Seahawks placed some Easter eggs this offseason on future plans

The Seattle Seahawks have made a bunch of moves this offseason. But they may have teased a bit of their thinking about future plans.

None of the moves the Seahawks have made are likely to change many outcomes in 2022. Uchenna Nwosu will hopefully be a very good player but that is probably Seattle’s splashiest move this offseason.

Seattle could very well have given us clues as to their thinking heading into the 2022 NFL draft. We can only guess what those moves might mean.

3 potential Easter eggs Seahawks have placed this offseason

The release of Carlos Dunlap might mean drafting an edge rusher first

Releasing Dunlap was weird. It saves Seattle no money really this offseason and he was a good player at the end of 2021 – he led the team in sacks with 8.5. The end result is it opens a roster spot for Seattle in 2022.

Nwosu is an edge rusher as well but he is more of a linebacker than a pure end. Dunlap was misused in 2021 and should have stayed at defensive end. Seattle now needs a DE who can chase down quarterbacks.

But it also means that Seattle lost a productive pass rusher and needs to replace that productivity. Because releasing Dunlap saved no money the move made little season unless the Seahawks plan on taking an edge rusher with their first pick and having that player take all the snaps Dunlap would have had while expecting the same kind of sacks and pressure numbers.

The signing of Geno Smith might mean not drafting a quarterback

Bringing Smith back makes sense because he already knows Shane Waldron’s system whereas Drew Lock does not. But signing Smith to a contract with a base salary of $4 million – which is a $2.7 million hike in pay by itself over 2021 – and a potential payoff of $7 million means Seattle might be set heading into 2022 with Lock and Smith.

This would be OK. In 2011, a year before Russell Wilson was drafted, the Seahawks were satisfied with Tavaris Jackson at quarterback. The following year is when Seattle chose its quarterback of the future. Smith could be playing the Jackson role and Seattle ends up with a QB in the 2023 draft.

The re-signing of Rashaad Penny means taking an RB in the late rounds

Chris Carson is still on the roster, though he is still questionable to return after having neck surgery in 2021, and Seattle re-signed Penny to a one-year deal. But assuming Carson and Penny stay healthy…OK, let me stop right there. Penny and Carson have never come close to playing a full season health together.

This means Seattle really needs an every-down back in the draft. Not only for this year but moving forward as well. The good thing is that the running back position has diminished in its importance in the NFL over the last several years.

Seattle should be able to get a good one in rounds five through seven instead of needing to get one earlier had they not re-signed Penny. There will be value to be found. After all, Carson was a seventh-round choice himself.