How Do Seahawks' Offensive Position Groups Stack Up Against NFC West?

Without Russell Wilson, Seattle will take a major plunge at quarterback. But how does the roster compare at other offensive positions to the rest of the NFC West?

Undergoing transformational changes on their roster and coaching staff over the past five months, including trading franchise quarterback Russell Wilson to the Broncos, the Seahawks will look drastically different in 2022.

With the offseason now wrapped up and rosters largely set in stone for the start of training camps across the NFL later this month, how do Seattle's offensive positional groups stack up against the rest of the rugged NFC West division?

Quarterback: 4th

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If Wilson still remained under center, the Seahawks would potentially hold the second spot behind Super Bowl champion Matthew Stafford, who led the Rams to a Lombardi Trophy in his first year with the organization. But with former failed starters Geno Smith and Drew Lock sitting atop the depth chart in the aftermath of his departure, it's hard to argue any team in the division has a less desirable quarterback situation heading into the 2022 season.

Neither Lock or Smith posted winning records as starters for the Broncos and Jets respectively. Lock lost his starting job to Teddy Bridgewater last August and spent most of the 2021 season wearing a baseball cap and holding a Microsoft surface, while Smith hadn't started a game in four years before filling in for an injured Wilson in three games last year. Smith has thrown more interceptions than touchdowns in his career, while Lock led the NFL in that category in 2020. Calling either one of them a downgrade from Wilson would be an understatement and then some.

With that said, Smith does have ample experience running coordinator Shane Waldron's offense and performed well in four games last year. Lock possesses a strong throwing arm and underrated athleticism and the 25-year old may still have enough untapped upside to become a viable starter in the right system. If one of them emerges as a capable starter and doesn't turn the ball over, it's possible that starter could be more productive than unproven Trey Lance in San Francisco.

But even if Lock or Smith does secure a starting job and turns in a quality season, Stafford and Cardinals starter Kyler Murray offer far more talent and proven production with outstanding supporting casts around them. Thinking best case scenarios, the Seahawks would still be a distant third in the division at the most important position in football if everything goes right.

Running Back: 1st

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While the Seahawks have major question marks under center, whoever wins the job will have the benefit of handing off to a talented cast of running backs in the backfield. Former first-round pick Rashaad Penny, who signed a one-year, $5.75 million contract in March to stay in the Pacific Northwest, will aim to build off his scintillating finish to the 2021 season and push for his first 1,000-yard campaign. Behind him, second-round pick Ken Walker III has the goods to be an every down workhorse and should vie for plenty of carries as a complementary back right away, while ex-Miami standouts DeeJay Dallas and Travis Homer give the team two viable third down back alternatives.

It's also possible Seattle could have two-time 1,000-yard rusher Chris Carson back in action, though he has yet to receive clearance to play after undergoing neck surgery last December and coach Pete Carroll has given ominous updates on his condition in recent months. The team shouldn't count on him being available, but if he does get cleared, the bruising runner will make an already loaded group even better in the short term and the rich will get richer.

Looking at the rest of the division, the Rams expect Cam Akers to bust out more than a year removed from an Achilles tendon tear that cost him most of the 2021 season and Darrell Henderson has flashed when healthy. The 49ers have stockpiled backs in recent drafts, including finding a sixth-round gem in Elijah Mitchell last year and selecting Tyrion Davis-Price out of LSU in the third round this year, and it remains to be seen how they will split up carries. As for the Cardinals, they re-signed veteran James Conner and second-year back Eno Benjamin could be a breakout candidate, but they could struggle replacing Chase Edmonds and lack depth at the position.

Receiver: 2nd

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This may be the toughest one to call out of all the offensive position groups in the NFC West, as three of the teams have multiple Pro Bowlers at receiver. Based on recent performance, the Rams slightly edge out the Seahawks and Cardinals led by remarkable route runner Cooper Kupp, who captured the triple crown leading the league in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns last season. The addition of Allen Robinson to go along with Kupp and Van Jefferson should make this one of the best receiving corps in the NFL this upcoming season.

Coming in second, the Seahawks have two of the premier wideouts in the sport in Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf, who became one of just five players all-time to produce 3,100 yards, 29 touchdowns, and 200 receptions in his first three seasons. The two of them have averaged north of 1,000 yards a season apiece since 2019 and even with a downgrade at quarterback, they should remain a major problem for opposing defenses. If second-round pick Dee Eskridge can rebound from an injury-marred rookie year and emerge as a third weapon, they could have the best receiver group in the division when everything is said and done.

