Seahawks: 15 major questions for the franchise to answer in 2022
The Seattle Seahawks’ 2021 season is over. Now it’s time to begin planning for the future of this franchise.
Here are 15 major questions for the organization to answer in 2022.
Have the Seahawks peaked under coach Pete Carroll?
Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
The most important question for the team to answer this offseason is whether or not head coach Pete Carroll has taken them as far as they’ll go. Carroll deserves immense credit for keeping Seattle competitive for as long as he has. However, his team hasn’t made it past the divisional round since 2014. More importantly, Carroll is behind the times when it comes to fourth-down decision making and general football philosophy. We love Carroll and everything he’s accomplished, but team owner Jody Allen must decide if it’s time for a change in leadership.
Which pending free agents are worth splurging on?
Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
This team has rarely made major splashes in free agency during the Pete Carroll and John Schneider era. This year could be different, though. Seattle is currently projected to have over $55 million in salary cap space for the 2022 season. Even after re-signing all of their own important pending free agents, there should be plenty left over to make a couple of marquee acquisitions. Deciding who is worth really spending on is the key.
How to address declining returns in the NFL draft?
(AP Photo/David Dermer)
Even if they hit the bullseye in free agency and hit all the other right notes this offseason, the Seahawks’ ceiling will continue to be the second round unless they find a way to increase returns in the NFL draft. Ever since former executive Scot McCloughan left, the front office has had trouble building quality draft classes. Improving how they evaluate offensive line prospects and not wasting first-round picks in poor trades would be a start.
Are Russell Wilson's issues fixable?
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Sunday’s season finale win over the Cardinals was a great example of both the best and worst of Russell Wilson’s game. While his ability to extend plays and make accurate deep passes makes him one of the NFL’s most dynamic quarterbacks, he also has a bad habit of walking into sacks. Wilson also tends to resist reading and throwing to the middle of the field. Seattle has to figure out if Wilson’s issues are correctable or endemic.
What's the best way to keep Rashaad Penny?
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A couple of months ago, it seemed to be a foregone conclusion that Rashaad Penny would become a free agent in March. Now it seems absolutely insane to allow him to test the market. Over the last five games of the season, Penny was the best and most productive pure rusher in football and whoever was second-best wasn’t even close. Whether it’s re-signing him to a short-term deal or using the franchise tag, the Seahawks have to find a way to keep Penny around.
How concerned should we be about Dee Eskridge?
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Seattle’s first pick in last year’s NFL draft effectively had a lost rookie season. Dee Eskridge suffered a foot injury during the spring that limited his reps for much of the offseason. Then, he had a major concussion in Week 1 that put him on the shelf for a long time again. Eskridge’s chemistry with Russell Wilson is not there yet and he clearly still has a lot to learn. He deserves time to develop, but the Sehawks have to decide whether it’s worth bringing in a different WR3 for the 2022 season.
Can they find a genuine upgrade at center?
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One of the many encouraging things about the end of this season was the performance of the offensive line. While their pass protection could still use some work, their run blocking was superb down the stretch – especially center Ethan Pocic and right tackle Jake Curhan. The coaching staff needs to decide if Pocic is the right guy to lead this unit or if they can find an upgrade via free agency or the draft.
When should they move on from Duane Brown?
Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
Another major question mark up front is what to do with the team’s 36-year old franchise left tackle Duane Brown. He had a somewhat inconsistent season compared to what we’re used to. However, Brown is still a far above average performer at his position. At his age Brown won’t be able to play at this level for much longer, though. They should keep Brown if they can for at least another year but also start looking for his replacement.
Which prospect would boost the pass rush most?
Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Perhaps the most impressive part of Seattle’s 2021 campaign was how the defense responded after a bad start. Despite missing several key players, this unit performed light years ahead of expectations for most of the season, especially late. However, the one area on defense where they can improve most is the pass rush. Darrell Taylor and Carlos Dunlap (15 sacks combined) have ability, but they need another partner in crime to bring the team’s pressure to the next level. Finding the right prospect to round out the EDGE rotation will be critical.
Will Bobby Wagner accept a restructured deal?
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Perhaps the most difficult call the Seahawks will make on this side of the ball will be what to do with Bobby Wagner. For 10 years, he’s played his position as well as anyone in the sport. However, he’s beginning to show signs of decline and has a massive cap number worth over $20 million this coming season. That makes him a prime candidate for a contract restructure, if Wagner is willing to take one.
Who's the next franchise middle linebacker?
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
The other side of that coin is how to prepare for Wagner’s inevitable exit. He probably has another year or two of quality play left in him, but the Seahawks can’t afford to wait for Wagner’s game to fall off completely. In Cody Barton they have a potential successor. He defended surprisingly well over the last two weeks with Wagner out and appears to have legitimate starter potential. Whether it’s Barton or some MLB prospect yet to be named, Seattle has to start preparing for the post-Wagner era on defense.
How to do right by Quandre Diggs?
(AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)
This season saw plenty of disappointments and heartbreaking moments for the franchise. None was more gut-wrenching than yesterday’s devastating leg injury for free safety Quandre Diggs – the team’s defensive MVP for the 2021 season. Diggs had more than earned himself a Pro Bowl appearance and a fat new contract before he suffered a broken fibula. Based on their reactions, the locker room clearly loves Diggs and respects what he brings to the table. The front office has to do right by him, because letting Diggs walk at this juncture might be a culture-breaking kind of blunder.
Can they keep the cornerback room intact?
(AP Photo/Justin Rex)
Seattle came into the 2021 season with nothing but question marks hanging over the cornerback position. General manager John Schneider did an incredible job of scrambling to find quality options and he hit on more than one of them. Now the question is if they can bring back pending free agents D.J. Reed and Sidney Jones, both of whom earned new contracts. Reed and Jones could both cash in with a different team if they aren’t re-signed.
Are Jason Myers' struggles in 2021 a fluke?
Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
The special teams unit had a strong year overall worth celebrating. They punted well, covered well and had a dynamic return game. One blemish was the field goal unit, which struggled due to inconsistency from placekicker Jason Myers. While he had a perfect 2020 season (24/24 on field goals), Myers only went 17/23 this year (73.9%). Kickers are often streaky – but the front office has to figure out if it’s an off-year kind of thing he can bounce back from or if his confidence is broken.
How much longer can this core stay competitive?
(Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
Finally, the one inescapable question that needs to be answered is just how long this group can stay competitive. While this season was an aberration, every era eventually comes to an end. Schneider and Carroll have to determine how much time is left for this core of Russell Wilson and Bobby Wagner to produce positive results. Our best guess is they’re working with a two-year window of opporunity. When Wilson’s current contract runs out it will probably be time to re-evaluate everything from top to bottom. If the window is smaller than that, we won’t have to wait until 2024 to find out.
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