Seahawks report card: Jeremy Lane

Jeremy Lane came back from two serious injuries last season and had his best year yet, which led to the Seattle Seahawks rewarding him with a four year contract extension.

If you missed the news yesterday the Seahawks re-signed Jeremy Lane, which means we will be seeing him in a Seahawks uniform for another four years.  Having Lane back in Seattle should have Seahawks fans ecstatic.  An early prediction is that bringing back Lane will prove to be the one of the best moves Pete Carroll and John Schneider will make this offseason.

Jeremy Lane had a remarkable season, especially when you consider that he came back from a torn ACL and a broken arm, both injuries suffered after intercepting Tom Brady in Super Bowl XLIX.  Lane showed a ton of grit fighting to come back and play last season, making an impressive return to the field without much limitation.

Jeremy Lane made his return to the Seahawks in week 12 against the Steelers and had an immediate impact on the game.  When the Steelers tried to fool the Seahawks defense with a fake field goal, Lane recognized what the Steelers were trying to do and made an outstanding interception.  He returned it for 54 yards, setting up the Seahawks first touchdown in the game.

Lane continued to build on his positive week 12 entrance and kept getting better with each game.  He was a major reason why the Seahawks turned the ship around as they got closer to the playoffs, bringing back some life to the cornerback spot opposite Richard Sherman.

In 2014 Lane showed that he could play the nickel spot extremely well and his injury in the Super Bowl had a significant impact on the defense, as they struggled without him.  Last year, he showed that he can play both outside corner and nickel at a high level and took a big step in his career, solidifying his value on the Seahawks.

Lane continues to get better with each year and next season he will be the favorite to win the starting right cornerback position.  The Seahawks can also play Lane at nickel in different formations if they decide to go that route, but regardless of where he lines up Lane will be seeing the field a lot next season.

Next: Seahawks: salary cap and free agent spending

Lane is a starting corner who can hold his own on the outside and can cover any wide receiver he faces.  The LOB will be back in form next season with Lane at cornerback, as he will prove to be a major upgrade from last year’s disappointment with Cary Williams.

Lane showed the Seahawks organization that he is one of the most valuable players on the team and a core piece of the puzzle going forward.  Expect 2016 to be Jeremy Lane’s best season yet, as he will benefit from an injury-free offseason and will maximize an increased role in the Seahawks’ defense.