Seattle Seahawks: Ranking top 10 players of the past decade
By Samuel Teets
From their near-dynastic run to reloading for more recent playoff pushes, the Seattle Seahawks boasted some of the NFL’s best players in the 2010s.
Seattle boasted one of the NFL’s best teams early in the 2010s. If not for a disastrous play call at the end of Super Bowl XLIX, the Seattle Seahawks could’ve entered the dynastic conversation. However, the franchise’s early success still stands out as a high-water mark in the 2010s.
NFL.com’s Tom Blair did crown the 2013 Seahawks as the team of the decade. The stacked team produced more than its fair share of All-Pros and Pro Bowlers, which made ranking the top ten difficult.
This list, ranking the top 10 Seahawks of the 2010s, takes into account winning, statistics, and the roles players filled on Seattle’s teams beginning with the 2010 season and ending after the 2019 season. However, before jumping into the top ten, let’s take a look at some honorable mentions.
Honorable Mentions
Chris Clemons and Brandon Mebane both played significant roles on Seattle’s defensive line at the turn of the decade. In the four years Clemons played for the Seahawks during the 2010s, he recorded 38 sacks and ten forced fumbles. Mebane joined Seattle in 2007 and served as the team’s defensive tackle until departing in 2016.
Another defensive lineman, Cliff Avril, also deserves to be mentioned. In 2013, the Seahawks signed Avril as a free agent. He combined with fellow free agent signee, Michael Bennett, to form one of the best defensive end combinations in the NFL.
During his five seasons in Seattle, Avril recorded 34.5 sacks and 88 quarterback hits. An injury eventually forced the Pro Bowler to retire following the 2017 season.
Despite Seattle’s well-documented struggles along the offensive line, the team does prioritize the left tackle position. In 2010, the Seahawks used the sixth overall pick on Russell Okung. The Oklahoma St. product made the Pro Bowl in 2012, but injuries and inconsistency eventually led to Seattle letting him walk away in free agency.
Currently, Duane Brown protects Russell Wilson‘s blindside. Seattle sent second and third round picks to Houston for Brown in 2017. The veteran left tackle made the Pro Bowl that year and then got selected as a Second Team All-Pro in 2018.
Two of Seattle’s best current offensive weapons, Chris Carson and Tyler Lockett, also deserve honorable mentions. Carson finally gave Seattle their replacement for Marshawn Lynch. He’s racked up 2,381 rushing yards over the past two seasons.
Lockett also served as a replacement, stepping in for Doug Baldwin. The former All-Pro return man crossed the 1,000-yard receiving mark for the first time this past season.