Whether Pete Carroll wants to admit it or not, the Seattle Seahawks were heading into last week’s draft clearly in “rebuild mode”. With their first losing season since 2011 and a fractured relationship between Russell Wilson and management, the end of an era was clear.
With a lack of talent on the roster and a disgruntled QB that wanted to go to only one place, Seattle made the biggest trade in franchise history. The trade gave the Seahawks the ammo needed to begin rebuilding this team in the image that Pete Carroll and John Schneider wanted.
After three days in Las Vegas, it has become very clear that Seattle wants to get back to smash-mouth football. They attacked this objective by checking off the most important aspect when building a championship football team…fortifying the trenches.
Seahawks needed to fortify the trenches in 2022 NFL draft and did just that
On Thursday night the Seattle Seahawks selected Charles Cross with the #9 overall pick in the draft. Cross, one of the best pass-blocking left tackles in the country, immediately slides into the starting role of a key cornerstone position.
There are fair questions about his strength and ability to run block, but when you look at the total package, he’s the most talented left tackle Seattle has had since Russell Okung. Seeing Cross get passed up for guys like Travon Walker, and Drake London was literally and figuratively huge for Seattle.
Abe Lucas: Right tackle of the future
One day and thirty-one picks later, Seattle struck gold, drafting Minnesota edge defender Boye Mafe. The Gopher looked the part and tested the part at the combine, grading out as a consensus top-five pass-rush prospect in the draft.
His production doesn’t quite match the looks, but he’s slowly improved each and every year. He’ll be 24 in November, which may scare off some, but I believe it means he’ll be expected to come in and help right away.
At the end of the day, this dude has violent sack potential, and got to the quarterback twice in Minnesota’s last two bowl wins. The Seahawks desperately need a big game performer on the D-line, and I believe they got one in Mafe.
If one theft wasn’t enough on Friday, the Seahawks actually “stole the draft” in the 3rd round, taking the best right tackle prospect in the draft in Washington State’s Abraham Lucas. Another tackle known for his pass blocking prowess,
Lucas didn’t give up a single sack during the Cougars 2021 season. With whispers of Lucas’ stock rising and him potentially sneaking into the first round of the draft, I was shocked to see him still there at pick #72.
Seahawks getting better in the trenches
With the Russell Wilson trade, the Seahawks amassed a solid amount of draft picks this season, and they nailed the draft. The best franchises in football typically have good to great trench play, both offensively and defensively.
We have seen what the 49ers have done with dominant trench play and bad quarterback play. They could easily have won two of the past three Super Bowls.
We saw what the Rams pass rush did to a superstar quarterback in Joe Burrow, who didn’t have a good enough O-line in the most recent super bowl. Getting to the QB, and protecting the QB is everything in the NFL.
The job isn’t done. The Hawks are still a Pro Bowl pass rusher short of being great. Cross and Lucas are young and will have growing pains, especially in run blocking. Seattle is also not going to be a contender this season but will be seeing young talented players grow and improve in 2022.
In 2023, the Seahawks will have a treasure trove of draft picks, in an extremely talent-rich draft that will have a half-dozen of first-round-talent-level quarterbacks. The opportunity for a young QB in 2023 to come in and succeed, much like Russ did in 2012, will be possible because Seattle could have a dominant offensive and defensive line.
These young and cheap assets at cornerstone positions allowed Seattle to sign and acquire star pieces in the last super bowl runs. This draft fortified the trenches, and Seattle could be on the same rapid path to contention again.
The legendary John Madden once said, “You can draw up all the plays you want, but when they snap the ball, if my Xs knock all your Os on their asses, you’ve got no chance.”