Seattle Seahawks: Ranking the 10 Best players entering 2018

Even during a rebuilding season the Seattle Seahawks have some of the NFL’s brightest stars. However, they’ll need to regain their depth of stardom to return to championship form.

Once upon a time the Seattle Seahawks had one of the greatest amalgamations of stars the NFL had ever seen. Those days are a sweet distant memory now, but the team still has its’ fair share of great players.

To count down the top 10 players currently on the Seahawks, I’ll start at No. 10 and work my way down to the best player on the team.

But before that I wanted to give Kam Chancellor an honorable mention. Since he’s injured and not in playing condition I opted to not include him on this list, but that doesn’t mean the thumping safety isn’t worthy of recognition. He may be deciding to retire, but if he was healthy I’d put him at number four easily.

10. Shaquill Griffin, CB

He’s no Richard Sherman, but Shaquill Griffin will leave his heart out on the field trying to fill the old Legion of Boom’s commander’s cleats. He was a third round selection in the 2017 NFL Draft, but started 11 games in his rookie season. His play will determine the success of the Seahawks secondary in 2018.

9. Ethan Pocic, LG

Ethan Pocic is still developing and the Seahawks hope he’ll become a solid rock in the otherwise shaky wall that is their offensive line. The second year offensive lineman has put time in at both guard spots and can play center too. In time he’ll be a great weapon for the team, and it’s rare for me to say that about an O-lineman.

8. Tyler Lockett, WR

While he is an explosive weapon, Tyler Lockett has yet to take his play to the next level and become a consistent threat for the Seahawks. He may be a great return man, but is that all he can excel in? The team needs him to step up as a receiver and produce at a higher level than he has been.

7. Duane Brown, LT

For a quarterback, having Duane Brown at such a crucial position must be a relief. He made his fourth career Pro Bowl last season, despite only playing in ten games. In 2018, Brown will turn 33 but will have to provide his quarterback top tier protection and also help open lanes for the team’s developing run game.

6. Frank Clark, DE

With Cliff Avril and Michael Bennett gone, Frank Clark has become the top pass rusher in Seattle and he’s proven himself worthy of the title over the last two seasons. He recorded 10 sacks in 2016 and nine in 2017. Clark can still improve his run defense.

5. K.J. Wright, OLB

He really does just about everything for the Seahawks. K.J. Wright flies all over the field every Sunday for his team. Hopefully he’ll spend more time in opponent’s backfields in 2018, because his team could use the sack production.

4. Doug Baldwin, WR

Doug Baldwin is one of the scrappiest, toughest receivers in the league. Being undrafted can instill that into a person. In the last three seasons Baldwin has 247 receptions, 3,188 receiving yards, and 29 receiving touchdowns. He may not be in consideration for the best receiver in the league, but Baldwin will always be fighting to prove himself. He just wants it more than the next guy.

3. Russell Wilson, QB

I can mention his accomplishments as a passer or his MVP candidacy for most of last year, but it seems clear that Wilson deserves this spot. He does the most for the Seahawks out of any player on the team and is routinely charged with carrying them to victory. He fits the team perfectly.

2. Earl Thomas, FS

There was a time where I would have put Earl Thomas in first place, but things have changed. While he’s still in the conversation for best safety in the NFL, he’s no longer the obvious answer. He has just four interceptions in the last two seasons and has missed seven games in the same span. Thomas is 29 years old and currently holding out for a new contract.

1. Bobby Wagner, MLB

Bobby Wagner has Defensive Player of the Year qualities. He’s truly one of the league’s most elite defenders and stands alone with Luke Kuechly as the best middle linebackers in the game. He is to the defense what Wilson is to the offense: the leader and game changer. Wherever Wagner goes, the Seahawks defense does too.

Next: NFL 2018: Biggest offseason mistake for each team

Conclusion

The top three players are incredibly close and it’s hard to discern who is most deserving of the top spot. All three of these players have Hall of Fame type talent and are building legacies that will transcend their careers in the league. Likewise, it was difficult to separate numbers four through six. I split hairs to rank these two sets of players. One thing that I found obvious from the rankings was just how much talent is still on the Seahawks. They may be rebuilding, but they haven’t stripped their team bare — there’s still some top tier talent on the Seahawks.

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Seattle Seahawks: 10 Best players entering 2018

By Samuel Teets | Jul 11, 2018