Vincent Frank
Seattle Seahawks
Maybe, Seattle decides to shock the football world and trade Richard Sherman for a bounty of picks. That would surely fill holes on a roster that’s quickly becoming relatively thin. Then again, Sherman himself is a generational talent and a leader of Seattle’s Legion of Boom. Despite rumors to the contrary, this is a highly unlikely scenario.
Assuming the Seahawks stand pat here, their primary focus has to be on the offensive line again. Former Jacksonville Jaguars first-round bust Luke Joeckel surely isn’t the answer to Seattle’s offensive line woes. And after losing out on then free agent T.J. Lang to Detroit, Pete Carroll and Co. don’t have many options remaining on the veteran market.
As of right now, Seattle would be starting George Fant and Garry Gilliam at the tackle positions. That’s about as gross as it gets. Even if the team were to move Joeckel to left tackle, his stint with Jacksonville proved he’s incapable of performing well in that area.
Needless to say, the Seahawks must draft an immediate starter along the offensive line in the first round. No, that doesn’t include the repeat of this team reaching on offensive linemen early in drafts recently. Remember, the James Carpenter selection back in 2011? How did that turn out? What about Germain Ifedi last season? That’s still an open question. This is where someone like Alabama’s Cam Robinson could come into play this year.
Outside of the offensive line, there’s surely major depth issues for a Seahawks team that won a disappointing 10 games last season. Is Eddie Lacy ready to put his weight issues behind him after signing an incentive-laden deal this month? If not, can Thomas Rawls once again prove himself to be healthy? That’s two major questions on an offense that relies heavily for production from the ground.
Defensively, the Seahawks have struggled putting anyone worth a hill of beans opposite Richard Sherman at corner since Brandon Browner and Byron Maxwell departed the Pacific Northwest. Maybe that should be a focus here. In addition to this, we’re not too sure how Earl Thomas will respond after suffering a serious leg injury last season.
Unlike previous years, John Schneider and Co. have specific areas they need to address. They also must find immediate-impact players. That’s much easier said than done, especially with how this team has drafted in recent years.
