Not all hope is gone for the 2023 Seattle Seahawks yet but hopes being completely dashed seems more logical than hopes for the playoffs. Seattle is 1-4 in its last five with the San Francisco 49ers and the Philadelphia Eagles coming up in Week 14 and 15, respectively. Seattle could finish 9-8 but still miss the playoffs.
General manager John Schneider and head coach Pete Carroll are probably still thinking about 2023, of course, but they likely have an eye on 2024 as well. Good teams don't think week-by-week but a few years ahead. And while Seattle hasn't been great recently, they have been more successful than most teams since 2010.
Thinking positively, and which players have done well this year, I offer three suggestions on impending free agents Seattle should bring back next year. One might just be re-signed for one season. The other players, however, could be re-signed for three years.
Seahawks need to bring back Bobby Wagner
I know Bobby Wagner will be 34 years old in 2024 and while that is ancient for a linebacker in the NFL, Wagner seems to be a different breed of cat. Or in the case of the Seahawks, osprey. According to Pro Football Focus (watch out for that paywall!), Wagner is graded as the 10th-best linebacker in the NFL in 2023. Is he great in coverage? No, but he never has been and that hasn't stopped him from a career that should result in him being a first-ballot Hall of Famer.
Wagner also is unlikely to be expensive in free agency. That is not his fault, either. NFL teams simply do not like paying at some positions once a player is north of 30 years old. Running back is one and linebacker is another. Wagner's numbers as far as tackles for loss (6), quarterback hits (5), and sacks (2.5) are trending toward being better than most seasons since 2017 (though not as good as 2022).
Wagner currently makes $7 million in 2023 and bringing him back in 2024 for that much makes sense. Seattle does give up more points this year than in 2022, but the run defense is better and that is Wagner's main department. If the Seahawks can get coaching that communicates better with the players during the game and game plans better, Wagner should be able to help those coaches execute the scheme.