The Seattle Seahawks' "Dark Side" defense took a big toll early in free agency. Coby Bryant left to join the Chicago Bears, and -- perhaps more importantly -- Riq Woolen took his talents to Philadelphia to sign with the Eagles.
The Seahawks should do just fine without Bryant, given their depth at the position. Replacing Woolen, however, might be a tougher task, even if he was a starter in only seven of the 16 regular-season games he played last season.
As things stand now, Josh Jobe and Devon Witherspoon will be the starters, with newcomer Noah Igbinoghene as Nick Emmanwori's backup in the slot when he's not lined up at safety or linebacker. That leaves this team with a glaring need to add another cornerback in the NFL Draft.
The Seattle Seahawks must take a cornerback early in the draft
Fortunately, the Seahawks don't have many pressing needs right now. They could use another right tackle, maybe a running back, and a backup pass rusher. However, among their minor needs, finding more depth at cornerback might be the primary one.
As the defending Super Bowl champions, the Seahawks will have the final pick in the first round. That said, they have only four selections across the whole event, so they can't afford to wait before addressing that need.
They should be in the mix to land high-end prospects with starting potential, such as South Carolina's Brandon Cisse or Tennessee's Colton Hood. Both of them can legitimately challenge Jobe at some point in the near future, and Hood can also play inside if needed.
However, if, for whatever reason, general manager John Schneider decides to go in a different direction in the first round, there could still be intriguing projects available late in the second round, such as Arizona State's Keith Abney II. He may not play much as a rookie, but he can still be a solid rotational piece with some experience under his legs.
Great teams can afford to be patient with their players and not throw them into the fire right away, and the Seahawks are, by every objective and subjective measure, an outstanding team. They can run it back with essentially the same roster from last season and be as good as they were in their title-winning campaign.
Still, even the best things can be improved, and with a solid foundation in the secondary and a defensive guru like head coach Mike Macdonald calling the shots, this team can roll the dice on high-upside youngsters to mold to the best of their needs.
In the worst-case scenario, having Josh Jobe be the starter for the next couple of years is far from bad news. Still, with Woolen no longer in the picture, they need some insurance on a cost-controlled contract.