemented in Seattle's starting lineup for years to come. There's absolutely no way to justify his exclusion from this ranking.

Ethan Pocic

PFF Ranking: 21st out of 32

Key Stat: Pocic played a career-high 993 offensive snaps during the 2020 season.

After struggling to stay healthy in three prior seasons, Pocic returned to his natural position and seized the starting center job early in training camp for Seattle. He was far from dominant in his first season as a starter, posting a mediocre 59.8 overall grade in 14 starts and was a detriment in the run game at times. But he did show signs of proficiency in pass protection, allowing just two sacks and a trio of quarterback hits on 607 pass plays. He also was penalized just three times total and ranked 13th overall in PFF's "True Pass Set" efficiency rate, which suggest he might actually be a tad bit underrated in this ranking.