As for the Cardinals, dealing for Hollywood Brown to add another speedy deep threat to their receiving group could pay major dividends. But DeAndre Hopkins will miss the first six games serving a suspension and A.J. Green isn't getting any younger, so there are more question marks in the desert than in Hollywood or the Emerald City. Meanwhile, Deebo Samuel continues to want a trade out of San Francisco and the 49ers have yet to get consistent production from former first-round pick Brandon Aiyuk, so they sit a distant fourth in the pecking order for now.

Tight End: 3rd

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After acquiring Noah Fant in the Wilson trade and re-signing Will Dissly, the Seahawks expect to see their tight ends become a far greater focal point in the passing game moving forward. But while there seems to be immense potential in the group, Fant hasn't eclipsed 700 yards in a season, Dissly's production has been down the past two years, and Colby Parkinson hasn't been healthy enough to fulfill his promise, so putting them any higher than third in the NFC West seems unwarranted for now.

Sitting atop the rankings, the presence of All-Pro George Kittle keeps the 49ers in first place. A dangerous weapon as a receiver and equally imposing in the run game, he's still one of the best all-around tight ends in the NFL. The Cardinals also have an underrated tight end group headlined by Zach Ertz, who posted 574 receiving yards in only 11 games after being acquired from the Eagles last year. Rookie Tre McBride has a chance to be an immediate impact player in Kliff Kingsbury's offense catching passes from Murray, while a healthy Maxx Williams could also be a factor.

Back for his seventh season, Tyler Higbee leads a Rams' tight end group with plenty of question marks. The veteran has posted at least 500 receiving yards each of the past three seasons, but behind him, Kendall Blanton and Brycen Hopkins haven't played much to this point and have five combined NFL receptions. Neither player is known for blocking prowess either, so this may be the one weak spot overall for the Rams offensively.

Offensive Line: 4th

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Down the road, the Seahawks have ample reasons to be optimistic about the future of their offensive line. First-round pick Charles Cross could develop into a top-five left tackle in time, while third-round pick Abraham Lucas may also be a long-term starter on the right side and left guard Damien Lewis still has a ton of upside despite a tough sophomore season. But expecting rookies like Cross and Lucas to come in and light the world on fire on day one would be an unrealistic demand and the jury remains out on Austin Blythe at center, so this group will likely struggle once again in 2022.

Comparatively, the 49ers have an elite pair of tackles in Trent Williams and Mike McGlinchey, and while there are questions in the interior of the line, that squad should continue to excel opening up run lanes at minimum. The Cardinals have also invested a lot of money into their offensive line and though the group isn't a top-10 unit, D.J. Humphries and Kelvin Beachum are solid starting tackles, Rodney Hudson remains a top-tier center, and guard Will Hernandez should be a quality free agent addition up front.

If there's a team in the division primed for a regression up front, it could be the Rams, who lost long-time starting left tackle Andrew Whitworth to retirement. However, Joseph Noteboom has played well as a situational starter in the past and should be able to hold the fort down, while Rob Havenstein remains one of the more underappreciated right tackles in the game and Brian Allen has surfaced as an excellent center. For now, the unit remains a competent one at worst and if a few young players take a step forward, it could be a surprise strength.

Kicker: 3rd

Based off of his 2021 numbers alone, Jason Myers would rank dead last among his NFC West place kicking brethren. He made only 73 percent of his field goal attempts, the second-lowest percentage in his career, while also missing three extra points. But he's only two years removed from going a perfect 24 for 24 in a record-setting season and he's been dominant in even-numbered years, so he shouldn't take up the cellar in this ranking.

Instead, Cardinals kicker Matt Prater appears to be heading towards the finish line of a solid career. The 38-year old has not made more than 83 percent of his field goals in a season since 2018 and missed seven out of 37 attempts a year ago. While he still can nail 50-plus yard kicks with regularity, his accuracy woes have continued to plague him as he has aged and his best days look to be well behind him.

On the other end of the spectrum, Robbie Gould continues to age like fine wine for the 49ers. He connected on 20 out of 23 field goals last season, including three out of four from 50 yards or more. Set to turn 40 in December, he still belongs in the top 10-15 kickers in the league and comes in second in this ranking. Taking the gold, however, will be Rams kicker Matt Gay, who earned his first Pro Bowl nod in 2021 after splitting the uprights on 94 percent of his field goal attempts and making 48 out of 49 extra points. Only 28, he should be in the midst of his prime.