The Seattle Seahawks' 2021 campaign was filled with controversy surrounding the future of star quarterback Russell Wilson with the team. On the field, they were also not in sync for most of the time as they had to miss their starting quarterback who was sidelined due to a finger injury.
Seattle slumped with a three-game losing streak during the season and eventually finished with a disappointing 7-10 record, which was the lowest tally for Wilson's NFL career thus far. Surely enough, a ton of things have to be fixed in Seattle in order to find their groove and return to their old form as consistent playoff contenders.
Currently, the Seahawks do not own a first-round pick in the upcoming draft which means that they should resort to free agency in order to get the help that they need moving forward. With that said, let's take a look at three major fixes that the Seahawks must do to make it back in the playoffs in 2022.
Seahawks Offseason Fixes
3. Upgrade the defensive unit
The Seahawks' defense was a major concern for the 2021 season as they failed to keep up with the offensive attacks of most of their opponents on the field. It is safe to say that there were just too many gaping holes that need to be filled within the group. With that, better talent has to be slotted at almost every level of the defense, specifically the defensive tackle, linebacker, cornerback, and defensive end positions.
Seattle can opt to bring in new reinforcements through the free agency pool where a number of tenured veterans are expected to explore their options for the next season. Some of the names that they can potentially target include defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, cornerback Stephon Gilmore, and pass-rusher Akiem Hicks, among others.
2. Strengthen the offensive line
Looking back, the offensive line was the weak link for Wilson as he pointed out that he wasn't getting protected in the pocket as much as he wanted to. The unit managed to see a slight improvement as they went from allowing a total of 48 sacks (nearly three sacks per game) in 2020 down to 46 (2.36 sacks per game) for the 2021 season, per Stat Muse.
However, they still remained as one of the league's lowest-ranked offensive lines as they settled on the 25th spot, as per Pro Football Focus. Surely enough, the front office will have to put more emphasis on retooling the group and adding more linemen who can do a better job of providing pass protection to their QB, be it Wilson or not.
Left tackle Eric Fisher along with guards Laken Tomlinson and Brandon Scherff are just some of the names that they can look to acquire in the upcoming offseason.
1. Decide on Russell Wilson's future
Despite the previous rift between Russell Wilson and the Seahawks, the seven-time Pro Bowler still expressed his desire to stay in Seattle and win more championships with the team. With that said, the front office must do their due diligence in surrounding more talent around their quarterback in order to put him in a better position to succeed moving forward.
Without a doubt, trading Wilson away will surely give the Seahawks a ton of assets in return which could potentially change their mind regarding the situation. However, the team would be wise to not let him go as he remains to be one of the league's best playmakers when healthy.
Realistically speaking, having Wilson around will still be their best shot of making it to the playoffs, especially if they choose to go in that direction and avoid a complete rebuild sooner than later. On the financial side, the Seahawks are expected to pay the 33-year-old nearly $35 million over the next two seasons. It is certainly a ton of money that they can use to invest in the other units of their roster instead.
Ultimately, the team's brass must decide whether or not Russell Wilson will be worth the huge sum that they are set to pay him and if keeping him around will still be the best move for their future.
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