The Seattle Seahawks have not yet been able to reclaim their dominance from the Legion of Boom era. Still, the 2023 season looks to be their most-promising since the glory days ended with the 2015 campaign. Oddsmakers see this group as a fringe playoff team, the same as last year’s squad that surprised the league by going 9-8. However, there are some – like ESPN’s Louis Riddick – who see them as a resurgent contender and a strong sleeper candidate in the NFC.
One of the reasons Riddick was so hyped up about this team heading into last season was a superb draft class. Normally any team should be happy to get two long-term starters out of any draft. Seattle appears to have found at least four in 2022 in left tackle Charles Cross, right tackle Abe Lucas, cornerback Tariq Woolen and running back Ken Walker.
It’ll be extremely-tough to match that number this year. However, there’s alot of promising talent coming in with the 2023 class. They may not all be at the top of the depth chart going into Week 1, but these rookies all have a chance at cracking the starting lineup at some point this season.
1
WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba
With Seattle having spent a first-round pick on JSN, we can safely assume the offense will be adopting alot more 11 personnel this year (three wide receivers). That means he’ll be lining up along with DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett quite a bit, both in the slot and outside.
2
CB Devon Witherspoon
Mike Jackson was the team’s best player at mandatory minicamp, to hear head coach Pete Carroll tell it. However, Jackson wasn’t the fifth overall pick in the draft and that’s too precious of a commodity to waste it on the sidelines. Jackson may put up a great fight but sooner or later Witherspoon will supplant him at the left boundary spot.
3
RB Zach Charbonnet
It’s unfortunate that running back compensation has fallen off the way it has, but the strongest case against paying them is always the unfortunate fact that they get injured at a high rate and are easily replaceable. As promising as Ken Walker looked as a rookie, Charbonnet is just one injury away from taking over the starting spot – and there’s good reason to believe he may not relinquish it after.
4
NT Cameron Young
Another position that’s often undervalued is nose tackle – where Seattle is hoping to fill the rather large and wide void left by Al Woods, who’s signed with the Jets. So far the NT1 reps have been going to rookie Cam Young, who has impressed defensive coordinator and DL guru Clint Hurtt.
5
C Olu Oluwatimi
Running back and nose tackle are relatively easy positions for rookies to step into right away. Center is another matter. Most likely the Seahawks will be relying on Evan Brown’s previous experience at this spot in 2023, but the heir apparent is Oluwatimi out of Michigan, who’s done so well that he has Pete Carroll praising Jim Harbaugh. Don’t count Olu out from wrestling over the starting role during the preseason.
6
RG Anthony Bradford
Another rookie who has a shot at significant offensive line reps is right guard Anthony Bradford. For now Phil Haynes will be starting there, but he’s only signed a one-year contract, making it clear he’s not the long-term answer here. If Haynes gets hurt or Bradford shows more potential there’s no reason he can’t be RG1 by midseason.
7
OLB Derick Hall
Last of all, there’s the logjam at outside linebacker beneath the team’s clear No. 1 option, Uchenna Nwosu. Derick Hall is the latest of several early-round draft picks the team has brought in. So far though none of them have been able to stick. Hall will have plenty of competition – especially from last year’s second-round pick Boye Mafe and Darrell Taylor, who almost cracked 10 sacks in 2022. Then again, Hall was literally born to beat out the odds.
