As a final draft-related piece for this year, I will take a look at how the Seahawks roster looks longer term, and how this may give us some indication of what positions they may be looking at adding to, after the 2021 season.
This could be via free agency, but in terms of targeting players for the long term, this may come via the draft.
I have broken this down by position, so this should give us a bit of an insight in to what areas the Seahawks could be looking to address in the 2022 draft. To do so, I have looked at all 83 players listed on Spotrac.com as Seahawks assets, what age these players are and when these players enter free agency themselves.
What the Seahawks should do in the 2022 NFL draft
I will also nominate the best college players at each position to keep an eye on in the next twelve months, as they may be the players that are targeted by the Seahawks in next year’s draft.
Just to put this into some context in terms of free agency, of the 83 players listed as Seahawks assets, a massive 42 of them enter some form of free agency in 2022, a further 17 in 2023 and another 18 in 2024
So only 5 are contracted beyond 2024, who are Tyler Lockett, D’Wayne Eskridge, Stone Forsythe, Jordyn Brooks, Tre Brown. 51 of the 83 are unrestricted free agents within the next three years, 11 are restricted free agents and 16 are exclusive-rights free agents.
The Seahawks only have ten of their 83 players listed that are currently age 30 or above though, so age is less of an issue than free agency, although at certain positions such as OT, DE and LB age of the starters needs to be considered when planning long term.
To have 25 URFAs next close season is not ideal, albeit some of these are depth players rather than starters, it does mean that salary cap management will be an issue next close season for the Seahawks, so if they can address some or all of those via the draft, that is the most cost-effective way to do so.
Seahawks 2022 NFL offensive needs
Quarterback
The good news is Russell Wilson is contracted until the end of the 2024 season, so all the Seahawks management needs to do is keep him happy and avoid any Aaron Rodger/DeShaun Watson-type situations.
His backups Geno Smith, Danny Etling and Alex McGough are all free agents in 2022 but the last two are ERFAs. Smith will be 31, Etling 27 and McGough 26 next close season, whilst Wilson will be 33.
Smith may get a further contract to be a back up to Wilson, but the Seahawks may target a QB in the mid to late rounds as a possible successor to Wilson longer term, but as he is under contract till 2024, this does not really need to happen until the 2023 draft.
So this is unlikely to be a position of need in the 2022 draft, if the Seahawks do decide to look for Wilsons long term replacement the top ten as I currently see them are
- Sam Howell (North Carolina)
- Spencer Rattler (Oklahoma)
- Kedon Slovis (USC)
- Desmond Ridder (Cincinnati)
- Matt Corral (Ole Miss)
- Tyler Shough (Texas Tech)
- JT Daniels (Georgia)
- Tanner Morgan (Minnesota)
- Brock Purdy (Iowa State)
- Sean Clifford (Penn State)
The reason I listed then more than five is that taking a QB in an early-round would send all the wrong messages to Russell Wilson, so taking one of those ranked slightly lower in the middle rounds may allow you not to upset Wilson and plan for the future at the same time.
Running Back
Below are the incumbents, their age and the year they enter free agency
- Chris Carson – 26 – 2023
- Rashaad Penny – 25 – 2022
- Deejay Dallas – 22 – 2024
- Travis Homer – 22-2023
- Alex Collins – 26 – 2022
- Patrick Carr – 25 – 2023 (RFA)
- B.J.Emmons – 22 – 2024 (RFA)
So when I look at Carson and particularly Penny’s long-term outlook, this season is massive for them. The Seahawks have decided not to pick up Penny’s fifth-year option, so he needs a big season to stay in Seattle beyond 2021.
Unless one of Penny, Dallas, Homer or Collins show they can fill the platoon role next to Carson in 2021 then the Seahawks will need to add an RB via the draft in 2022.
