5 players Seattle Seahawks can't afford to lose to injury in 2024
By Lee Vowell
The Seattle Seahawks will have a lot of new pieces in different spots to begin 2024. The offensive line could have four new starters. Both inside linebackers will be new, and one of the safety positions. The team is going to take a bit of time to come together, and 12s clearly hope that happens before the regular season begins.
Seattle also has a new coaching staff as well, of course. That includes Mike Macdonald who is the new head coach and has never been a head coach before. There will be a bit of a learning curve this season.
All of this means that the Seahawks are going to have a smaller margin for error, especially at the beginning of the season. Players will still be getting used to what each of their teammates do in live action. Seattle can least afford to lose the following five players to injury, however.
Tyrel Dodson - Seattle Seahawks' green dot
Seattle is taking a huge chance on Dodson. Not only did the team sign him to replace Bobby Wagner, but Dodson did not come close to starting double-digit games with the Buffalo Bills until 2023. He was graded as the top linebacker in the NFL last year, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), but is that truly good enough to bring Dodson in and make him the green dot of the defense?
That last part means not only is Dodson going into a season for the first time in his career as a resumed starter, but he will also be tasked with being the on-field communicator of Macdonald's defensive play-calls. The grade part might be viewed as meaningless because in 2022, Ryan Neal was the highest-graded safety in the league when he was with the Seahawks, and Neal was awful for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2023.
Seattle also has no real depth behind Dodson. He and Jerome Baker will be the new starters at inside linebacker. Seattle drafted Tyrice Knight in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL draft, but expecting the rookie to start successfully communicating the defense play-by-play would be a mistake. Dodson must stay healthy in 2024 for Seattle's defense to maintain any kind of cohesion.