NFL record predictions for the 2018 regular season
By Ian Cummings
Seattle Seahawks
For years, it seems, Russell Wilson has run for his life behind a patchwork offensive line in Seattle. And now, with a defense in decline, the defense that held Seattle up for the last decade, the Seahawks may slowly be fading toward irrelevance in the NFC West.
As long as Russell Wilson is the Seahawks’ starting quarterback, the team will never truly be irrelevant. But the NFC West landscape is changing. The Rams and 49ers are both trending upward, and the Arizona Cardinals, with Josh Rosen, have the potential to make noise very soon. From a quarterback standpoint, the Seahawks have the best in the division, but from a roster standpoint, they don’t match up well.
On offense, the Seahawks are somewhat lacking in terms of proven firepower, and their perennially paper thin offensive line doesn’t help. Russell Wilson still has his safety blanket in Doug Baldwin, but he’ll still be scrambling to keep plays alive, and rookie running back Rashaad Penny, while a skilled player, will have trouble running behind this group of blockers. The Seahawks’ offense, now directed by Brian Schottenheimer, has the quarterback to maintain a high floor. But there are personnel deficiencies that will be impossible to overcome, especially against the defensive lines in the NFC West (see previous slides for details).
One would think that, just like years past, the Seahawks’ defense would be the team’s saving grace. But while talented players such as K.J. Wright, Bobby Wagner, and Frank Calrk still remain, the losses of Richard Sherman, Michael Bennett, and Cliff Avril will be hard to overcome, and with Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor aging, it’s fair to wonder if the Legion of Boom will lose its furor for a spell.
The Seahawks have the notoriety that suggests they’ll compete, and they have a coach who can elevate a subpar roster. But this year, the losses on defense may be too much to overcome. The Seahawks added a running back this offseason, but they didn’t do enough to bolster the trenches on that side of the ball. Granted, there wasn’t much they could feasibly do in one year. But that will come back to haunt them, as it always does.
Next: Analyzing the Redskins running back depth chart