My current top 5 RBs in the 2022 NFL draft are
- Isaiah Spiller (Texas A&M)
- Breece Hall (Iowa State)
- Master Teague (Ohio State)
- Max Borghi (Washington State)
- Ty Chandler (North Carolina)
Receivers
Wide receiver
Again, I have listed below the current depth chart, age and year of potential free agency.
- D.K.Metcalf – 23 – 2023
- Tyler Lockett – 28 – 2026
- D’Wayne Eskridge – 23 – 2025
- Freddie Swain – 22 -2024
- Tamorrion Terry – 22 – 2024 (RFA)
- Cade Johnson – 22 – 2024 (RFA)
- Connor Wedington – 22 – 2024 (RFA)
- Penny Hart – 24 – 2022 (ERFA)
- Darvin Kidsy – 26 – 2022 (ERFA)
- John Ursua – 27 – 2022 (ERFA)
- Cody Thompson – 25 – 2022 (ERFA)
With twelve wide receivers listed, they are not all likely to survive into the 2021 season. If we look from Wedington upwards, there is no immediate need for the Seahawks as surely they will tie Metcalf up longer-term at some point.
They have given Lockett an extension that is likely to take him to, or close to, the end of his career, so unless they choose to move him on at some point, there is no pressing need at WR.
However, if Lockett’s form did start to dip as he approaches 30 or the younger receivers fail to deliver on the promise they have, then the Seahawks may go back in for another WR in the 2022 draft.
If they do, my top 10 WR’s for the 2022 draft are currently.
- Justyn Ross (Clemson)
- Chris Olave (Ohio State)
- Garrett Wilson (Ohio State)
- George Pickens (Georgia)
- John Metchie (Alabama)
- Jahan Dotson (Penn State)
- Treylon Burks (Arkansas)
- Trey Knox (Arkansas)
- Khalil Shakir (Boise State)
- Jaquarii Roberson (Wake Forest)
Again, I have listed ten, this time because I can see numbers 6 to 10 climbing the ranking in 2021 and this looks like quite a deep class of WRs in the 2022 draft.
Tight Ends
- Gerald Everett – 26 – 2022
- Will Dissly – 24 -2022
- Colby Parkinson – 22 – 2024
- Tyle Mabry – 24 – 2022 (ERFA)
- Nick Guggemos – 22 – 2024 (ERFA)
Looking at the top two TEs currently on the depth chart, they are both in prove-it territory in 2021. Colby Parkinson is young, but also needs to feature far more prominently in 2021 to prevent the Seahawks from seeking alternative options in 2022 and beyond.
From what I can see, it is not a great TE class in the 2022 NFL draft.
My current top 5 prospects at TE are
- Jalen Wydermyer (Texas A&M)
- Jake Ferguson (Wisconsin)
- Charlie Kolar (Iowa State)
- Cade Otton (Washington)
- Jeremy Ruckert (Ohio State)
Two other possible candidates I will be monitoring closely are Brant Kuithe (Utah) and Isaiah Likely (Coastal Carolina).
Given that it does not look like a great class at this stage, and it normally takes TEs a few seasons to mature in the NFL, this may be a position to look to develop via free agency if none of the current roster steps up in 2021.
Offensive line prospects
Center
Next up, every Seahawks fans favorite position to discuss, center.
- Ethan Pocic – 25- 2022
- Kyle Fuller – 27 – 2022
- Brad Lucnblde – 25 -2022 (ERFA)
- Pier-Olivier Lestage – 23 – 2024 (RFA)
If the Seahawks do not pick up a free agent center via free agency for the 2021 season and persist with Ethan Pocic for another season, they will enter the close season with three of their four centers as free agents.
In that event, surely they will target a center in the draft.
