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Seattle Seahawks (Last Year: 7-9)

2011 NFL Season Preview:

Quarterbacks Offensive Line Secondary Running Backs Defensive Line Special Teams Receivers Linebackers Coaching

*** 2011 NFL DRAFT GRADES, OFFSEASON NEEDS BELOW COMMENT BOARD ***

2011 NFL Draft Grades:

C

2011 NFL Draft Individual Grades:

(Pick Grade: Millen on Crystal Meth)

(Pick Grade: B)

(Pick Grade: C)

(Pick Grade: F)

(Pick Grade: B)

(Pick Grade: C)

(Pick Grade: B)

(Pick Grade: C)

(Pick Grade: C)

Season Summary:

Offseason Moves:

Dolphins sign OT Ray Willis

Redskins sign OT Sean Locklear

Seahawks re-sign DE Raheem Brock

Titans sign S Jordan Babineaux

Giants sign G Stacy Andrews

Seahawks sign TE Zach Miller

Seahawks sign DE Jimmy Wilkerson

Seahawks re-sign CB Kelly Jennings

Seahawks cut ILB Lofa Tatupu

Seahawks sign DT Ryan Sims

Bears sign C Chris Spencer

Seahawks re-sign DT Brandon Mebane

Seahawks re-sign OLB Leroy Hill

Seahawks sign DT Alan Branch

Seahawks re-sign DT Junio Siavii

Seahawks re-sign FB Michael Robinson

Seahawks sign WR Sidney Rice

Seahawks sign G Robert Gallery

Titans sign QB Matt Hasselbeck

Panthers sign K Olindo Mare

Seahawks re-sign OLB Matt McCoy

Saints sign OLB Will Herring

Seahawks sign QB Tarvaris Jackson

Seahawks cut G Stacy Andrews

Seahawks sign DE Pierre Allen

Seahawks sign S Jeron Johnson

Seahawks cut TE Chris Baker

Seahawks waive QB Nate Davis

Seahawks re-sign RB/KR Leon Washington

Seahawks re-sign CB Kennard Cox

OC Darrell Bevell, QB Tarvaris Jackson, WR Sidney Rice, TE Zach Miller, G Robert Gallery, DE Jimmy Wilkerson, DT Alan Branch, K Jeff Reed.OT James Carpenter, G/C John Moffitt, OLB K.J. Wright, WR Kris Durham, CB/FS Richard Sherman, S Mark LeGree.OC Jeremy Bates, QB Matt Hasselbeck, TE Chris Baker, OT Sean Locklear, G Stacy Andrews, C Chris Spencer, OLB Will Herring, ILB Lofa Tatupu, S Jordan Babineaux, K Olindo Mare.The miserable state of Seattle's offense can be summed up in one sentence: The backfield is comprised of Tarvaris Jackson and Marshawn Lynch. Yuck.The Seahawks refused to sign Matt Hasselbeck to a long-term deal, so they acquired Jackson because he played under new offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell in Minnesota. While the system familiarity helps in a shortened offseason, it ultimately doesn't matter because Jackson stinks. With the Vikings, he had a great game once in a while that made some onlookers think that he had a future as an NFL starter. Too often, however, Jackson would follow that up with a multi-turnover outing.Jackson won't be nearly as effective in Seattle for an obvious reason - he won't have Adrian Peterson. Lynch mustered a Super Mario star-power type of touchdown run against the Saints in the playoffs, but he's a lazy player who lacks motivation. He's also not that very good. Lynch has never averaged more than 4.1 yards per carry in his career. His 3.6 YPC in 2010 was a professional-worst.The offensive line definitely had a hand in Lynch's struggles, but that unit won't be much better in 2011. The hiring of Tom Cable will help in the long run, but his impact in a shortened offseason will be somewhat minimal.Seattle acquired three new linemen to help Cable: left guard Robert Gallery, who played for Cable in Oakland, and rookies James Carpenter and John Moffitt. Gallery is talented, but is far from a lock to stay healthy; he's missed 14 games in the past two seasons. Carpenter and Moffitt, meanwhile, won't be very effective because of the lockout. The former has already been penciled into the starting right tackle slot, though he was widely considered a reach as a first-round selection.Fortunately for Jackson and Lynch, the Seahawks' offensive line isn't completely inept. Left tackle Russell Okung surrendered only four sacks in 12 starts as a rookie. Center Max Unger is a skilled lineman, though he curiously missed 15 games in 2010 with a turf toe injury.General manager John Schneider made sure that unlike Hasselbeck last year, Jackson would have multiple reliable targets to throw to, paying truckloads of cash to free agents Sidney Rice and Zach