Ranking the Seattle Seahawks’ needs by priority level

As the Seattle Seahawks look to build a championship contender under Mike Macdonald, they enter a pivotal offseason full of key decisions that could shape their franchise for years to come.

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And with free agency just one week away and the draft moving ever closer, things are about to hit full swing.

Like most teams in early March, the Seahawks have varying degrees of needs throughout their roster. Some are more immediate and pressing. Others may not fully materialize for another year or two. Some involve starting roles. Others are about building depth.

That’s simply the nature of roster construction in the NFL, where teams are constantly juggling how best to allocate their limited resources, and how to simultaneously balance the present and future.

In an attempt to make sense of it all, here’s a position-by-position look at Seattle’s needs, ranked by priority level.

Offensive line

Priority level: Extremely high

No surprise here. As has been the case for much of the past decade, the Seahawks’ most glaring needs are along the offensive line. Their struggles in pass protection and run blocking handcuffed the entire offense this past season, and ultimately the team’s ceiling will remain limited until the O-line improves.

Seattle realistically could look to upgrade all three interior spots. Veteran left guard Laken Tomlinson had an underwhelming season and is set to become a free agent. Second-year pro Anthony Bradford, rookie Sataoa Laumea and rookie Christian Haynes each struggled at right guard. And while second-year pro Olu Oluwatimi steadied the center position after Connor Williams’ abrupt midseason retirement, it’s unclear whether he’s the long-term answer.

There’s also still uncertainty over the long-term durability of right tackle Abraham Lucas, who was limited to 13 games over the past two seasons due to a nagging knee issue. The only O-line spot without any questions is left tackle, where Charles Cross looks like a potential long-term cornerstone. With one year left on his rookie deal, the former first-round pick is a strong candidate for a contract extension this offseason.

Fortunately for the Seahawks, there are plenty of options to bolster their O-line, both in free agency and the draft. NFL.com’s Gregg Rosenthal lists seven guards, three centers and six tackles among his top 100 potential free agents. And in the draft, ESPN has eight guards, two centers and nine tackles among its top 100 prospects.

Another factor working in Seattle’s favor is the O-line versatility in this year’s draft, with several top prospects receiving projections both as tackles and guards. That could allow the Seahawks to hedge their bets with Lucas’ health, giving them a player capable of either solidifying the interior or taking over at right tackle if needed.

Wide receiver

Priority level: High

At this point, it seems basically a given that veteran Tyler Lockett will be a cap casualty. That means the Seahawks will need a new No. 3 receiver, at the very least. There’s also some uncertainty about DK Metcalf’s future, with speculation that Seattle could trade the star wideout if the two sides can’t reach an extension this offseason. If that were to happen, then suddenly the Seahawks would presumably be down two of their top three receivers.

It’d be a tall task to replace two new starting wideouts in one offseason, especially this year. This draft class is considered somewhat tepid at the position, at least in terms of high-end talent. And while there are some big-name receivers set to be free agents, most are either older, coming off an injury or likely too expensive. So, if the Seahawks were to pull the trigger on a Metcalf trade, they might only do so if they get back a potential starting-caliber wideout in return.

Either way, Lockett’s anticipated departure makes this one of the team’s biggest areas of need.

Tight end

Priority level: Medium to high

It’ll be really interesting to see how the Seahawks approach the tight end position, especially with how important it is in new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak’s scheme. When he was the New Orleans Saints’ OC last season, Kubiak used multi-tight end formations at one of the highest rates in the league.

The big question is whether No. 1 tight end Noah Fant will be back for the final season of his two-year contract. Fant could be a potential cap casualty, as his production hasn’t quite lived up to expectations since arriving from the Denver Broncos in the 2022 Russell Wilson trade. However, it’s possible that Kubiak’s scheme could unlock the former first-round pick and better utilize his elite field-stretching ability.

Meanwhile, No. 2 tight end AJ Barner is coming off a promising rookie season, but No. 3 tight end Pharaoh Brown had a disappointing one-year stint with the Seahawks and seems unlikely to be re-signed. And while No. 4 tight end Brady Russell has been a key special teams player, he’s played minimal offensive snaps over his two-year NFL career. With Brown likely gone, the Seahawks will need to replace at least one of their tight ends. And if they part ways with Fant, that number doubles.

It’s not a good free agent market for tight ends, with none listed among Rosenthal’s top 80 free agents. However, jack-of-all-trades Saints tight end Taysom Hill is a potential cap casualty. Could he possibly follow Kubiak to Seattle? As for this year’s draft class, it’s a pretty strong one at the position with six tight ends among ESPN’s top 100 prospects.

Cornerback

Priority level: Medium to high

Cornerback is another fascinating position group. The one sure thing is ultra-talented 2023 first-round pick Devon Witherspoon, who is a budding superstar and potential longtime franchise cornerstone. But after Witherspoon, there are varying degrees of question marks.

Riq Woolen has shown big-time talent with his rare combination of height, speed and athleticism. But after a breakout 2022 rookie campaign, Woolen’s past two seasons have been marked by a maddening mix of high-level play and perplexing mistakes. Woolen is now an extension candidate with one year left on his rookie deal, but his inconsistency could make it difficult for Seattle to commit to him long-term.

