What's New?
Despite a rash of injuries to key players, the 2006 Seattle Seahawks still managed to win the AFC West. And they came up just short of a trip to the NFC championship game by losing in overtime to the favored Bears on the road in the divisional playoff round. So, as long as last year’s physical breakdowns were more a matter of bad luck (or the Super Bowl jinx) than the result of key players getting long in the tooth, then there’s no reason to think they won’t be back in the division hunt again.
Combating a late-season power outage at pass rush, the team picked up perhaps the best pass rushing defensive end available on the free-agent market in former Falcon Patrick Kerney. They also traded safety Michael Boulware to the Texans for defensive end Jason Babin, a former first-round pick. The team also addressed some issues with their secondary by landing safeties Deon Grant and Brian Russell.
The only significant addition to the offense was aging tight end Marcus Pollard, who will fill the spot vacated by Jerramy Stevens.
NFL Draft Picks
2nd Round - Josh Wilson, CB Maryland
3rd Round - Brandon Mebane, DT California
4th Round - Baraka Atkins, DE Miami (FL)
4th Round - Mansfield Wrotto, OG Georgia Tech
5th Round - Will Herring LB Auburn
6th Round - Courtney Taylor, WR Auburn
6th Round - Jordan Kent, WR Oregon
7th Round - Steve Vallos, OT Wake Forest
Who's Gone?
S Michael Boulware (traded)
DT Marcus Tubbs (out for season)
C Robbie Tobeck (retired)
S - Ken Hamlin (Cowboys)
DE - Grant Wistrom (released)
TE Jerramy Stevens (Buccaneers)
What Needs to Change?
Of course, the Seahawks need to stay a whole lot healthier in 2007 if they want to stay atop a division where the talent gap between the top and bottom team continues to grow increasingly smaller. But there are other areas of concern as well that will be key to the team’s success.
Over the first half of the 2006 season, the Seattle defenders were all over opposing teams’ quarterbacks. However, the pass rush seemed to turn off like a faucet somewhere near the midpoint of the schedule. The team’s defense crumbled somewhat over the second half because of the anemic pass rush, giving up way too many big plays on a consistent basis. The additions of Kerney and Babin should alleviate some of that problem.
Adding Grant and Russell to the defensive backfield should eliminate many of the big pass plays that were allowed last season as well.
Under Pressure to Perform
Deion Branch - With No. 1 receiver Darrell Jackson surprisingly being dealt to division rival San Francisco at a bargain price, Branch will be expected to be the go-to guy this year in the passing game. The Seahawks are being second guessed for handing Jackson over to the enemy for almost nothing. And if Branch doesn’t produce along the same level or higher, the front office could get roasted over this move.
Shawn Alexander - There are still a lot of concerns about Alexander’s foot, and whether it is really healed. At 30 years old, the former league MVP needs to show that last season was an anomaly, and his body isn’t beginning to break down.
Patrick Kerney - The Seahawks generated just seven sacks over the last seven regular-season games, so striking quickly in free agency, they invested heavily in Kerney to provide that consistent pressure.
2006 Rankings
Overall Offense - 19th (311.1)
Rushing Offense - 14th (120.2)
Passing Offense - 20th (190.9)
Overall Defense - 19th (330.3)
Rushing Defense - 22nd (126.8)
Passing Defense - 16th (203.5)
Prediction - The rest of the NFC West appears to be getting better, but I’m not sure that’s the case with the Seahawks. If Alexander and quarterback Matt Hasselbeck stay healthy, however, this team will be dangerous in a weak NFC field. But they won’t have the division handed to them by default this time around. In a very tight division, health could perhaps be the deciding factor, and I’m not sure that favors the Seahawks.
Record: 8-8 and third in the NFC West
