Why won’t the Seahawks make the playoffs in their first year without Russell Wilson?

For a decade, the Seattle Seahawks were always considered legitimate playoff contenders as long as Russell Carrington Wilson was their signal caller. With the quarterback restarting his life hundreds of miles from Lumen Field, Seattle’s chances of vying for the Vince Lombardi trophy are as small as the number of syllables in the names of Drew Lock and Geno Smith.

Starting this season, the Seahawks join the pack of teams that don’t have a top-tier quarterback. Lock or Smith will be calling the plays, but neither has exhibited half the talent or determination that Wilson showed in his stay in Seattle.

Head coach Pete Carroll has not yet revealed who the lead actor will be, nor which quarterback will get the supporting role. And unfortunately for the fans of the team, the competition they now hold is to determine who is less bad between them.

Saved by the receivers

Lucky for Lock or Smith, they have one of the best wide receiver duos in the NFL: DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. How impressive will they be? Only the arm of the next starting quarterback will give us that answer.

In this first year without Russell, the Seahawks will have to reload their offense with the talent of Rashaad Penny and Kenneth Walker III.

On the other side of the ball, the scenario is not promising either. The Seahawks’ defense finished outside the top 10 last season, and their perimeter allowed for constant explosive plays from their opponents. If they can’t improve their pass defense, game over.

Theoretically, Jamal Adams and Quandre Diggs should give them a fighting chance, but just like the question of who the next starting quarterback will be, the same applies to defensive backs.

Seattle Seahawks: Too many changes?

For this year the Seahawks decided to pull the trigger on changes a couple of times. They not only let Wilson go, they also released their flagship defensive linebacker Bobby Wagner a few days later to sign with the reigning division-rival champion Los Angeles Rams.

The two moves shook up a city that got used to having a fighting team.

The Seahawks used their first pick from last draft to bolster their offensive line and selected Charles Cross from Mississippi State, a man who is expected to be a fixture on All-Pro teams for many years.

Although they didn’t want to use the word, the Seattle Seahawks are in a rebuild that will again cause them to miss the postseason bracket.

Seattle Seahawks

Record in 2021: 7-10

Stadium: Lumen Field

Super Bowl Titles: 1

Head coach: Pete Carroll

Offensive Coordinator: Shane Waldron

Defensive Coordinator: Clint Hurtt

2022 calendar