Three Seahawks position groups that could become weak links in 2024

The Seattle Seahawks' rebuild could leave them vulnerable at these three key positions. Change is always risky, but it can bring some pretty big rewards, too.

I don't think it's a stretch to call the offseason changes in the Seahawks organization a rebuild. Only one coach, defensive passing game coordinator Karl Scott, remains on the staff. The team has parted ways with several key players of the past few seasons as well. Bobby Wagner is clearly the most notable loss. But at least eight other Hawks with at least three years in Seattle moved on as well,. Players like Damien Lewis, Quandre Diggs, and Jordyn Brooks will all be in other cities this fall.

Meanwhile, Seattle has revamped/rebuilt/refitted the team with new personnel. In some cases - Wagner and Brooks - players were released as they wouldn't fit Mike Macdonald's defensive system as well as the new personnel. In others - such as Damien Lewis and Quandre Diggs - it was more a matter of reducing the salary cap. In some of these moves, the team took some big risks with their replacement players. The Hawks took their biggest risks at these three positions.

The Seattle Seahawks took big risks at these three spots

Guard

It's hardly a secret that the Seahawks haven't had the league's best offensive line since - well, since ever. Most experts rank them in the bottom five in the league, with the weakest link being guard. It's fair to say the tackle position isn't that much better with the injury concerns about Abe Lucas, but at least the Hawks have a capable backup plan with George Fant.

The center position is also a bit iffy, but I'm confident that second-year player Olu Oluwatimi will step into the role with minimal growing pains. It's early, but when second-year UDFA McClendon Curtis is taking the majority of snaps at right guard in OTAs, that's cause for concern.

Safety

The Hawks kept Pro Bowl safety Julian Love - thank god - but Diggs and Jamal Adams are gone. At least, they're gone for now, as every week brings new rumors that either could return to Seattle at a veteran minimum deal. The new safety room features Rayshawn Jenkins at free safety and K'Von Wallace as a third safety.

I believe Jenkins will thrive in Seattle, as he's a better fit for Macdonald's schemes than Diggs. Wallace should fit in perfectly too, but he didn't exactly light it up in the Eagles defensive backfield in his three seasons there. Along with holdover Kobe Bryant and Jerrick Reed, I believe the Seahawks' safeties will make life pretty miserable for the opposition. I can't say Seattle didn't take a major risk with this overhaul, though.

Linebacker

This position is the biggest risk of all, without a doubt. Seattle moved on from one of the best players ever at the position, Bobby Wagner. Brooks wasn't exactly a slouch either. But neither were the best in coverage - or remotely close to it. Again, the new defensive scheme dictated the Seahawks move in a new direction here.

Enter linebackers Jerome Baker and Tyrel Dodson. Both have called defensive plays in the past, although Baker has more experience, starting the majority of his games with the Dolphins in each of his first six seasons.

Both missed workouts this summer, though, and the backup group is thin. If they're healthy and perform as expected, Seattle will be in fine shape, better than last year. But clearly, this is the diciest spot on the roster. I don't think Schneider and Macdonald made a mistake at linebacker, but they certainly took the biggest role of the dice.

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