Three quick ways to make Seahawks better in the new year

The Seahawks made the playoffs again in 2019. But Seattle could still improve and here are three quicks ways 2020 could be great.

The Seahawks are a successful football team, 12s. No matter if they have gone 1-3 in their last four and are dealing with a million injuries, your favorite football team is still better than the favorite football teams of lots of other NFL fans. And that is something to be happy about.

Seahawks coach Pete Carroll has been to the playoffs in 8 of his 10 seasons with Seattle. Let’s not get spoiled when a team like the Browns haven’t made the playoffs since 2002. Russell Wilson was in middle school during that Browns season. So there’s that.

But Seattle could be a better team next year no matter the final outcome of 2019 and here are three quick reasons how.

Bring in a new defensive coordinator

I know that on the surface the Seahawks offense has been an issue over the last month. Maybe if Seattle had not taken a stupid delay of game penalty on 2nd and goal against the 49ers, Seattle would be playing a home game this week. But the truth is the offense has carried the defense to an 11-5 record this year.

Ken Norton, Jr. has been the Seattle defensive coordinator for two seasons. Before that, he was failing as a defensive coordinator for the Raiders. In 2018, Seattle ranked 17th in the NFL in defense. This year 26th. Seattle isn’t without defensive talent with players like Bobby Wagner, Jadeveon Clowney and Shaquill Griffin. This isn’t the LOB anymore but it also isn’t that awful. A better coordinator would have gotten better use of the players Seattle currently has.

Draft well earlier

In the last two NFL drafts, the Seahawks have taken in the first round Rashaad Penny (2018) and L.J. Collier (2019). In 2020, Seattle has the number 26 pick and two second-rounders. Seattle needs to get a boom in the first round and not a bust. That would mean taking an edge rusher or an offensive lineman than can start, and produce, nearly immediately.

Spend some cash on an edge rusher or five

The Seahawks have a bit of money to spend in free agency this coming offseason. They need to re-sign Jadeveon Clowney, but they also need to get some real help for him, not someone like Ziggy Ansah. The Falcons Vic Beasley could be available via free agency. So could the Rams Robert Quinn and the ill-used Raiders defensive end Benson Mayowa. Seattle needs to sign two good pass rushers because anything less would keep the team from reaching its deep-playoff run potential.