Through trades, free agency, and the draft, the Seahawks are slowly building a core filled with recognizable names such as Sam Darnold, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Cooper Kupp and Leonard Williams.
We all know how integral these players are to the structure of the team, and the value they provide is reflected through dazzling on-field performances and eye-popping stats. However, there is much more to the Seahawks than the star players. On a deeper level, there are players who play smaller roles that are fundamental to the team, but often do not get the same level of recognition as the premier players. Here are some key players that the Seahawks need to step up and fill important roles if they want to fight for a playoff spot in the upcoming NFL season.
Tyrice Knight, Linebacker
It’s no secret that Ernest Jones is the top dog in the second level of the Seahawks defense. In just 10 games with the Seahawks, he racked up nearly 100 tackles as well as a sack, a fumble, and an interception. However, Tyrice Knight, a 6th-round rookie out of UTSA, sprang onto the scene last year to help Jones out and strengthen the linebacking corps. Knight finished the year with a 73.3 PFF pass rush grade, good for 22nd among all linebackers, and graded out as the 54th best linebacker in coverage.
While he’s not posting eye-popping stats, Knight is a key contributor to the Seahawks’ tenacious defense, working behind Jones. If he can keep up his strong pass-rushing abilities and work on his run defense, he’ll find himself as an every-down player pretty soon.
Byron Murphy, Defensive Tackle
Murphy was selected with the 15th pick of the 2024 NFL Draft as the first defensive player off the board, but failed to make a strong impact in his first year. While he was solid as a rotational piece, veterans Leonard Williams, Jarran Reed, and Jonathan Hankins did a lot of heavy lifting at the interior defensive line position.
However, Murphy was the first pick of the Mike McDonald era for a good reason. He’s an incredibly fast, handsy lineman with astonishing run-stopping potential. If he can tap into some of his potential this year and become a regular in the starting lineup, it will bring a new element to the Seahawks’ already ferocious defensive line.
Christian Haynes, Guard
The Seahawks’ interior offensive line was incredibly poor last year. Every day starters Anthony Bradford and Laken Tomlinson posted PFF grades of 48.3 and 62.1, respectively, both below the league average for starting guards.
With Tomlinson now in Houston and Bradford banished to the bottom of the depth chart, Haynes, another 2024 draft pick, aims to help fix the offensive line woes. While Haynes was not great by any means in 2024, he’s currently listed as the starting right guard. With the addition of Grey Zabel in the draft, if Haynes continues to progress and rewrite a new era of guard play, the Seahawks’ offensive line could be on the upswing.
Josh Jobe, Cornerback
In a secondary dominated by big names such as Riq Woolen, Devon Witherspoon, and Julian Love, Jobe tends to fall under the radar. While not as effective as the bigger names, Jobe carved out a role for himself last year, playing league-average ball at outside corner. However, if the Seahawks want to build an elite defense, they can’t have a league-average starting corner, especially in a division that contains Davante Adams, Puka Nacua, Marvin Harrison Jr. and Brandon Aiyuk.
Jobe must step his game up next year, and if he can continue growing, the Seahawks’ secondary will have a playmaker at every position.
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