It’s nearly time for Broncos vs. Seahawks, the first of four preseason games and the start to each team’s quest for another Super Bowl.
The Seahawks and their fans have every bragging right in this matchup, as Seattle dismantled the Broncos in the Super Bowl and won a tight regular season matchup last year in Seattle.
For the first time since that game, the Broncos head back to Seattle to take on their old division foe for yet another pre-season matchup. This one, while not featuring all the star players fans would hope, is going to be a fun one because it will showcase two of the deepest rosters in the league.
Keith Myers from FanSided’s 12th Man Rising, a Seahawks blog, took some time to answer our five questions with the enemy this week.
Tell us about how you as Seahawks fans feel with the core of your team in-tact for the foreseeable future.
KM: The Seahawks are set up so well for an extended run at championships. With the recent signings of Russell Wilson and Bobby Wagner, the entire core of the team is locked up for at least the next three seasons. The Seahawks will lose some of their 2nd and 3rd tier guys along the way and have to replace them with draft picks, but the core will remain intact.
The real issue now is keeping them happy. Kam Chancellor is already holding out. Michael Bennett threatened to do so. Marshawn Lynch considered retiring this offseason. These are the things that the Seahawks must now manage to keep their championship window open.
Who was the Seahawks’ biggest loss this offseason, and how do you feel about the replacement?
KM: The best player the Seahawks lost was probably CB Byron Maxwell. They seem to have replaced him though. The same goes with center Max Unger. Both of those positions seem to be in good hands.
The real problem right now is at left guard. You wouldn’t think that replacing the disappointing James Carpenter would be difficult, but it has been. The Seahawks have tried four players at the position so far in camp, and none look like they belong with the rest of the unit.
What sort of offense can we expect with a TE like Jimmy Graham and so much speed at WR?
KM: Honestly, I don’t expect Seattle’s offense to be much different. They’re still going to run the ball as much or more than anyone in the NFL. They’re also going to connect on a lot of long passes, which is one of the strengths of Russell Wilson’s game.
The changes that we will see will be more subtle: more passes into the center of the field, less read-option, more back-shoulder throws to the big receivers along the sideline. Hopefully this will lead to a more efficient offense and one that does a better job of getting touchdowns instead of field goals.
What’s been the most competitive position battle?
KM: There’s some really good ones this year, including center, LG and CB. For my money though, the best one is the wide receivers. This has been a major weakness in Seattle for a couple of years, but suddenly there is incredible depth this year.
Doug Baldwin and rookie Tyler Lockett headline that group. Super Bowl standout Chris Matthews and incumbent starter Jermaine Kearse are joined by rookie Kasen Williams as a trio of big receivers that can win at the catch point.
That doesn’t even mention special teams standout Ricardo Lockett or the QB/RB/WR combo that is BJ Daniels. This is a very deep group, and not everyone is going to make the team when rosters are cut down to 53.
Which rookie are you most excited to see play?
KM: Tyler Lockett. The diminutive WR has made “wow” plays every day in training camp. He’s expected to make an immediate impact on special teams, but he appears to be much better than advertised on offense as well.