Seattle Seahawks capsule
TEAM DRAFT NEEDS
Defensive end
Jadeveon Clowney is expected to move on, and upgrading the pass rush remains the No. 1 goal. Bruce Irvin and Benson Mayowa were brought back, but more help is needed after Seattle recorded just 28 sacks. Penn State’s Yetur Gross-Matos fits GM John Schneider’s preference for length and speed.
Cornerback
The Seahawks landed Quinton Dunbar (via trade, Redskins) to compete with Tre Flowers and nickel back Ugo Amadi. The need to increase the competition at corner was evident throughout the season and particularly in the playoff loss at Green Bay.
Offensive guard
Left guard Mike Iupati re-signed but will be 33 in May and missed both playoff games last season due to a neck injury.
Outside linebacker
Mychal Kendricks is a free agent, and K.J. Wright turns 31 in July. There is very little depth on the current roster. Seattle has been successful drafting linebackers in the middle rounds and could target someone like Clemson’s Tanner Muse, who boasts 4.41-second speed in the 40.
Defensive tackle
Jarran Reed re-signed but struggled to return to his 2018 form after last year’s season-opening suspension. Poona Ford is an undersized role player who tries hard, but the departure of Al Woods exacerbated what was already a need.
Center
Justin Britt’s season-ending knee injury was an enormous blow. He is expected back but has one year left on his deal. B.J. Finney can fill in at center as well.
–FIVE-YEAR DRAFT HISTORY
General manager John Schneider spent years trying to recreate the magic that built a Super Bowl contender through mid-round picks. He appears to finally be back on the scent, utilizing a slew of trade-downs to accumulate 41 picks over the past four years. That has restocked the roster with young, cost-effective talent, with the past two years in particular providing an influx of depth and a handful of potential stars. After several years of misses, Schneider’s first six picks in 2018 could start for most NFL teams, and the second-round selection of D.K. Metcalf could prove the steal of the 2019 draft.
Best pick: RB Chris Carson, R7 2017 — An afterthought in the final round out of Oklahoma State, Carson has brought back Seattle’s physical, run-first mentality. He has emerged as one of the league’s elite backs, totaling 2,381 yards and 16 TDs on the ground the past two seasons.
Worst pick: Malik McDowell, R2 2017 — McDowell never played in a game after suffering a head injury in an ATV accident shortly after the draft. He was sentenced to 11 months in jail in November 2019 for a series of crimes.
–2019 STATISTICS
TOTAL OFFENSE: 374.4 (8th)
RUSHING: 137.5 (4th)
PASSING: 236.9 (14th)
TOTAL DEFENSE: 381.6 (26th)
RUSHING: 117.7 (22nd)
PASSING: 263.9 (27th)
