The Seahawks Offseason Part 2: Russell Wilson Set to Explode

The Seahawks figure to be one of the top teams in 2016 and their quarterback Russell Wilson could be headed into a potentially huge year.

This isn’t a long joke about Russell Wilson and the celibate life. As hilarious as that would be, my point is that Wilson is set to explode… metaphorically. On the football field. Before we get into the reasons why Wilson will set the league on fire next year, let’s remind ourselves of just how good he was last year.

Wilson set the Seahawks’ single-season passing record with 4024 yards. He also set career highs in completion percentage (68.1, a five-percent increase from 2014 while throwing 31 more passes), yards per attempt—8.3, and touchdowns with 34. As I’ve mentioned in earlier articles in an attempt to disseminate this information as widely as possible, he led the league in QB rating with a 110.1 mark. He had a better season last year, in terms of QB rating, than Tom Brady, Carson Palmer, and Cam Newton, all in the MVP conversation at least at times this year. I could go on.

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For all the well-deserved flak that the Seahawks offensive line received last year, Wilson posted his best statistical season as a pro. He was sacked more times than any year in his career in 2015, and yet still produced his best season. He’s a four-year professional who, in the absence of Marshawn Lynch, appears primed to take over the offense as the focal point. The Seahawks will likely still be a run-first team with Thomas Rawls presumptuously taking over the lead running back role under Pete Carroll and Darrel Bevell, but Wilson figures to take over a passing attack that will improve in 2016. A scary thought.

The three main reasons why Wilson could be in MVP discussions next year: 1) Wilson led the league in QB rating last year with bad pass protection. 2) The offensive line is sure to improve in 2016. 3) His receiving corps appears stronger than ever. Let’s tackle these reasons one by one.

• Wilson led the league in QB rating last year with bad pass protection. I’ve been over this, but one thing I’d like to add is that Wilson is constantly working to get better. While his overall numbers haven’t necessarily improved greatly every year, last season, when he had to carry the team in more situations than ever before, he had a breakout year. He has proven that he can thrive and continue to improve in Bevell’s system.

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• The offensive line is sure to improve. Not only do I trust the brain trust of Carroll, John Schneider, and company to find someone, anyone, who can upgrade the Seahawks’ pass protection during the offseason, the line couldn’t possibly be as bad as they were last year, right? With another year of Tom Cable and his offensive line wizardry, I find it hard to believe that the Seahawks will get any worse up front even if they somehow magically field exactly the same offensive line starters next season. Another year of Tom Cable never hurt a Guard. Russell Okung, supposedly the Hawks best linemen, appears to be on the outs, but let’s not forget how inconsistent and injury-plagued he was at times during his Seahawks career.

• Wilson’s receiving corps appears stronger than ever. There has been some Jimmy Graham trade talks swirling, but I suspect that the Hawks keep the tight end around for at least another year. We were just beginning to see how scary Graham could be in this offense when he tore his ACL. Even if Graham and wide receiver Jermaine Kearse both play for different teams in 2016, Doug Baldwin has developed into a big-time possession receiver who couldn’t stop scoring touchdowns in 2015. “Angry” Doug Baldwin won’t replicate the 14 touchdowns he scored in 2015, but he’s coming off a year in which he put up 1069 yards. The way that he has modeled his game after Wilson’s style suggests he’ll be in the four-digit receiving yards range again in 2016. Fellow wide receiver Tyler Lockett went to the Pro Bowl as a returner his rookie season and had feet made of fire on the outside. In only eight starts last year, he scored six touchdowns and produced 13 yards per catch. Another turn with Wilson in training camp could be scary for the rest of the league.

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All of these factors appear to be heading in Wilson’s favor. And he’s a franchise quarterback with immense skill already. He trains hard and tries to improve every practice, much less every season. He continues to develop and appears poised to take the Seahawks back to the Promised Land in 2016.