Seahawks Offseason Part 1: Much Ado About Marshawn
By Ben Renner
The Seahawks offseason began after their furious comeback fell short against the Panthers, but now that the NFL Season is officially over, it’s time to reflect and forecast how they’ll fare on the road to Super Bowl 51.
First of all, full disclosure: If you have read my author bio for ECS, you know that I was born in Seattle and live in Denver. I actually had a vested interest in predicting the Broncos to upset the Panthers in Super Bowl 50 for two main reasons: 1) Broncos fans are a bitter crew, but after last night, judging from the fireworks and constant car horn honking, they’ve already forgotten the beatdown the Seahawks put on them two years ago. I’ll be able to wear my sweet new Seahawks hat in public without getting dirty looks and muttered insults from the locals. 2) There has to be some kind of “Super Bowl Sale” going on at my local pot shop starting today.
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The Seahawks look like favorites to make it back to the Super Bowl next season. Vegas has them at 8 to 1 odds to win it next year. There are many things that could happen over the next seven months before the games start counting again, however, starting with Marshawn Lynch possibly retiring. It appears with the emergence of Thomas Rawls that the Hawks will be fine without Beastmode next year. John Schneider and his brain trust could pick up another running back in the draft, and the Seahawks could move toward a running back by committee approach that so many other teams are fond of.
Still, the Seahawks could struggle to run the ball next season, and not only because of Lynch’s retirement. If he retires, as he suggested with his tweet during the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl last night (below), he will be only one casualty to the Seahawks’ running game. Russell Okung could also depart as well, and while he struggled last season with consistency and health, he’s the best offensive lineman the Hawks have. Bulldozer J.R. Sweezy could also be a casualty.
— Marshawn Lynch (@MoneyLynch) February 8, 2016
It’s quite possible to blame all seven losses the Seahawks suffered last year on the offensive line, which either failed to protect Russell Wilson or failed to open running lanes for a run-first team (or both) on numerous occasions, including the first half of Wilson’s adventure in Carolina during the Divisional round. If you’ve seen any Seahawks games this season, even a few that they won, you can tell they need help on the offensive line. They’ve proven they can win without significant talent up front on offense, but if the line is once again a liability and they can’t run Lynch out there a least eight games next year, they could find themselves playing another Wild Card game on the road or worse.
Luckily, the Seahawks have one of the best offensive line coaches in the league in Tom Cable, a head coach who always seems to get the most out of unproven players in Pete Carroll, and a front office that always gets value out of the draft. The core of their defense returns, and even if they have to break up the Legion of Boom by moving Kam Chancellor, they’ll still have the talent to overwhelm teams like they have been since 2012.
Wilson is only 27 and set franchise records behind that awful offensive line last year. Tyler Lockett appears primed to break out next year, flanked by Doug Baldwin, who couldn’t stop scoring touchdowns in 2015. Jimmy Graham could also be in the fold as well. For the first time in years, the Seahawks appear to be a better passing team than a running team for the moment.
I’m not anticipating a dramatic shift in philosophy on offense next season, however. My guess is Schneider and company will attempt to rebuild the offensive line through the draft and spend their cap money on filling holes on defense. They’ll anoint Rawls as the starter and find someone to back him up. They could be relying on inexperienced and unproven players on the offensive line—always a risk—but these newcomers will go through the Tom Cable School of Punishment before they see game action.
Even if the Seahawks lose Chancellor, Graham, and Lynch, they still have a deep and talented roster with a track record of developing players. And for once, Pete Carroll probably won’t lose his offensive or defensive coordinator.
Congratulations to the Broncos and Peyton Manning (now please retire) for taking the championship. Manning epitomized the “game manager” role last night as Von Miller and company took over the game. Denver’s defensive coordinator Wade Phillips was the real hero, somehow containing Cam Newton and forcing him to throw from the pocket under pressure. Maybe we’ll see this team again in Super Bowl 51…