The Seattle Seahawks went into the 2014 NFL Draft with very little desperate need for any one position on the team. They are solid in the trenches led by linemen Max Unger and Russell Okung, have a great back field with Marshawn Lynch pulverizing opponents, and that defense seems pretty good too.
However, there were some needs that were addressed in picking up receivers Paul Richardson and Kevin Norwood to replace Golden Tate, as well as linemen Justin Britt and Garrett Scott to replace the gap of Breno Giacomini and Paul McQuistan. Along with the other players drafted, the Seahawks are looking to be in good shape down the road.
Seattle has been building for multiple championships for years now and there is no doubt that they still have what it takes to claim the Lombardi Trophy once again. Here’s why:
1. Veteran Leadership
The Seahawks may still be a young team, but the leadership from the players goes a long way. Ever since Russell Wilson commanded the starting quarterback position in 2012, he has without question become the team’s overall leader next to Pete Carroll. Now in his third year, Wilson continues the famous “why not us?” mantra that the entire city of Seattle has grasped onto, as well as earning the respect from his teammates with his smart play and toughness on the field.
2. Locked Up Defense
Where would the Seahawks also be without the notorious Legion of Boom? What started as a loving take on the hard hitting secondary turned into a manifesto that to be the best, you have to play the best. Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor all have shown that if the opposing team is going to throw, it better be away from them as their 85 passes defended and 28 interceptions from the 2013 season show that they are not to be messed with. As a whole, the defense was the first team since the 1985 Chicago Bears to lead the league in points allowed, 231, yards allowed, 4,378, and takeaways, 39.
3. They Know What They’re Doing
One of the biggest storylines going into Super XLVIII was how inexperienced the Seahawks were going up against Peyton Manning’s gaudy offense in the Denver Broncos. Not only did the Seahawks shatter all expectations, they did it with not one member having ever played in a Super Bowl in their career. Now critics cannot say that this team is too young or too inexperienced. They’ve been there, done that.