Seahawks 4 biggest positions of need after 2024 free agency
During free agency, the Seahawks were able to keep star defensive end Leonard Williams and tight end Noah Fant and address at least some of their roster holes. However, there’s still a lot of work to be done before this team will be ready to compete. For one thing, their offensive line is currently ranked the worst in the league on paper by Mike Clay at ESPN. Improving that unit is one of several items that will need to be taken care of at some point this offseason.
Let’s review Seattle’s four greatest roster needs after the free agency period.
Guard
Guards may be overdrafted and overpaid, as general manager John Schneider said recently. However, that doesn’t change the fact that it’s also the team’s greatest need right now.
The biggest hole to fill is at left guard, where Damien Lewis has moved on to a giant four-year contract with the Panthers. The Seahawks were right not to match that offer, but they also have no heir-apparent at this position, with nobody on the roster with any pro experience at this spot. That’s brought on a lot of speculation that Seattle might pick Huskies OL Troy Fautanu at No. 16 overall in the draft. Fautanu would start at left guard but could eventually move over to left tackle, where he played at Washington.
Another guard
The Seahawks also have a vacancy to fill at right guard, where they have allowed 2023 starter Phil Haynes to leave in free agency. It’s possible they will re-sign him, but odds are they will let Anthony Bradford and recent free-agent signee Tremayne Anchrum compete for this spot. We’d feel a whole lot better if they spent a draft pick on somebody like Michigan’s Zak Zinter, though. He has three years of experience at this position.
Tight end
Even though they kept Noah Fant and brought in Pharaoh Brown, Seattle is still down a man at tight end after both Will Dissly and Colby Parkinson left for Los Angeles. Brown is primarily a blocker, so ideally they’ll add somebody who can add a pass-catching element to the depth chart. Trouble is, the tight end class this year is supposed to be pretty thin – so they may have to settle for one of the few veterans still on the market.
Edge
With Uchenna Nwosu and Boye Mafe, the Seahawks have a strong 1-2 punch at this spot. However, their bar needs to be set higher than most teams because their primary competition is the 49ers. Behind them Darrell Taylor has been a liability in run defense and Derick Hall had a pretty shaky rookie season. Picking up a promising young edge rusher on Day 2 should be on the menu during the draft.
Inside linebacker
Seattle has effectively replaced Bobby Wagner and Jordyn Brooks by signing Tyrel Dodson and Jerome Baker. However, they still have another inside linebacker to replace, as Devin Bush has also left in free agency. The most popular candidate in the draft here is Junior Colson, who worked with head coach Mike Macdonald for one season at Michigan.
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