Seattle Seahawks Offseason Needs Taking Shape

We’re only through 7 games, but I’m taking advantage of the long week to get some work done on my draft coverage. I figured I’d start by identifying the needs the Seahawks have, so that way the stuff I put up on the site here is more useful for everyone reading it.

Here’s my list of needs for next offseason, in order of importance:

1) Wide Receiver – This one is a complete no brainer. Both of the young projects the Seahawks were counting on (Kris Durham and Richardo Lockette) failed to develop and are no longer with the team. Besides Sydney Rice, and Doug Baldwin when healthy, this team has no weapons on the outside. The team could really use 3-4 new players at the position, and one needs to be dominant playmaker.

2) Right Tackle – James Carpenter is now a Guard (and a pretty damn good one). Breno Giacomini is proving that he can’t pass protect well enough to warent regular playing time. He’s pretty good as a run blocker, but has been a complete liability in pass protection. Plus there’s the penalty problem, but I doubt I needed to remind everyone about that.

3) Defensive Tackle – Both Allen Branch and Jason Jones are free agents after the season. Greg Scruggs might be a Jason Jones replacement (though a lesser version), but then there will be a backup that needs repalced. There’s also no one on the roster capable of replacing Branch without being a major downgrade. Unless the Seahawks can manage to re-sign both (unlikely given the cap space it will take), a mid round draft pick will need to be used on the position for 2013.

4) Tight End – Zach Miller’s cap number for 2013 is $11 million. He wont play under his current contract next year. If the Seahawks can keep him, that’ll be great, but don’t think it’s a done deal. Anthony McCoy and Evan Moore are backups at best. The entire position needs an overhaul.

5) Weak Side Linebacker – LeRoy Hill has already lost his job as one of the nickel linebackers this year, and that’s a good thing. Go back and watch the film fromt he Arizona game and you’ll see Chancellor and Thomas yelling at him over and over because he kept botching coverages, especially on the game wining TD drive by Kolb. It’s the same thing he did all last year too. It’s time the team upgraded the position with a young talent like they did at the other 2 LB positions.

I was going to add cornerback to the list, since the team needs some depth behind the 2 starters, but Walter Thurmond is about to come of the PUP list and should be that 3rd corner the team needs. I also thought about putting Quarterback on there, but that was only for my own entertainment as I could watch people flip out over it.