Miller. Rice had a great 2009 campaign with Brett Favre, but is a one-year wonder whose only priority this offseason was money. Why else would he sign with the Seahawks, who are at least two seasons away from being a winning team?Miller makes more sense, since he just wanted to get out of Oakland. However, the Seahawks overpaid for the tight end's services as well. Nevertheless, Rice and Miller will join the resurgent Mike Williams in a pretty solid receiving corps. If only they had someone who could throw the ball to them...The Seahawks have plenty of monstrous, 320-plus-pound bodies up front, which makes their 19th ranking against the run somewhat surprising to outside observers. Looking more closely, however, Seattle restricted its first five opponents to 74 rushing yards or fewer before struggling in the middle of the year. This trend coincides with the dual injuries of 330-pound left end Red Bryant and 325-pound defensive tackle Colin Cole, both of whom went down in early November. Seattle's rush defense was never the same.Cole should be good to go, but Bryant is coming off a torn MCL, so there's naturally some concern. Perhaps newly signed Jimmy Wilkerson and Alan Branch can help if Bryant isn't 100 percent to start the season.The rest of Seattle's front line is comprised of two players who were dominant last year. Defensive tackle Brandon Mebane was stout in terms of stopping the run and rushing the passer, and received a well-earned 5-year, $25 million contract from the franchise. Right end Chris Clemons, who did nothing in Philadelphia, registered 12 sacks in 2010, including one against the Bears in the playoffs. Clemons will miss defensive line coach Dan Quinn, who took a job as Florida's defensive coordinator. Still, there's no reason Clemons shouldn't have another great season.With Quinn gone and third-down pass-rusher Raheem Brock (9 sacks) now 33, it's only natural to assume that Seattle will log fewer sacks this year, which would obviously impact a secondary that already isn't very good. Ranking 26th against the pass in 2010 (7.3 YPA), the team didn't make any immediate upgrades this offseason. Cornerbacks Marcus Trufant and Kelly Jennings will need to rebound off mediocre campaigns in which they surrendered a combined 13 touchdown passes. Their only help will come from free safety Earl Thomas, chosen with the 14th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft. Thomas played well last year, despite the fact that his running mate, Lawyer Milloy, was dreadful. Unfortunately, 232-pound Kam Chancellor will start at strong safety instead.Milloy is gone, but Seattle's most controversial departure this offseason is Lofa Tatupu, who was cut because he didn't want to restructure his contract. Tatupu, 29 in November, is coming off knee surgery and is no longer the player he once was. Still, it was a bit crass of the Seahawks to treat their franchise player like this.Stud linebacker David Hawthorne will slide into Tatupu's vacated spot in the middle of the defense. Hawthorne isn't very well known - he's not nearly as famous as disappointing third-year strongside linebacker Aaron Curry - but he'll quickly make Seahawk fans forget about Tatupu. Oft-injured Leroy Hill will join them at weakside linebacker, replacing Will Herring.The Seahawks aren't kidding about this whole 12th man thing. The deafening noise at Qwest Field is why they were 25-4 as hosts from 2005 to 2007. They were 5-4 at home last year despite having a pretty bad team.While Seattle is great at home thanks to its great fans, the team is pitiful on the road. Since 2007, the Seahawks are 8-26 as visitors.Ask any professional football gambler or handicapper when you should bet against Seattle, and they'll tell you to do so in 1 p.m. East Coast games. They had three of those since 2008, and lost by a combined score of 99-35 to the Bills, Giants and Dolphins. Unfortunately, the Seahawks have three 1 p.m. East Coast battles in 2011 - and two are against the Steelers and Giants (the third versus Cleveland).Though Jim Mora Jr. unprofessionally blamed Olindo Mare for blowing a game against the Bears because of two missed field