Meanwhile, the Seahawks will probably look to upgrade their third cornerback spot behind Witherspoon and Woolen, especially given how often they use three corners in Macdonald’s defense. Tre Brown began this past season as the third corner, but struggled and got injured before ultimately losing his job to practice-squad signee Josh Jobe. Jobe filled in admirably, but probably isn’t the long-term solution. Brown is set to be a free agent, while Jobe will be a restricted free agent.

This definitely feels like a position the Seahawks could invest multiple draft picks in, along with a potential free-agent depth signing. Both avenues are well stocked. There are 11 cornerbacks among ESPN’s top 100 draft prospects and 10 corners among Rosenthal’s top 75 free agents.

Interior defensive line

Priority level: Medium to high

The Seahawks already have a bona fide star in Leonard Williams and a promising young talent in 2024 first-round pick Byron Murphy II, both of whom have multiple years left on their contracts. And if productive veteran Jarran Reed re-signs, that gives Macdonald a strong trio to build around in the trenches.

But the Seahawks still need more manpower after that, especially if Roy Robertson-Harris ends up being a cap casualty and veteran Johnathan Hankins departs in free agency. As the Philadelphia Eagles showed in the Super Bowl, elite defenses typically have a deep rotation of linemen up front. Fortunately for Seattle, this is the perfect draft to stockpile D-line depth, with there being a whopping 14 defensive tackles among ESPN’s top 100 prospects.

Edge rusher

Priority level: Medium

Drafting second-round edge rushers has worked out quite well for Seattle in recent years, with Boye Mafe and Derick Hall both emerging as productive pieces of the Seahawks’ pass rush. Mafe is a legitimate extension candidate as he heads into the final year of his rookie deal, while Hall still has two years left on his rookie contract after a breakout 2024 campaign.

But after that, things get a bit murky. Dre’Mont Jones seems like a probable cap casualty after two underwhelming seasons in Seattle, while Uchenna Nwosu’s injury issues appear to have prompted the Seahawks to consider reworking his deal. Nwosu has played at a high level when healthy, but a trio of injuries have limited him to just 12 games over the past two years.

The good news? Both the draft and free agency are loaded with edge rushers. They make up 17 of ESPN’s top 100 draft prospects and 10 of Rosenthal’s top 65 free agents.

Safety

Priority level: Low to medium

The Seahawks appear to be in great shape with their top two safeties. Julian Love, who still has three years left on his contract, followed his 2023 Pro Bowl campaign with another strong season in 2024. And at the other spot, cornerback-turned-safety Coby Bryant was a playmaking revelation who excelled after taking over a starting role in Week 7. With one year left on his rookie deal, Bryant suddenly looks like a potential extension candidate.

The question at this position is depth. Rayshawn Jenkins, who finished the season as the third safety after getting injured and ultimately losing his starting job to Bryant, was reportedly granted permission by the Seahawks to explore trade options. Given his declining role and relatively high cap hit, Jenkins had already been projected as a likely cap casualty. Fourth safety K’Von Wallace also could be gone, as he’s set to be a free agent. Look for the Seahawks to add safety depth in the draft or free agency.

Linebacker

Priority level: Low to medium

The Seahawks’ midseason shakeup at linebacker couldn’t have worked any better. Ernest Jones IV stabilized the middle of the defense and played a massive role in the unit’s dramatic turnaround, while rookie fourth-round pick Tyrice Knight performed well alongside Jones after being inserted into the lineup.

The key now is to re-sign Jones, who is set to become a free agent. Keeping the 25-year-old linebacker in Seattle is undoubtedly one of the franchise’s top offseason priorities, and both sides have made it clear that they want to strike a new deal. But with free agency just around the corner, the clock is ticking.

For the purposes of this piece, we’ll assume Jones re-signs. That would give the Seahawks a bright future at the position. However, the depth behind Jones and Knight is razor-thin, which makes linebacker an area the Seahawks seem sure to target in the draft.

And if Jones doesn’t re-sign? Then suddenly this position becomes on par with the O-line as an extreme area of need.

Quarterback

Priority level: Low to medium

Based on what Macdonald and Schneider have said publicly this offseason, it seems increasingly likely that Geno Smith will remain the Seahawks’ quarterback in 2025. But even if the two sides agree to an extension, Seattle needs to get the ball rolling on a post-Smith succession plan. Smith turns 35 in October and is already among the five or six oldest starting QBs in the NFL.

This year’s quarterback class isn’t particularly great, but it’d be prudent for the Seahawks to take a flier on a QB in the draft. As the Green Bay Packers have shown over the years in transitioning from Brett Favre to Aaron Rodgers to Jordan Love, it’s best to draft a quarterback before it becomes an immediate need.

Running back

Priority level: Low

This is probably the least-pressing need for Seattle. The Seahawks already have a proven one-two punch in Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet. In addition, Kenny McIntosh showed potential as the No. 3 back this past season and undrafted rookie George Holani flashed a bit in the preseason.

That being said, Walker is entering the final year of his rookie deal and this year’s draft class is regarded as a strong one for running backs. The position may be worth at least a Day 3 pick in an attempt to stay young and inexpensive in the backfield for 2026 and beyond.