Worst Case Scenarios for the Seahawks Offense in 2017

Let’s hope none of this happens

Every season that passes without another Seahawks Super Bowl win is one more where the window is closing. The defense that carried the team in Russell Wilson’s formative years is aging. Halfway through the 2015, the offense became much more pass heavy. Due to offensive line issues and injury at running back, Seattle was forced into such a move. In reality, a change of philosophy from run heavy to pass heavy did not work in 2016. Here’s how it can get worse. (You’re welcome.)

Quarterback

Wilson played through the following injuries in 2016: sprained knee, pectoral strain, ankle sprain. It also felt like he lost an arm and hearing. 2016 was rough for Wilson and 12s. Still, Wilson kept playing through all the hurts. There were games when it seemed like maybe he shouldn’t have been out there. He was far less mobile than in previous seasons because of his injuries.

Guess what? 2017 could be worse. Why? Because Wilson could be hurt again and actually miss significant time. This means current backup Trevone Boykin will need to play heavy minutes. Boykin was decent in scrap time last year, but did not play meaningful minutes. Worse, Boykin might be taken to jail for parole violation causing Jake Heaps to be the number one guy. If this happens, Seattle will miss the playoffs.

Colin Kaepernick could end up being the backup in Seattle. Worst case with this is if the Seahawks start the season 1-2 and Wilson gets hurt in game four. Kaepernick comes in and plays extremely well and Seattle reels off six straight wins with ease before Wilson’s return. Talk about potential for a locker room issue then…

Running Back

Newly signed Eddie Lacy appears to fit Pete Carroll’s mold of a running back. Lacy is big and athletic. He could come in overweight, though, causing dissatisfaction with the coaching staff. Lacy gets relegated to third-string behind Thomas Rawls and C.J. Prosise.

Then Rawls and Prosise continue their injury issues and miss time. Lacy finally gets to play a lot and is great for two games. Lacy then gets injured. Alex Collins becomes the starter and is extremely ineffective. This causes the Seahawks to revert back to pass-first which means Seattle is not good enough to win a championship.

Wide Receiver and Tight End

Doug Baldwin has been the model of consistency. In 2017, though, he gets hurt early and misses three games. When he returns, he does not have his quickness back. Wilson has no safety valve. This all occurs while Tyler Lockett and Paul Richardson get banged up early and miss most of the season. Seattle is left with a receiving corps of Jermaine Kearse and some new guys. Kearse replicates his ineffective 2016 season and ends up being cut at the end of 2017. The rookies are simply overwhelmed and non-productive.

Jimmy Graham is the only reliable target for Seattle but everyone knows it. He never gets space and the passing attack falters. This happens with a banged up group of running backs and Seattle’s offense is terrible.

Offensive Line

Justin Britt is great again!

And that is it. Germain Ifedi gets moved to right tackle but he is just as inconsistent there as he was at guard in his rookie year. The experiment of George Fant gets worse. Luke Joeckel is never really healthy or very good. Mark Glowinski recedes even more. Newbies Ethan Pocic and Oday Aboushi each do well in one facet of blocking. The problem is that Pocic run-blocks well but cannot pass-block. Aboushi is the complete opposite. The whole unit cannot act as one and Wilson has no time to do anything.

Hopefully all these thing will not happen. If they do, Seattle might win seven games.