Have Seahawks 'Closed Gap' on 49ers? 'They Feel Good!'
When talking about the NFC West, most have the San Francisco 49ers head and shoulders above the rest after making it to the NFC Championship last season. But have the Seattle Seahawks done enough to close the gap on coach Kyle Shanahan's team?
With offseason additions that include draftees in corner Devon Witherspoon, recevier Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and running back Zach Charbonnet, along with acquiring defensive players in Bobby Wagner, Devin Bush, and Dre'mont Jones, Seattle has quietly gone about its business with aplomb.
This has resulted in NFL analyst Bucky Brooks thinking that there isn't that much of a gap between Seattle and San Francisco entering the new season as some might expect.
“I think they feel good about their ability to compete with the Niners because it’s a rivalry,” Brooks said on the Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk show. “I think (the Seahawks) really closed the gap (with the 49ers), and now it’s about how well they can they play consistently over the early stages of the regular season to give them a chance to make a run down the stretch.”
Geno Smith is coming off a career-best year that culminated in a Pro Bowl nod. Thus combined with the natural progression of the current roster that includes running back Kenneth Walker and dynamic duo D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, we can suddenly see why Brooks is so bullish on Seattle chances.
Let's not forget, this is a team that was leading 17-16 at halftime on the road against the 49ers in the playoffs last season.
Many think that the NFC West is the 49ers' to lose, but with their unknown situation at quarterback and Seattle seemingly settled and with a few key additions, the division might not be the cakewalk for San Francisco that many think.
A chance to win the division for the first time since 2020 could result in many sleepers toward Seattle. But sleep at your peril.
Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Seahawks? Click Here to subscribe to AllSeahawks.com's Newsletter.
Follow All Seahawks.com on Twitter and Facebook
Make sure to subscribe to our daily podcast @lockedonseahawks today! Click here To Listen.
Want even more Seattle Seahawks news? Check out the SI.com team page here.