5 Moves the Seahawks Need to Make This Offseason

Many people expect the Seattle Seahawks to fall off a cliff after trading franchise quarterback Russell Wilson last offseason. Instead, 2022 NFL Comeback Player of the Year Geno Smith led the Seahawks to a 9-8 record and a Wild Card Round appearance after missing the 2021-22 postseason.

If the Seahawks want to build on that momentum, general manager John Schneider has some work to do this offseason. Considering how the organization has about $31.3 million in cap space (per Spotrac) and nine 2023 draft picks to work with, Schneider doesn't have room for any excuses over the coming months.

Here are five moves that the Seahawks need to make this NFL offseason.

Seahawks Offseason Rumors

1. Re-Sign Geno Smith

The Seahawks wouldn't have even come close to sniffing the playoffs if it wasn't for Smith's fantastic campaign. He threw for over 4,200 passing yards with 30 touchdowns in 17 starts, earning his first Pro Bowl appearance while finishing ninth in MVP voting. NFL insiders like Ian Rapoport indicate that Seattle wants to bring Smith back, but there's no doubt that he'll see a fair bit of suitors after his latest campaign. Having said that, the Seahawks need to do everything in their power to convince him to stay or else it'll be another mediocre season.

2. Cut Quandre Diggs

While the Seahawks are projected to have a lot of cap space, a big chunk of that will be eaten up by a potential contract for Smith. Keeping that in mind, don't be surprised if the team cuts safety Quandre Diggs this offseason. After all, Seattle can save $9.9 million in cap space by releasing him, according to Spotrac. As reliable as Diggs is, he's in his 30s and could begin to decline soon. He already recorded 23 fewer tackles in 2022 than he did the previous season, also allowing four TDs on 35 targets this past season compared to one on 44 attempts in 2022. If the Seahawks don't want to cut Diggs, restructuring his deal should also be under consideration.

3. Draft Tyree Wilson at Pick No. 5

Finishing with the fifth-fewest hurries in 2022, it's clear that the Seahawks must improve their pass rush. Fortunately, they hold the 2023 NFL Draft's fifth overall selection — a pick that they should use to draft Texas A&M defensive lineman Tyree Wilson. The 6-foot-6, 275-pound defender racked up seven sacks and 14 tackles for a loss in 2022, ranking fourth- and third-best in the Big 12. He also tallied 19 QB hits and 32 hurries, giving the Seahawks even more reasons to draft him at No. 5.

4. Improve WR Room in Free Agency

DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett were the only Seahawks wide receivers that did much in 2022. While the duo each surpassed 1,200 receiving yards, no other wideout on the team even hit the 400-yard mark. There aren't many (if any) high-end wideouts in this year's free-agent class, but there are several names that could fill in as the No. 3 WR in Seattle, such as Jakobi Meyers, Allen Lazard, Parris Campbell and Noah Brown.

5. Bring in Proper Backup RB

While Kenneth Walker III emerged as a legitimate starting running back during his rookie campaign, the Seahawks don't have many options behind him if he winds up injured. Rashaad Penny spends more time on the injured reserve than he does off it, while DeeJay Dallas and Travis Homer don't exactly shine when given the opportunity. With how easily RBs can get injured, the Seahawks must find out a way to get proper backup RB depth behind Walker, whether that's through free agency, the draft or a trade.

Devon Platana is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Devon Platana also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username PepeSilvia0. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.