3 huge concerns heading into 2023 season for Seattle Seahawks
By Lee Vowell
The Seattle Seahawks are up on the upswing. After exceeding expectations in 2022 and making the playoffs, Seattle returns most of the important parts of its offense with some key upgrades. The defense should be better as well with offseason signings along the defensive line and high draft picks.
It is easy to get lost in the overall instead of the specifics right now. One example of what I mean is that Seattle gave Geno Smith another good weapon by drafting receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba. While Smith is a good quarterback, even with all his weapons is he good enough to lead the team to a championship? Seattle has good talent overall, but is it good enough?
Seattle could have a tougher schedule this season as they play the teams from the NFC East and AFC North, both good divisions. The good thing is other teams in the NFC West will play those same teams but other NFC rivals for a potential spot don't. There are certainly concerns heading into the season and here are three.
Seahawks concern No. 1: Depth at defensive tackle
Let's forget about the starters on the defensive line right now. Is Seattle better on paper along the D-line than they were in 2022? Yes. Dre'Mont Jones and Jarran Reed are upgrades over anyone the Seahawks had at their spots last season. Poona Ford left and he was decent before last year, but he wasn't really a good fit in Seattle's 3-4 scheme.
So while Seattle replaced Ford, Al Woods, Quinton Jefferson, and L.J. Collier with two players who are better, Seattle lacks depth. Seattle did take Cameron Young in the draft and he might be a good fit, but he's never played a down in the NFL so how good he is remains to be seen. Bryan Mone and Myles Adams will return in 2023, but Mone is still recovering free a significant knee injury and may not be ready early in the season, if at all.
Reed and Jones are good, but it appears that Seattle might be relying on them to stay healthy and play a lot of snaps. If one of them goes down, Seattle is in trouble. If both get hurt, Seattle's season could be sunk.