Seattle Seahawks 3 Biggest remaining needs after the draft

Defensive Backs

Seattle used their first second-round pick on Marquise Blair, a safety from Utah. Then they went out and got cornerback Ugo Amadi from Oregon in the fourth round.

The Amadi pick makes sense because, even though the Oregon product is a bit undersized, he can replace Justin Coleman as a slot corner. The Blair selection is a little more interesting considering both of the team’s starting safeties from 2018 are returning for this season.

In college, Blair spent significant time in the box, as a box safety, and at free safety. The Seahawks current starting free safety is Tedric Thompson, a fourth-round pick from 2017 whose contract runs through 2020.

The starting strong safety is Bradley McDougald, the secondary’s biggest current hitter. His deal runs through 2020 as well. Last year the Seahawks drafted Tre Flowers and moved him to cornerback, but he was a safety in college and could probably play the position if the need arose. So, the Blair pick doesn’t even necessarily add an immediate starter to the team, and none of the safeties on the team can come close to replacing the production from Earl Thomas or Kam Chancellor.

The Seahawks are still missing a key piece in the defensive backfield: a Pro Bowler. Right now, the best player in that secondary is cornerback Shaquill Griffin, but he’s nowhere near the Pro Bowl level right now.

When the Seahawks were winning games, they had three Pro Bowlers in the secondary. They cannot compete at a Super Bowl contending level without a shutdown corner, or at least an X-factor at safety.