Seahawks, Geno Smith Have 'Long Ways To Go’; What’s Next?

The Seattle Seahawks still have steps to make to be considered a true NFC contender.

The reasons for optimism are many for the Seattle Seahawks. A talented and youthful core, more draft picks, cap space and a coaching staff led by a Super Bowl winner.

The Seahawks also saw how far they need to go in Saturday’s 41-23 Wild Card loss to the San Francisco 49ers. Getting overwhelmed in the second half by their NFC West division rivals can also serve as a blueprint for the Seahawks.

“A part of me wants to say, man, we came such a long way,” quarterback Geno Smith said. “Overcame so many obstacles, of course the naysayers, beat their expectations. But I don’t think we beat our own expectations; we had far greater expectations for ourselves.

“What I see for this team is a team with a bright future. A lot of young guys on this team got a lot of experience, first playoff games, my first playoff start. So we’ve got a long ways to go. I’m excited about the future. I know we can be a lot better, it’s just going to take a lot of commitment, so I’m in it for the long haul. I’m ready to go.”

The next chapter for the Seahawks is climbing into that class of NFC title contenders, such as the 49ers and Philadelphia Eagles. Pete Carroll and Co. have to feel good about where the Seahawks are in the NFC West.

With the Los Angeles Rams in a rebuild after an injury-plagued campaign and the Arizona Cardinals starting over firing coach Kliff Kingsbury, the Seahawks should go into 2023 as the main threat to San Francisco.

Winning the division comes with a home playoff game, and the few franchises can match the advantage the Seahawks have at Lumen Field.

Climbing the NFC ladder will mean further maturation of the team’s young talent. The 2022 draft class included Pro Bowl cornerback Tariq Woolen, a 1,000-yard rusher Kenneth Walker III, and starting tackles Charles Cross and Abraham Lucas.

Seattle also owns four picks in the first two rounds of the draft, including the fifth overall selection. Free-agent decision start with Smith, who wants to return to the franchise of his career rebirth.

Though the dream season ended Saturday in Santa Clara, it feels more like a start.

“We beat the odds, we did things that people didn’t think we were going to do,” safety Quandre Diggs said. “So for us, we want to focus on taking the next step. We all know what it is, we know the draft picks, we know the cap space and things like that, so we want to continue build this team, embrace the guys who come in in the offseason, and I think it could be really special around here if we do it the right way.”

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You can follow Art Garcia on Twitter @ArtGarcia92

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