Seahawks offseason assessment: QB, RB, and TE
By Keith Myers
The Seattle Seahawks don’t need starters at the offensive skill positions, but their depth is really poor at the moment.
Once Marshawn Lynch is removed from the Seattle Seahawks roster, the team will not have a viable healthy backup at QB, RB, or TE. Throw in a complete lack of FBs on the roster, and depth becomes a major concern for Seattle as they head into the offseason.
This is part four of our position-by-position look at the current state of the Seahawks 2016 roster. You can find the other positions covered so far below.
Rostered Players
| Player | Pos | Age | 2016 Salary Cap |
| Russell Wilson | QB | 27 | $18,542,000 |
| Phillip Sims | QB | 23 | $450,000 |
| Thomas Rawls | RB | 22 | $530,000 |
| Marshawn Lynch | RB | 29 | $11,500,000 |
| Jimmy Graham | TE | 29 | $9,000,000 |
| Luke Willson | TE | 26 | $719,633 |
Free Agents
| Player | Pos | Age | Type |
| Tarvaris Jackson | QB | 32 | UFA |
| Christine Michael | RB | 25 | RFA |
| Bryce Brown | RB | 24 | UFA |
| Fred Jackson | RB | 34 | UFA |
| Anthony McCoy | TE | 28 | UFA |
| Chase Coffman | TE | 29 | UFA |
| Cooper Helfet | TE | 26 | RFA |
| Derrick Coleman | FB | 25 | RFA |
| Will Tukuafu | FB | 32 | UFA |
Analysis
It is important when looking at this set of positions to remember that Marshawn Lynch won’t be back in 2016. That $11.5 mil will be gone off the books, though $5 mil will stay there as dead money.
It is also important to understand that Jimmy Graham might not be ready to play at the start of the season. His torn patellar tendon means he has an extremely long recovery period ahead of him.
Luckily, the Seahawks are in good shape here in terms of starters. Russell Wilson is one of the best QBs in the league. Thomas Rawls appears to be a special player, and he led the entire NFL in yards per carry in 2015. Luke Willson may not be special, but he is serviceable.
The Seahawks have their starters in place. That is something that few teams can claim this early in the offseason. Behind those starters is absolutely nothing though.
The Seahawks love Tarvaris Jackson as Wilson’s backup. He’s smart; he studies film; and he is respected in the locker room. He also wants one more chance to be a starting QB. If there’s a job available for him, he’ll be gone.
Jackson is also 32. It might be time for the Seahawks to find a younger and cheaper alternative. Maybe that’ll be a late round draft pick (or UDFA) like Vernon Adams, or a younger veteran like Matt McGloin. There aren’t many good options available.
Running back is a bit simpler. Christine Michael was a completely different player when returned late in the season. He’s also a restricted free agent, so getting him back is fairly simple if the team wants him.
There is a good chance that we’ll see the Seahawks address both TE and FB in the draft this year. With Tukuafu’s age and Coleman’s legal problems, FB is definitely problematic on paper. Luckily they team rarely uses a FB, so breaking in a rookie won’t lead to major loss in production.
At TE, the Seahawks have Willson, and will get Graham back at some point. What they need is depth, and preferably a young developmental player that will push Willson for playing time in 2017 and beyond.
Overall, the Seahawks are in a good position with their offensive skill positions. They have no need to use high draft picks or spend money in free agency. Considering their needs elsewhere on the roster, this is very good news for Seattle.