Over at Bloody Elbow (where I also work as an editor), we have an annual awards poll that recaps the best of MMA from the previous year. This is hardly a unique idea but it’s a popular one for us, and I’d like to try something similar for the Field Gulls community.

We are a month removed from the end of the Seahawks’ 2019 season, so I figured enough time has passed by to let the anger and disappointment give way to rational thought, but not too long that you’ve forgotten much of this rollercoaster ride. We’re also in the middle of that awkward, boring part of the offseason that’s post-Super Bowl but pre-free agency, which is only matched in dullness by the summer months, but at least in the summer time you’re usually preoccupied with outside activities.

The Gullies: Vote on the best of the 2019 Seahawks season - Part 2

So what are we calling this anyway? The Gullies? Why yes that’s the first thing that came to my mind and I received immediate support from the first Field Gulls staffer to reply to my idea. If you aren’t a fan... I completely understand. Here’s what Gullies look like.

There are eight categories to vote on, split into two posts — part one focuses on the players, part two focuses on the plays (and the game). The staff created the nominees across the board, and we are including the postseason because it’s utterly stupid to pretend that it wasn’t part of the Seahawks’ season.

The one tweak I made with “Offensive Player of the Year” is that Russell Wilson would obviously win it, so we are excluding him from selection.

Last thing before you get to voting, we may have had an oversight here and there but we didn’t want a laundry list of options to choose from for the sake of it. If you have another nominee to vote for who’s not listed here, click on “other” but state your response in the comments section.

Aaaaaaaaaand the nominees are!

Non-Russell Wilson Offensive Player of the Year

Chris Carson — Before an unfortunate hip injury ended his season, Carson rushed for 1230 yards and scored nine total touchdowns on the ground and as a receiver. His fumbles dock him significantly, but he was clearly one of Seattle’s best non-Wilson offensive players.

Tyler Lockett — A career-high 82 catches for 1,057 yards and eight TDs for Lockett in his first season as the team’s #1 wide receiver. Lockett finished 4th in DYAR and 7th in DVOA. Field Gulls staff’s choice

DK Metcalf — 58 catches for 900 yards and seven touchdowns in the regular season, along with a phenomenal 7/160/1 TD domination of the Philadelphia Eagles in his playoff debut. Not bad for someone who apparently isn’t an NFL caliber player because of his three-cone time.

Will Dissly — His season was short-lived (again) but wildly efficient. 23 catches on 27 targets for 262 yards and four touchdowns is a remarkable spell for 5.5 games worth of football. We have never seen Wilson click with a TE as well as he did with Uncle Will.

Jacob Hollister — Dissly’s injury paved the way for Hollister to be promoted off the practice squad, recording 41 catches for 349 yards and three touchdowns, including a game-winner against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Defensive Player of the Year

Bobby Wagner — Lead the NFL in tackles with 159, had seven tackles for loss, three sacks, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. This was not Wagner’s best year of his career but he’s still one of the best middle linebackers in the league.

Shaquill Griffin — After a disappointing sophomore campaign, Shaquill balled out. He earned a trip to the Pro Bowl as a substitute after tying for 3rd in passes broken up, and really the only thing missing was an interception.

Jadeveon Clowney — Certainly one that’s cause for a lot of debate. Did Clowney live up to the hype? Playing through injuries, Clowney had three sacks, but he was also by far the best at generating pressure and had both a pick-six and fumble return touchdown. He was credited with four forced fumbles and 13 QB hits. Field Gulls staff’s choice

KJ Wright — Wright had a career-high three interceptions, along with 132 total tackles, five TFLs, and 11 passes defensed. He remains, as ever, Seattle’s screen whisperer. KJ is Seattle’s last link to the 2011 team.

Quandre Diggs — After John Schneider fleeced the Detroit Lions out of boredom, Seattle’s secondary looked much improved with a competent free safety. Diggs only played in seven total games with the Seahawks but had three interceptions (one returned for a touchdown), a forced fumble and a fumble recovery, along with some vicious hits that made him look the part of a Seahawks secondary.

Bradley McDougald — Not exactly Bradley’s best year, but some of that may be due to having to babysit Tedric Thompson and Lano Hill way too much this season. He had two interceptions and six passes defensed, a half-sack on a blitz, and like Diggs he had one FF and one FR.

Rookie of the Year

DK Metcalf — I mean, you’re not going to make me write that Metcalf blurb out again, are you? Field Gulls staff’s choice

Marquise Blair — Much like Amadi, Blair featured on special teams. He did have three starts in the middle of the season and while he had his struggles and gave up at least one touchdown, he was quick to close to the ball carrier and had all the speed that Tedric Thompson lacked. Blair’s best highlight was nearly returning a blocked field goal for a touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals.

Ugo Amadi — Seattle’s new nickel corner ended his season on a down note, but covering Davante Adams is hard to do for All-Pro outside corners, let alone rookies in the slot. Amadi filled in brilliantly as an ST gunner while Neiko Thorpe missed most of the year with injury, and he was a Christian McCaffrey swat away from a pick-six against the Carolina Panthers.

Travis Homer — Mostly a positive special teams contributor, Homer was pressed into running back duty from Week 16 onward. His rookie regular season ended with 18 carries for 114 yards and 11 catches for 56 yards. He has shown promise as a receiving back.

Cody Barton — Barton only had 240ish snaps on defense, but did have a sack in the playoffs and a fumble recovery in the third game of the season against the New Orleans Saints.

John Ursua — He caught a pass and almost scored a touchdown. Russell Wilson has never thrown an incomplete pass his way.

Most Improved Player of the Year

Rashaad Penny — Before an awful knee injury ended his season early, Penny went from dog house to increased prominence in the offense. He only had 65 carries for 370 yards (plus eight catches for 83 yards) and four total touchdowns, but he was well on course to have a much better second-year than rookie year.

Rasheem Green — Raise your hand if you had Rasheem Green leading the team in sacks. Okay, it’s just four sacks but still a big deal. He’s credited with 15 pressures (per PFR) and he swatted away two field goals in a three-week span. If he makes another leap in year three then we’re looking at a very valuable member of a rebuilding Seahawks defense. Field Gulls staff’s choice.

Shaquill Griffin — For reasons already stated above.

Poona Ford — Ford went from a role player as a rookie to a regular fixture on the Seahawks’ defensive interior. After just 231 regular season snaps in 2018, he soared to 506 in 2019 and instantly became one of the team’s best run stoppers... we only wish everyone else was collectively better in this department.

Tre Flowers — Advanced football stats on things like “catches allowed by DB” are tricky, but Pro Football Reference says his passer rating allowed was significantly better in year two compared to year one. Flowers also got two sacks as a blitzer, something he seems to be good at in limited views.

Voting closes on February 28th. Part 2 of our awards will be up on Wednesday, February 19th.