The NFL offseason is now in full swing with coaching changes, free agency and the NFL Draft reshaping the 2023 fantasy football landscape. With that in mind, the Fantasy Life squad is breaking down every NFL team to determine what went wrong in 2022 and identify paths to improvement. The next team to fix is the Seahawks, and Kendall has ideas on how…
Team Summary
I think the best way to describe the Seattle Seahawks’ 2022 season is “unexpected.” They unexpectedly thrived after moving on from franchise quarterback Russell Wilson and seemingly fooled most of the league when naming Geno Smith as the starter. Up until that point, most (including myself) believed that this was a throwaway year — put Geno out there, win a handful of games and then get ready to rebuild in the NFL Draft. But not so fast!
The Seahawks finished with a 9-8 record and a Comeback Player of the Year performance from Smith. Of course, the season ended on a low note when they were dismantled in a 41-17 loss to the division-rival San Francisco 49ers, but really who thought they would even make it that far?
Fast forward to the current offseason and internally, the Seahawks did not have much coaching turnover. Quarterback coach Dave Canales is now the offensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but other key pieces have remained.
Seattle faces major questions going into this offseason. Is Smith the long-term answer? How much longer will head coach Pete Carroll be around? We will try and find answers below…
Fantasy Fixers Recommendations
Franchise Tag Geno Smith (at the very least)
The Seahawks have until March 7 to decide about placing the franchise tag on quarterback Geno Smith or any other unrestricted free agents.
There is no doubt that Smith proved “the haters” wrong and put up an unbelievable performance after Russell Wilson’s departure. He led the NFL in completion percentage (69.8%), finished fifth in passer rating (100.9) and led all quarterbacks with 14 passing touchdowns on 20-plus-yard throws in 2022. It’s really unheard of to witness a 32-year-old quarterback’s Year 10 breakout, but that’s what he gave us.
Jan 1, 2023; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) passes against the New York Jets during the fourth quarter at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
The real question becomes how much do you risk on something that might not be sustainable? That is where the franchise tag comes in. The tag allows the Seahawks and Smith’s camp more time to negotiate a potential long-term deal. Of course, this would also allow the quarterback market to materialize. Daniel Jones and Derek Carr would be watched closely and could be used in negotiations depending on their deals. Also of note is that Smith would be able to negotiate with other teams. If Smith gets tagged, then Seattle would have until July 15 to agree on a long-term deal. If they don’t, Smith would play on a one-year, fully-guaranteed deal worth around $32 million.
I think head coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider are in a win-now mode. How much time could Carroll realistically have left? Win-now mode means rolling with a quarterback that Carroll trusted wholeheartedly after Wilson’s departure. Franchise tagging Smith at the very least will lead to a long-term deal which fits that mold. Can he quarterback a championship-contending team? The Seahawks may risk it and find out.
Prioritize edge rusher and interior offensive line
When looking at a lot of Seahawks mock drafts, there are a few points that stand out the most, including the fact that Seattle must find an edge rusher.
The bottom line is that the Seahawks need more support on the outside. Under first-year defensive coordinator Clint Hurtt, the Seahawks switched to a 3-4 defense and the pass rush improved from 34 sacks in 2021 to 45 last season (7th in the league). However, they only recorded 34 quarterback pressures (28th) and didn’t blitz as often.
Overall, their defense ranked 25th in overall EPA per play, 27th in rush EPA, and 18th in EPA per dropback. If the Seahawks get the opportunity to draft Will Anderson Jr. out of Alabama, it would be a steal. More than likely he will be gone at No. 5, so taking Tyree Wilson from Texas Tech would also be a solid add.
We all know Kenneth Walker was a stud for the Seahawks in his rookie campaign, but their struggles to protect Geno Smith and block for Walker really showed towards the back half of the season. Between Week 10 and Week 14, he rushed for only 126 yards and two touchdowns. The Athletic projects that the best way to fix the issues on the offensive line are to release or trade right guard Gabe Jackson, creating $6.5 million in savings, and then focus on a younger player to replace him. No matter what, we want more Walker for fantasy and addressing the interior issues will help a lot.
Get a true WR3
The dynamic duo of DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett can’t be stressed enough — they’re elite. Metcalf logged a career-high 90 catches for 1,048 yards and six touchdowns. Lockett had 84 catches for 1,033 yards and nine touchdowns (his fourth consecutive 1,000-yard season). We know what these two are capable of, but who is the true third pass-catching threat?
Marquise Goodwin was a solid free agent signing heading into the 2022 season. He notched 27 receptions for 387 yards and four touchdowns before his injury. But free agency looms again for Goodwin, so his return is not guaranteed. Dareke Young was a seventh-round pick in 2022 and a name that the organization has said to keep an eye on. Hopefully the Seahawks get a healthy season from Dee Eskridge as well; the 2021 second-round pick has only played in 20 of 35 possible games.
Noah Fant is also an option for a No. 3 role — he had 50 catches, 486 receiving yards, and four touchdowns in 2022 with his new squad. The answer could already be on the team, or maybe they look to add a tight end or wide receiver in the draft.