My top 7 candidates at center in the 2022 draft are currently
- Alec Lindstrom (Boston College)
- Tyler Lindebaum (Iowa)
- James Empey (BYU)
- Luke Matthews (Texas A&M)
- Doug Kramer (Illinois)
- Chris Owens (Alabama)
- Liam Shanahan (LSU)
Guard
- Gabe Jackson – 29 – 2024
- Damien Lewis – 24 – 2024
- Jordan Simmons – 26 – 2022
- Phil Haynes – 25 – 2023
- Greg Eiland – 22 – 2024 (RFA)
The Seahawks do not have a great deal of depth at guard, but Jackson and Lewis are contracted until 2024, Jordan Simmons needs to produce this coming season to earn a new contract. Even if he does that, the Seahawks may well look to add at this position given the lack of depth and that Gabe Jackson will be into his thirties come the start of the 2022 season.
The top 5 candidates the Seahawks could be looking at are currently
- Kenyon Green (Texas A&M)
- Cade Mays (Tennessee)
- Ed Ingram (LSU)
- Zion Johnson (Boston College)
- Josh Sills (Oklahoma State)
Offensive Tackle
- Duane Brown – 35 – 2022
- Brandon Shell – 29 – 2022
- Cedric Ogbuehi – 29 – 2022
- Stone Forsythe – 22 – 2025
- Jemarco Jones – 24 – 2022
- Tommy Champion – 24 – 2022 (ERFA)
- Jake Curhan – 22- 2024 (RFA)
Five out of the 7 tackles are free agents at the end of the 2021 season and three of those will be 30-plus.
This is clearly a position of need next close season for the Seahawks.
They could look to the draft and find the following best candidates to select to fulfil this need.
- Evan Neal (Alabama)
- Zion Nelson (Miami)
- Rasheed Walker (Penn State)
- Charles Cross (Mississippi State)
- Thayer Mumford (Ohio State)
- Wanya Morris (Oklahoma)
The potential good news for the Seahawks is that this looks like a really promising group coming out of college at OT in 2022.
Seahawks potential needs on defense in 2022 draft
Defensive tackle
- Poona Ford – 25 – 2023
- Al Woods – 34 – 2022
- Bryan Mone – 22 – 2022 (RFA)
- Myles Adams – 23 – 2022 (ERFA)
- Robert Nkemdiche – 26 – 2022
- Cedric Lattimore – 23 – 2022 (ERFA)
This is another position somewhat lacking in depth and with Woods in his mid-thirties a replacement starter will be needed unless Bryan Mone steps up in 2021.
Even if he did, depth would be needed for the interior of the defensive line.
DeMarvin Leal looks like an outstanding prospect at DT in what looks like an above-average group of DTs, my top 5 prospects are.
- DeMarvin Leal (Texas A&M)
- Perrioin Winfrey (Oklahoma)
- Jordan Davis (Georgia)
- Tyler Davis (Clemson)
- DJ Dale (Alabama)
Defensive End
- Carlos Dunlap – 32 – 2023
- Kerry Hyder – 30 -2024
- Aldon Smith – 31 – 2022
- Benson Mayowa – 29 -2023
- Darryl Taylor – 24 – 2024 (RFA)
- L.J.Collier – 25 – 2023
- Rashaad Green – 23 – 2022
- Alton Robinson – 22 – 2024
On the face of it, the Seahawks look set at DE for the next couple of years, but there is a definite split between the top of the rotation and the depth players. The depth players are a young group that needs to show that they can assume starting roles in the next 12-18 months. If they do not, the Seahawks will need to look at drafting players that can.
Top candidates at DE in the 2022 draft look like they could be
- Kayvon Thibodeaux (Oregon)
- Drake Jackson (USC)
- George Karlaftis (Purdue)
- Zach Harrison (Ohio State)
- Aidan Hutchinson (Michigan)
Thibodeaux is another exciting prospect to look out for.
Linebackers
- Bobby Wagner – 30 – 2023
- Ben Burr-Kirven – 23 – 2023
- Jordyn Brooks – 23 – 2025
- Cody Barton – 24 – 2023
- John Rhattigan – 22 – 2024 (RFA)
- Nate Evans – 23 – 2023 (ERFA)
If Brooks and Burr-Kirven progress in 2021 as I expect them to, then the only longer-term need here is for life beyond Bobby Wagner. If Wagner continues to be an elite linebacker through the next two seasons, he will get another contract, so there is no urgency at LB but drafting one in the next couple of drafts would be nice to have.
