Grading the 2022 Seattle Seahawks: The future is bright
By Jake Luppino
Grading Seahawks special teams
Over the last couple of years, the Seattle Seahawks special teams group has been really solid. Whether it be in kicking, punting, or coverage, they’ve been one of the better special team groups in the entire NFL. The one place they lacked explosiveness was on returns.
This year, that changed, however. When HB Godwin Igwebuike got elevated from the practice squad, he made a real difference on special teams. His return ability set this Seattle offense up in good field possession. He eventually got signed to the active roster and I believe he earned himself a spot on this roster for next season.
All-Pro kicker Jason Meyers had another fantastic season. He was the second-best kicker in the NFL, trailing only Justin Tucker. Meyers went 34/37 from field goals in the regular season. Yes, he missed the game-winner in regulation against the Rams in Week 18, but he made up for it in overtime. Most impressive, Meyers was 6/6 from 50+ yard field goals in the regular season. He even hit a 56-yarder against the 49ers in the Wild Card round to give them a lead heading into halftime.
Seattle Seahawks gave a new four-year, $21.1 million deal worth up to $22.6 million with incentives to kicker Jason Myers, whose contract was set to expire in March, per source. Myers tied to the team through the 2026 season.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 19, 2023
Meyers earned himself a contract extension, becoming the 2nd highest-paid kicker in the league. Some may be critical of this extension, but the truth is, Meyers deserves it. He has become really reliable for this Seattle team and having a steady eddy kicker can sometimes make all the difference.
Next. 4 Seahawks who may have lost their jobs in Wild Card loss. dark
His placeholder, Michael Dickson, had another solid year. Although, it is worth noting that he had some uncharacteristic plays early on in the season. Most notably against the Saints in Week 5, when he decided to run a fake punt all by himself. That sequence was critical in the final score of that game as he set up the Saints in the red zone. Nonetheless, he is still one of the best punters in the NFL.