6 biggest questions for the Seahawks going into 2023…

6 biggest questions for the Seahawks going into 2023 season

The Seattle Seahawks begin their new season at home on Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams.

Here are six of the biggest questions facing the franchise going into the 2023 season.

1
Can Geno Smith recapture his early 2022 form?

During the first five weeks of the 2022 NFL season Geno Smith was playing at a sublime level, even MVP conversation worthy. However, in the second half of the season his performance dropped off due to a problem with turnover-worthy passes and red zone fumbles. If Smith can dial back his killer instinct just a couple of notches and recapture that perfect balance between caution and aggression he could well be leading a top-five offense.

2
What new tricks has Ken Walker learned?

As a rookie Ken Walker did a lot of flashy, impressive things – showcasing remarkable quickness and explosiveness in the open field. Now that he’s had an entire year to digest the speed of the pro game Walker should be starting to pick up the finer points of playing the position. While his traditional numbers were strong, Walker’s success rate was poor. If Walker has made a significant leap in diagnosing when to zig and when to zag, Seattle’s run game could take off in a big way this year.

3
Is Seattle really four-deep at wide receiver?

The single biggest reason for Seattle fans to be excited about this coming season is the team’s remarkable strength at wide receiver. DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett have been one of the league’s top duos for the last four years. Now they finally have proper help behind them in the form of Jaxon Smith-Njgiba, who’s arguably the top receiver in this class, and Jake Bobo, a surprise revelation from the preseason. Very few NFL teams manage to get four-deep at wide receiver, but this one has a real shot.

4
Who's going to save this defensive line?

Had they known that Jalen Carter would still be available, we have a strong feeling that this interior defensive line would be much less of a problem. Heading into Week 1, the starters are Dre’Mont Jones at defensive end, Jarran Reed at nose tackle and Mario Edwards Jr. at the other DE spot. Backing them up will be Myles Adams, Cam Young and Mike Morris. The Seahawks might be waiting until Week 2 for salary cap reasons, but they absolutely have to be looking for more firepower inside.

5
What's the plan if Bobby Wagner gets injured?

If nothing else, Seattle’s defense should be much improved this year thanks to the return of Bobby Wagner, who will be quarterbacking the defense in lieu of Jordyn Brooks. Wagner has performed that role better than anybody in the sport over the last 10 years, but the team’s depth behind him at linebacker is cause for pause. If heaven forbid Bobby suffers an injury Seattle might wind up starting Brooks and Devin Bush – a prospect that inspires more anxiety than assurance. The Seahawks need a backup plan, here.

6
Is DeeJay Dallas really their best kick returner?

On special teams the Seahawks have second-string running back DeeJay Dallas listed as both their primary kickoff returner and punt returner. Dallas isn’t the worst kick returner in the world, but he hasn’t shown enough to be just given the job. Dallas has averaged a mediocre 7.3 yards per punt and 23.0 yards per kickoff in his career. Is that really the best production Seattle can find on this roster?