The Seattle Seahawks are a finely-tuned machine. They have an explosive offense and a dynamic, hard-hitting defense, and they don't make a lot of mistakes. That's usually a recipe for success in the toughest league in the world.
That said, teams can't afford to get complacent. The only thing harder than winning a Super Bowl is winning back-to-back championships, as this is a copycat league and everybody will be aiming to stop the best team on Earth.
That's why the NFL Draft will be so crucial to this team's aspirations. More than that, it might also be why GM John Schneider will want to think things through and potentially change his plans for the No. 32 pick.
R Mason Thomas may have climbed his way up the Seahawks' draft board
Most mock drafts have the Seahawks either taking a guard or a cornerback with their first-round selection, and rightfully so. But, after watching Oklahoma EDGE rusher R Mason Thomas at the NFL Scouting Combine, they might change their mind.
Standing at 6-foot-2 and 240 pounds, Thomas isn't the biggest pass rusher out there. However, he has elite burst, as he showed with a 1.63-second 10-yard split. His 4.67-second 40-yard dash time was right above the middle of the pack, but his explosiveness is more than evident. He also excelled in all the on-field drill work he did.
While most experts and analysts had the Seahawks going in a different direction, NFL.com's Eric Edholm predicted this possibility. In his first mock draft, he argued that Thomas could make his way to the Seahawks' big board with a strong outing in the combine:
"This might depend on how well Thomas tests, and the Seahawks certainly could look for IOL or CB help here. But Thomas is a high-energy rusher who fits the Seahawks’ profile and could give them another dog up front," Eldhom wrote on January 30.
The Sooners star finished his collegiate career with 63 pressures, 29 QB hits, 22 tackles for loss, and 16.0 sacks. NFL Mock Draft Database has him at No. 42, but he might be one of the most notorious risers of the combine, and if none of the projected first-round CBs wows the Seahawks, he might be in play with the final pick of the first round.
The Seahawks could lose Boye Mafe in free agency, and while DeMarcus Lawrence is still productive, he's not getting any younger. Also, given their reported interest in trading for Maxx Crosby, it's safe to assume they will look to bolster the pass rush department in some form during the offseason.