Widely known as a winning franchise, the Seattle Seahawks turned many heads as their 2021 campaign panned out to be a rollercoaster ride marred by the Russell Wilson saga. Though they eventually got over the issue, the team still failed to salvage their season as they ended with a dismal 7-10 record.
Unfortunately, their underwhelming campaign ended their streak of nine consecutive seasons with a winning record as they missed booking a seat in the playoffs. Now, a crucial offseason awaits the team's brass as they try to assess the situation and put better pieces around their star quarterback. The three breakout players on this list will surely need to be at the top of Seattle's priorities amid a flurry of roster moves that shall be expected in the months to come.
With that said, let's take a look at the players whom the Seahawks must re-sign for 2022:
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Seattle's backfield took a huge hit when their best running back in Chris Carson suffered a season-ending neck injury in Week 4. Without his presence, the Seahawks' offensive attack needed another rusher to step up and lead the ground game for the team.
It might have taken a while but backup RB Rashaad Penny was able to fill the vacated role and deliver the goods when his number was called upon. He had a strong surge in the second half of the season, especially in the last three games where he recorded at least 135 rushing yards and a TD in each of those. A bulk of those came in Week 18's 38-30 road win against the Arizona Cardinals in which Penny blasted the Cards' defense for 190 rushing yards and a touchdown on 23 carries.
Penny concluded his fourth campaign with the team with a career-high total of 749 yards on 119 attempts and six touchdowns in 10 appearances. There is no doubt that he could've reached at least 1,000 yards if he didn't miss time due to a calf strain injury.
The 25-year-old's breakout season surely placed him in a position to land a new deal after the Seahawks declined the fifth-year option on his rookie contract back in May 2021. The team would be wise not to make a similar mistake and finally put their bet on a talented player that could very well be the new face of their rushing unit for the years to come.
2. Gerald Everett
After several years of not having a legitimate tight end since Jimmy Graham, the Seahawks finally found their guy in Gerald Everett who was nabbed prior to the 2021 season. The best part about this signing for the team was the $6 million bargain paycheck that they had to shell out to secure his services on a one-year deal.
Everett emerged to be a vital piece of the Seahawks offense and had strong outings to finish the season on a good note. He compiled career-high numbers of 478 receiving yards on 48 receptions and four touchdowns in 15 contests this season. Everett has been a solid red-zone threat for the Seahawks. In fact, even though he only had seven targets inside 20 yards, he managed to convert three of those into scores.
At the age of 27, the South Alabama product is only bound to get better from here, especially as he tries to land a bigger role within the Seahawks' offense moving forward. After a productive campaign, general manager John Schneider should ensure that he hands out a well-deserved contract extension for Everett in the upcoming offseason.
Ever since landing in Seattle through a lopsided trade with the Detroit Lions back in 2019, safety Quandre Diggs has been nothing short of impressive for Pete Carroll's team. He served as a Pro Bowl alternate in the 2020 NFL season and has successfully carried over the momentum in 2021 to become one of the main anchors of the Seahawks' defense as of late.
Diggs eventually earned a second straight Pro Bowl selection as he finished the season with career-high numbers of 94 combined tackles, five interceptions, and seven pass deflections in 17 appearances. Without a doubt, everyone can agree that it was a shame to see him conclude his highly productive campaign with a leg injury in the final game of the regular season.
Nonetheless, the decision to bring back the veteran should be an easy choice to make for the front office in the upcoming offseason. If they successfully do so then they can find themselves being in a better position to get back and compete in the playoffs once again next season.
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