Seattle coaches are hoping first-round draft pick Marcus Tubbs can play a significant role as a run stuffer in a three-man rotation at defensive tackle. Tubbs, who will likely start along side Rashad Moore, has excellent size, power, and quickness, with a great up-field burst. He gets good penetration when he is fresh and has decent range along the defensive line. He's capable of handling a two-gap assignment, and takes on double teams very well. Moore, who has great size and strength, was a bit of a surprise last year as a rookie and his presence alongside Tubbs should present a formidable run-stuffing force assuming the rookie is ready for the job. Cedric Woodard will likely be the first tackle off the bench.
Free agent acquisition Grant Wistrom was brought in to improve a pass rush that was inconsistent, at best, last season. The veteran of six NFL seasons lacks great pass-rushing speed, but he has excellent quickness and a great first step. With Wistrom moving into the RDE position, Chike Okeafor will slide over to the left side, leaving the Seahawks with a pair of undersized ends who could be vulnerable to wearing down late in games.
Linebackers
Middle linebacker appears to be a three-man battle with four-year veteran Orlando Huff having the inside track at the starting job, but the coaching staff will take a long look at second-year player Solomon Bates and rookie Niko Koutouvides. The outside positions are set with Anthony Simmons starting on the strong side and Chad Brown playing the Will position.
Simmons possesses the speed to play sideline to sideline, he slips blocks well, and he’s quick to read and react. Brown is a big hitter with pass-rushing skills, who plays with a ton of intensity, but he is recovering from a broken foot, so durability is a concern. Both players should benefit from playing behind a bigger defensive line this year. D.D. Lewis and Isaiah Kacyvienski will provide depth on the outside.
Secondary
The addition of veteran Bobby Taylor solidifies the cornerback position by giving the team some stability across from second-year player Marcus Trufant. Taylor is a big, physical defensive back who tries to knock receivers off their routes, and is very tough in press coverage. Trufant showed flashes of brilliance in 2003, but as with most rookies, he was inconsistent at times. If he continues to improve, he should be very solid this year. Ken Lucas, who started on the right side last year, will come in as the nickel back, and Kris Richard, a quality man-to-man defender, gives Seattle depth at No. 4.
Second-year safety Ken Hamlin could play either safety position, but will start at free safety this year. He is a big hitter, but teams take advantage of his aggressiveness with the use of play action and double pumps. He must continue to improve his play recognition and develop his pass coverage skills.
Rookie Michael Boulware was an outside linebacker in college, but he’s a little small for the position in the NFL, so he’s being moved to strong safety where he could challenge Damien Robinson for the starting job. FS Walter Bernard and SS Terreal Bierria will provide depth at both positions.
Special Teams
The Seahawks coverage teams were among the best in the league last year and there is no reason to believe that won’t be the case again. Punter Tom Rouen is on the downside of his career, but he is still good at placing the ball inside the 20-yard line. He could, however, be challenged by seventh-round draft pick Donnie Jones out of LSU.
Second-year kicker Josh Brown did a good job as a rookie and should continue to get better, but he needs to get a little more distance on his kickoffs. The punt and kick return duties will likely fall to Bobby Engram and Maurice Morris respectively, and both are consistent, but neither is a big-play threat.
Overview
Last year, the Seahawks defense improved from 28th to 19th, and with the addition of a couple savvy veterans in Taylor and Wistrom and a pair of talented rookies in Tubbs and Boulware, Ray Rhodes’ defense may be ready to advance to another level again this year. The pass defense must improve on their 27th ranking, and it appears that they should with the addition of the veteran Taylor and the continued growth of Trufant. I wouldn’t look for Seattle to have a top-five defense this year, but another year in Ray Rhodes’ system should put them in the top half of the league.
The offense was ranked sixth in the league in total yards and seventh in scoring last year, and they appear to be as good, or better, than last year. Hasselbeck has another year of experience under his belt, his offensive line is dominant, and the running game is very effective. With a top-ten defense, the sky’s the limit for this team. The Seahawks appear to me to be the best team in the division, and in my opinion, they’ll win it going away.
