Seattle Seahawks 2023 Mock Draft: Addressing defensive needs
By Jake Luppino
A year ago, not too many were sure what the landscape of this Seattle Seahawks franchise was moving forward. Well, it seems as if the Seahawks made the right move when they traded Russell Wilson to the Broncos. And this will have a long-term effect on Seattle.
While we still have three weeks left to play in the 2022 regular season, it has become more and more obvious that this Seahawks team is not quite ready to win yet. The good news, they had a stellar 2022 NFL Draft, hitting on multiple of their picks. They found their starting tackles, a home run-hitting running back, and a true number-one cornerback.
Yet, the biggest question that remains is one similar to last year. Then, it was about how do you replace Russell Wilson; do you do it through the draft or sign a veteran quarterback? The Seahawks did indeed resign veteran Geno Smith and just as he is yet to write back, he is not ready to lose his starting position after patiently waiting 10 years to get another shot.
Of course, it is up to the Seahawks of whether or not they bring him back as he is going to be a free agent. When evaluating this roster, they need to ask themselves what their plan of attack will be in the offseason. In other words, how can we improve this team in taking the next step toward winning another Super Bowl? The answer to me is on the defensive side.
Seattle Seahawks Mock Draft: Fixing the defense
The draft position for the Seahawks is going to change over the next month as their first pick depends upon how the Broncos finish. The good news is that it appears it will be in the top 5. Regardless of where they end up, the most important thing is they will have two picks in each of the first two rounds.
This is where they can try and fix this defense that has gotten exposed over the 2nd half of this season. Opposing teams’ rushing attack has been too physically imposing on a Seattle defensive front that just simply doesn’t have enough playmakers. To be frank, one of their best interior linemen is Al Woods, who is 35 years old. Even on the edges, they are not getting consistent pressure and it is allowing opposing offenses to stay on the field and tread the tires of the Seahawks’ defense.
With multiple picks early on in this draft, here is my first mock for the Seattle Seahawks 2023 draft.