The Seattle Seahawks have had better drafts over the last three seasons than they did in the late 2010s. The drafts have produced a number of good players such as edge rusher Boye Mafe, cornerback Devon Witherspoon, wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and left tackle Charles Cross. Of course, there have been a number of misses as well.
Several of the misses have been given multiple chances to start. Two of them are on this list simply because of their poor performance. One is on the list because of injuries. The final one should have never been taken.
All of the players below, except one, are still under contract for Seattle. This means they must improve to help the team be better. Can they? The answer is trending toward no.
Four Seattle Seahawks who appear to be on the verge of being complete busts
Guard Anthony Bradford - Fourth round, 2023
Bradford must be doing something right in practice to have the coaching staff keep believing that he is the right guy to man the right guard spot. Until he was injured late in the 2024 season, Seattle kept running Bradford onto the field without trying someone - anyone - new, even though Bradford was being soundly and consistently beaten.
At the time he was injured in Week 12, Bradford led all NFL guards in pressures allowed and penalties. He allowed seven sacks, six more than in his rookie season, and was graded as the sixth-worst guard in the league, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Seattle needs to address both guard positions this season and find new starters for 2025. Most likely, Bradford will be the starting right guard again next season.
Cornerback Tre Brown - Fourth round, 2021
Brown was one of three draft picks Seattle had in 2021 and he was pretty good in his rookie season before being injured. He appeared in just six games in his second season, but then the Seahawks thought they had seen enough of Brown to give him a chance to start over Mike Jackson. Jackson had been a good tackler and decent in coverage, but couldn't create turnovers like Seattle hoped Brown could do.
Brown failed quickly in 2023, though, and was eventually replaced by Jackson. Though the coaching staff changed before 2024, Brown was once again given a chance to start, and Jackson was traded. Again, Brown could not keep his job, and he finished last year with a ridiculously high 144.8 quarterback rating allowed. He allowed 14 receptions on 20 targets, including three touchdowns.
There is little reason to believe Brown should be re-signed by Seattle. He is a free agent. He should be free to sign elsewhere while the Seahawks go in a different direction.
Right tackle Abraham Lucas - Third round, 2022
This one is the toughest to list here. He is clearly a decent player when he is healthy, but the problem is he cannot stay healthy. He has played in 13 of a possible 34 games over the last two seasons. Former head coach Pete Carroll called Lucas's knee issue "chronic," and while the current Seahawks staff has said that is not the case, Lucas has not proven otherwise.
The right tackle will enter the final year of his rookie deal in 2025. Maybe he finally stays healthy, and if he does, Seattle should definitely think of trying to re-sign him. The fact is that Lucas staying healthy would be more surprising than him missing half the season or more.
Cornerback Nehemiah Pritchett - Fifth round, 2024
Maybe this one is too early, but most likely, both defensive backs Seattle chose from Auburn in the 2024 draft won't work out. One, D.J. James, is already gone and did not make it through final roster cuts before the season. Pritchett is trending that way for next season possibly.
He was so obviously poor in pass coverage that opponents seemed to find him quickly. He played 99 coverage snaps but was targeted 20 times on those reps. He allowed 13 receptions for 205 yards (a whopping 15.8 yards per completion) and a touchdown. Oh, and while he was in on 12 tackles, he also whiffed on six other attempts. He showed nothing to imply he would ever be a good pro.