goals, Mare drilled 73-of-83 attempts in three years with the Seahawks. Mare is gone, unfortunately, and Seattle has replaced him with the unreliable Jeff "Jersey Shore" Reed, who was a pedestrian 24-of-32 in 2010.Punter Jon Ryan wasn't very good last season, maintaining a 41.7 average, though he hit 27-of-78 boots inside the 20.Seattle's return game was brilliant in 2010; Leon Washington took three kickoffs to the house and averaged 11.3 yards per punt return. The Seahawks did surrender a punt return themselves, however.The Seahawks have only three winnable games outside their pathetic division: Browns (road), Bengals (home) and Redskins (home). Certain losses will come to the Steelers (road), Falcons (home), Giants (home), Cowboys (road), Ravens (home), Eagles (home) and probably the Bears (road).Though they upset the Saints, the Seahawks statistically were the worst team to ever qualify for the NFL playoffs. This happened because San Francisco, St. Louis and Arizona were even more dreadful. But that's definitely not the case this year. The 49ers have a competent head coach; Sam Bradford is more seasoned; while Kevin Kolb is a huge upgrade over John Skelton.If Seattle thinks it's going to win with Tarvaris Jackson at quarterback, the front office is deeply mistaken. A major upgrade is needed there, and it seems as though the Seahawks will be in position to land Andrew Luck, Matt Barkley or Landry "Lance" Jones in the 2012 NFL Draft.4-12 (4th in NFC West)By now, Seattle fans have heard it all. Their draft stinks, yadda, yadda, yadda. Trent Dilfer looked like he was going to have a stroke as he continuously bashed their draft picks on Saturday afternoon.I don't think it was that much of a train wreck. Did the Seahawks reach for some players? Sure, but they had a plan, and that was to fix their offensive to help Charlie Whitehurst and Marshawn Lynch.One thing the Seahawks didn't do that they'll have to take care of in free agency is find a replacement for free agent Brandon Mebane. This, of course, is secondary to adding a veteran quarterback to compete with Whitehurst.What the hell is this? James Carpenter is a second-round prospect at best, and if the Seahawks wanted to improve the line, Gabe Carimi and Derek Sherrod were both there. Vikings and Eagles fans have to be thrilled, because this selection passes both of theirs as the strangest in the 2011 NFL Draft. Sorry, Seattle fans.I like this offensive line pick much better than the other one. John Moffitt fits the range and figures to upgrade a very weak offensive front. If Marshawn Lynch struggles in 2011, he won't be able to blame the offensive line again.K.J. Wright was one of the better players available entering Day 3 of the 2011 NFL Draft, but I would have liked to have seen the Seahawks address some of their greater needs.Kris Durham? No one had Durham in their top 200, so you have to really question this pick. There were far superior prospects at receiver available.Richard Sherman is an underrated defensive back who flashed at the Senior Bowl. He fits the range and fills a need. I thought the Seahawks would address the cornerback position earlier.Think Pete Carroll wanted safety help after Lawyer Milloy was torched in the playoff game at Chicago? Mark LeGree is a bit of a reach in the middle of Round 5, but he drew a ton of interest from teams.The Seahawks didn't address their secondary early in the 2011 NFL Draft, so they're making up for it here. This is the right range for Byron Maxwell.I think this is a reach, but it makes sense. The Seahawks need an insurance policy just in case Red Bryant can't make it back from injury. Lazarius Levingston can play five-technique in Seattle's weird defense.I'm not sure about spending a second pick on a linebacker, and it's not like Malcolm Smith is some mega steal. How about a developmental quarterback?It was a fun ride, but you really have to wonder how much that playoff berth cost Seattle in the long haul. Instead of picking at No. 8 in the 2011 NFL Draft, the team now has the 25th overall selection. That would be fine if the Seahawks weren't a rebuilding team with lots of holes on their roster.