The Seattle Seahawks are in transition. Out went Russell Wilson, marking the first time since 2011 anyone other than Wilson will start significant numbers of games. Whether it’s Drew Lock or Geno Smith is non-consequential, the Seahawks will need to get production from other places to help them out. If the Seahawks are to have any morsel of a chance at making the playoffs, they'll need everyone on full tilt every week.
Being a roster that’s not one of the best in the league, the Seahawks have plenty of talent that’s flying way under the radar, often pretty undeservedly so. That all being said, here are two Seahawks who are hidden gems going into the 2022 NFL season.
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Seahawks hidden gems for 2022 season
Shelby Harris, Defensive Line
An ever-consistent but not often talked about presence on the defensive line for the Denver Broncos since 2017, Shelby Harris made the switch to the Seahawks as part of the Russell Wilson trade. Harris is a stout defender, often playing on the interior of the line, and has that special knack for getting to the quarterback that is often rare among interior players. Across the last five seasons, Shelby Harris has notched at least 5.5 sacks in three of them, and totaled 21.5 sacks in his time in Denver, to go along with 203 tackles, 3 forced fumbles, an interception, and 3 passes defended.
Shelby is the kind of player, that when paired with an already tough-to-play against defensive line featuring the likes of Poona Ford and Al Woods, is an absolute nightmare to play against. You can probably count the number of players at his position that are better than Shelby Harris on one hand. It feels like Shelby Harris will never quite get the recognition he deserves, but at least on this list, he's going to get his flowers.
Rashaad Penny, Running Back
Rashaad Penny came into the league with lofty expectations after breaking the FBS career rushing yards record while at San Diego State, and through the first three seasons of his career, it looked as if Penny was more likely to get cut than to break out as a star in the NFL. But then, a Week 14 tilt against the Texans came along, and with literally every other Seahawks running back ahead of him injured, Penny was tasked with leading the line in place of the likes of Chris Carson and Alex Collins. When given that opportunity, it's safe to say Penny not only survived, but thrived.
Penny finally found his groove, and over those last five weeks of the season, no other player had more yards per carry than Penny's 6.3. With Carson's health still up in the air a bit, to say the least after neck surgery, Penny seems to be the number one back on paper heading into the 2022 season for the Seahawks, barring injuries or an excellent camp performance from Collins. If he can keep up his momentum from the end of last year, Penny may finally prove why he was a first-round pick, and why the Seahawks were right to give him an extension.
It had been a tough few years for Rashaad Penny, but he finally put it all together, and now it's on him to keep it going. Should that be the case, then Penny should have no problem getting talked about in national circles, ruling out the possibility of him ending up on this list in 2023.
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