Seattle Seahawks: Players looking to prove themselves in 2018

The Seattle Seahawks began a partial rebuilding process this offseason. In order to remain a playoff contender the team needs some new players to step up and play bigger roles.

The Seattle Seahawks are the weakest they’ve been since 2011, which was the year before they drafted quarterback Russell Wilson. Between injuries and offseason departures, significant roles on both the offense and defense have become vacant. With a suspect draft class and no major offseason acquisitions, the Seahawks will be relying on a lot of in-house players, and a few of their better rookies, to assume large roles in 2018.

While not every player who needs to step up is listed off in this article, the biggest names and position groups are. Obviously there is a lot of pressure on these players to produce and prove they can handle their new burdens.

2018 will be very telling for many of these players, and could influence their futures with the Seahawks and in the NFL.

Tyler Lockett, WR/KR/PR

Tyler Lockett made the Pro Bowl and was a First Team All-Pro selection as a rookie back in 2015 for his kick and punt return abilities. He hasn’t made the Pro Bowl since and has failed to replicate the success he saw as a receiver during 2015, when he set his personal records for receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns. With the departure of the team’s second best receiver, Paul Richardson, and tight end Jimmy Graham, Lockett needs to step up and play a greater role as an offensive threat.

Rashaad Penny, RB

The Seahawks never managed to replace Marshawn Lynch, and it shows in their offense. Opposing teams don’t fear the Seahawks run game and are more than willing to commit most of their resources to focusing on Wilson and the passing game. In 2017 the Seahawks finished 23rd in rushing offense, which was actually better than in 2016 when they finished 25th.

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Prior to these last two seasons, the last time the Seahawks finished outside the top ten in rushing was 2011. The success of the team is closely tied to the run game, and, since Rashaad Penny was a surprising first round pick, he will face massive pressure to restore Seattle’s ground game to what it once was. He is also a capable return man, but Lockett holds that job for now.

The Griffin Brothers

The Seahawks drafted feel-good story Shaquem Griffin in the fifth round of the 2017 NFL draft. For those of you who don’t know, Griffin has only one hand and is crazily athletic. While everyone certainly wants him to succeed, playing in the NFL with one hand will be difficult and Griffin is a little small to play linebacker but a little big to play cornerback. He has to prove he can find a niche on the team.

His brother, Shaquill Griffin, is entering his second year in the NFL. He was a starting cornerback in 2017 and, with Richard Sherman gone, will continue to start and will face better receivers. What he needs to do is prove he is a reliable starter who can guard first and second string receivers consistently. Essentially, he needs to prove he is worthy of his starting job.

Frank Clark, DE

With the offseason departures of defensive ends Michael Bennett and Cliff Avril, Frank Clark will now become the leader of the Seahawks defensive line and will be the team’s top pass rusher. He has already performed well in his last two seasons, recording ten sacks in 2016 and nine in 2017, but now he has to prove he can string together several consecutive years of production.

Young Offensive Linemen

Wilson has taken way to much of a beating over the last few years and, as mentioned earlier, the Seahawks run game has struggled. Pro Bowl left tackle Duane Brown is an exception on the otherwise mediocre offensive line. The team added tackle/guard D.J. Fluker in the offseason, and he will join Ethan Pocic, Justin Britt, and Germain Ifedi.

Of these four players with questionable levels of skill, Fluker is the most experienced with five seasons under his belt. Britt has played four, Ifedi two, and last year was Pocic’s rookie season. So this is still a young group, but if they don’t improve soon they might find themselves on the free agent market when their deals run out.

Next: NFL 2018: Rookie class bold predictions

The Tight Ends

The Seahawks lost their two best tight ends, Graham and Luke Willson, this offseason. They now have three underwhelming players who will have to replace them. Ed Dickson‘s best year as a pro came way back in 2011, but his second best season was last year, when he had to fill in for the injured Greg Olsen on the Carolina Panthers. He’s a quality tight end to have, but he isn’t exactly a great starter. His 30 receptions, 437 yards, and only one touchdown last year seem like his peak.

In 2016 the Seahawks drafted Nick Vannett in the third round. He has just 15 receptions and 156 yards in his two years in the NFL, but he gives the Seahawks an in-house option and is a promising player. The team did draft Will Dissly in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL draft, but he’s more of a blocking specialist and really shouldn’t see many snaps as a starter. One of these three, or the group collectively, has to find. way to replace to production of their predecessors.