Head Coach Mike Holmgren believes Matt Hasselbeck, acquired in a trade with Green Bay, has all the tools to be a successful NFL quarterback. Whether he will be this season is debatable. He has very little experience in the NFL and he is certainly not blessed with the best set of receivers.

First round draft pick Koren Robinson has the chance to be a superstar in the NFL, but again, he is an unknown commodity at this point, so you can't count on him being a huge contributor this year. Lack of experience is a problem for all three of Seattle's top receivers. Robinson, Darrell Jackson, and James Williams have three years of NFL experience between them.

The Seahawks should be solid at running back with veteran Ricky Watters and Shaun Alexander sharing time in the backfield. They also beefed up their offensive line with their second first-round pick by selecting Steve Hutchinson, a tough lineman out of the University of Michigan.

The Seahawks' defense was ranked 28th against the run in 2000, so they released Cortez Kennedy and brought in three free agent defensive tackles to help slow down the opposition's rushing attack. John Randle, Chad Eaton, and Jeremy Staat were all brought in along with veteran linebacker Levon Kirkland.

Safety Marcus Robertson also signed as a free agent, and second-round pick Ken Lucas, a cornerback out of Mississippi, could be in the hunt for a starting assignment opposite veteran Shaun Springs.

Overview

The Seahawks appear to have enhanced their defense, although I don't see it being a significant improvement. You also have to wonder how much guys like John Randle, Levon Kirkland, and Marcus Robertson have left in their tanks. The defense may be improved, but it won't take the team to the playoffs.

I think the fortunes of this team are going to lie on the shoulders of the quarterback. How Hasselbeck goes, so go the Seahawks. There are just too many unknown factors on the offensive side, so I see this offense and team as being inconsistent in 2001. Look for the Seahawks to battle it out for third place in the west.