Why The Draft Is The Seattle Seahawks’ Oyster

Sunday, April 08, 2018

TIM KEARNY, Oregon Sports News

This year heading into the 2018 NFL Draft the Seattle Seahawks have a lot of holes to fill. There is much to be optimistic about for fans though. They have franchise players at several key positions with Russell Wilson, Doug Baldwin, Bobby Wagner, K.J. Wright and Earl Thomas. They make up a foundation that few teams in the NFL can match talent-wise, so with the draft later this month the Seahawks can go a lot of ways with their picks.

If I have learned anything about Pete Carroll and John Schneider in their time with Seattle, it is that we have a high chance of seeing the first round go by without a Seattle pick. The Seahawks have a pick in the first-round, a pick in the fourth-round, four picks in the fifth-round and finally two picks in the seventh-round. That is a good amount of ammo for these guys, and I expect to see several draft day trades where they move around to get a player they like.

This leads me to wondering about who they will take. I have read many mock drafts and they reflect my thinking, in the sense that there many different choices by different people. Some are mocking Seattle offensive linemen, some defensive backs or defensive linemen, this shows how the 2018 NFL Draft is the Seahawks’ oyster. Wilson is great quarterback and the Seahawks will be relevant if he is at the helm, so I think there is both more and less pressure for the front office’s picks. I mean that because of all the holes they have a lot of flexibility in their draft to pick the best player available and it fit a need, but because of the turnover in players and missing the playoffs last season there is also a bit more pressure to find immediate contributors to the team.

2018 is a make or break year for John Schneider and Pete Carroll, I believe there is a possibility one is gone at the end of this upcoming season if the Seahawks miss the playoffs again. The Seattle fanbase has gotten used to winning and will not react well to consecutive losing seasons, this puts pressure on the ownership which in turn puts pressure on the football staff.

I believe they will bounce back this year. Even though there haven’t been very many splashes in free agency from Seattle this year, I think they will make a few more signings that will make impacts on Sundays for a bargain. Team that with underrated signings like Tom Johnson, the defensive tackle from the Vikings, and Barkevious Mingo, a pass rusher from the Colts, and Settle is poised for another run to the playoffs in a very competitive NFC West. The Rams are clear favorites, because they have done nothing but upgrade their roster for the short term and are Super Bowl contenders if everyone can gel. The 49ers are everyone’s darling team because of Jimmy Garoppolo’s winning streak and a few other moves. This leaves the Cardinals, they have one of the best running backs in the NFL with David Johnson but little else at this point, they are probably going to have a tough year.

Here’s to a great Seahawks draft and a start of another playoff Seattle squad.