Top LB Candidates in the 2022 draft currently look to be
- Christian Harris (Alabama)
- Ventrel Miller (Florida)
- Brenton Cox (Florida)
- Shane Lee (Alabama
- Damone Clark (LSU)
- Jahad Woods (Washington State)
Seahawks secondary and special teams needs
Cornerback
- Akhello Witherspoon – 26 -2022
- Tre Flowers – 27 -2022
- Tre Brown – 22 – 2025
- Pierre Desir – 30 – 2022
- Bryan Mills – 22 – 2024
- DJ Reed – 24 -2022
- Gavin Heslop – 23 – 2022 (ERFA)
- Ryan Neal – 25 – 2022
- Jordan Miller – 24 – 2022 (RFA)
- Saivion Smith – 23 – 2022 (ERFA)
No issue with depth numerically, but this year’s rookies Brown and Mills along with Witherspoon, Flowers and DJ Reed is where the Seahawks will be hoping to man their starting corner needs from beyond 2021.
With Witherspoon, Flowers and Reed all out of contract at the end of next season, it is a prove-it season for all three of them. If these five do not show the required level of performance in 2021, this will be a definite need in next year’s draft.
My current top 10 corners for the 2022 draft are.
- Derek Stingley Jr (LSU)
- Kaiir Elam (Florida)
- Sevyn Banks (Ohio State)
- Josh Jobe (Alabama)
- Ahmad Gardner (Cincinnati)
- Andrew Booth (Clemson)
- Trent McDuffie (Washington)
- Sheridan Jones (Clemson)
- Mykael Wright (Oregon)
- Roger McCreary (Auburn)
Corner may be the strongest and deepest position in the 2022 draft, so if there was ever a time to look for a corner it could well be in the 2022 draft.
Safety
- Jamal Adams – 25 – 2022
- Quandre Diggs – 28 – 2022
- Marquise Blair – 23 – 2023
- Demarious Randall – 28 – 2022
- Ugo Amadi – 23 – 2023
Talent-wise the Seahawks have more than sufficient talent at the safety positions, but none of them are contracted beyond 2023.
So during the next 9 months, the ‘Hawks will need to re-sign or extend Adams, Diggs and/or Randall. If they decide not to, then the draft is a route to seek a replacement. my current top prospects t safety in the 2022 draft are.
- Kyle Hamilton (Notre Dame)
- Bubba Bolden (Miami)
- Jordan Battle (Alabama)
- Kolby Harvell-Peel (Oklahoma State)
- Reed Blankenship (Middle Tennessee)
The top three are clearly the best of the 2002 class as it stands. Hamilton like Stingley at corner could be truly great in the NFL.
Special teams
- Josh Myers – K – 29 – 2023
- Michael Dickson – P – 25 – 2022
- Nick Bellore – FB – 31 – 2022
- Tyler Ott – LS – 29 -2023
Special teams looks like a real strength for the Seahawks currently, add the above to the likes of D’Wayne Eskridge, Cade Johnson and Connor Wedington as potentially elite kick returners there is no need to look to add via the draft in 2022 here.
Michael Dickson will need a new contract at the end of the season though, so extending now would be a good idea.
Having gone through all the detail I can now list what are likely to be the areas the Seahawks will need to look at drafting players in the 2022 draft.
In order they are
- Offensive tackle
- Center
- Running back
- Wide receiver
- Cornerback
- Defensive end
- Guard
- Tight End (better looking to free agency)
- Safety
- Linebacker
- Quarterback
- Special teams
All of this is clearly dependant on the current rostered player’s performance in 2021. But with 25 unrestricted free agents at the end of the 2021 season, the 2022 draft will be an even more vital one than usual for the Seahawks.