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Who will be kicking and punting for the Seahawks in 2018?

By Lee Vowell

JACKSONVILLE, FL - OCTOBER 23: Sebastian Janikowski #11 kicks a field goal off of a hold by Marquette King #7 of the Oakland Raiders during the fourth quarter of the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Field on October 23, 2016 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Rob Foldy/Getty Images)
JACKSONVILLE, FL - OCTOBER 23: Sebastian Janikowski #11 kicks a field goal off of a hold by Marquette King #7 of the Oakland Raiders during the fourth quarter of the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Field on October 23, 2016 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Rob Foldy/Getty Images) /
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The Seahawks will see a lot of changes from 2017 this season. But none of those changes are as drastic as they are on special teams.

So you think you knew these Seahawks, didn’t you? This was the team of Richard Sherman and Kam Chancellor. But those players (probably with Chancellor) are gone. So will be long-time punter Jon Ryan. Probably. And thankfully, Blair Walsh won’t be returning either.

Tyler Lockett will hopefully be fully healthy this year, though. And he is a proven and Pro Bowl return guy. In 2018, Lockett will get some kick return help with 2018 draftee Rashaad Penny.

So what’s my best guess for who kicks and punts and returns for Seattle in 2018? Here you are. (And don’t worry. I have terrible guess with the offense and defense as well.)

Kicker

The Seahawks signed long-time Oakland Raider Sebastian Janikowski this offseason. Janikowski missed all of 2017 with a leg issue. But he still appears to have a strong enough leg and proven to be consistent enough over the years to trust. Likely, he will beat out Jason Myers who has had a decent offseason in Seattle.

And both would be better than Walsh, right?

Punter

We 12s have come to love Jon Ryan. Ryan has made some of the goofiest and also some of the most memorable plays in recent Seahawks history.

https://twitter.com/DetroitVideos/status/809616335789555712

But Ryan not being on the team would save Seattle some money. In fact, $5 million over the next two years.

Plus, Michael Dickson is a genius. He places the ball where he wants. Dickson kicks it a very, very long way. And the Seahawks spent draft capital on him. Plus, he is probably better than Ryan.

Dickson will be the Seahawks punter in 2018 and for years beyond.

Returner

As I said before, no one is displacing Lockett as either the punt returner or kick returner. But I also think that Seattle puts two people back to return kicks, Lockett and Penny.

Next: Seahawks need Penny and Prosise to be killer p's...

Penny was freakish in college with kick returns, scoring seven touchdowns. Seattle will use his talents as well as Lockett’s. I think that Seattle actually steals a win because of these two this year. And that might be enough to get Seattle to the playoffs.

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