3 Seahawks 2023 opponents who got worse this offseason
By Lee Vowell
The Seattle Seahawks appear to be an improving team. But some of their 2023 opponents seem to have gotten worse this offseason. This includes a couple of teams in their own division.
The good thing is that Seattle is not yet done making the roster better. Sure, free agency is probably done for them for the most part, and the Seahawks did really well there, but they also have many high-end draft picks still to make. Seattle currently has two first-round selections and two second-round picks in the 2023 NFL draft. The team was already made better through free agency and is only going to be made even better through the draft.
Seattle's 2023 schedule isn't an easy one, though. Seattle faces the Cowboys, Giants, Ravens, Lions, and Bengals on the road this coming season, for instance. Luckily, though, as things seem now, three of the Seahawks' foes in 2023 seem worse now than those teams were at the end of the 2022 season.
Seahawks 2023 opponent that is worse No. 1: Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals have been an unperforming team for several seasons now. Now-fired head coach Kliff Kingsbury somehow coached his team to be worse in the second halves of seasons consistently. Still, Arizona gave the Seahawks fits every year but 2022.
This offseason, however, the Cardinals let Kingsbury walk and brought in a coaching staff who previously had no experience in the positions they currently hold. The head coach (Jonathan Gannon), offensive coordinator (Drew Petzing), and defensive coordinator (Nick Rallis) had never been in those positions previously. This doesn't mean they can't coach, but even most veteran coaches in their first season with a team struggle until they understand what they have.
The Cardinals also have lost a bunch of defensive talent in free agency, however. Gone are cornerback Byron Murphy and defensive lineman Zach Allen to name two talented pieces. Arizona's defense is likely to be bad - very bad - in 2023.
Plus, the Cardinals could be without quarterback Kyler Murray for much of 2023. Not that Seattle can't lose to a backup quarterback for the Cardinals, the Seahawks have proven that, but with so much talent either gone or not available to play for the Cardinals this coming season, Seattle should have an easier job of defeating the Cardinals. Two wins against Arizona would be important, obviously, but especially with such a tough overall road schedule for Seattle.