NFL.com lists Seahawks as one of the most complete rosters in the league

You want more Seattle Seahawks offseason praise? I know you do.

Earlier this week NFL.com’s Eric Edholm released his list of the 10 most complete teams in the league. Obviously this is based off of overall roster quality and includes rookie draft picks, and unsurprisingly the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs are atop the list. The New York Jets were the only non-playoff team from 2022 to crack the top 10, coming in at No. 8. Right behind them? None other than the Seahawks.

Here’s Edholm’s breakdown:

There’s a reasonable argument that the Seahawks remain a bit thin on the defensive side, mostly on the back end, and that there are a few outstanding needs (such as defensive tackle) that are a bit worrisome. Finding a resurgent Geno Smith was a big development, and the past two draft classes have replenished the talent at several spots, including running back, the offensive line and the secondary.

Smith arguably could have one of the top three WR trios in the league with DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett and 2023 first-rounder Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and the RB combo of Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet might prove to be excellent. There are some roles to figure out along the offensive line, but it’s a young, fairly solid unit all of a sudden.

At defensive tackle, the ‘Hawks made additions with veterans Dre’Mont Jones and Jarran Reed, along with fourth-rounder Cameron Young through the draft. But is that enough? One more veteran might do the trick, but the options might be pretty lean at this stage of the offseason. They also could be a little lean and veteran-heavy at linebacker, but the return of eight-time Pro Bowler Bobby Wagner is reason to be hopeful.

The secondary might not be quite ready for “Legion of Boom 2.0” status, but there’s a lot to like about the potential of the top four cornerbacks (Tariq Woolen, Devon Witherspoon, Coby Bryant and Mike Jackson) along with a well-paid safety trio (Quandre Diggs, Jamal Adams and Julian Love) that could make this unit one of the league’s best, in time.

It’s hard to disagree that the defensive line and linebacker are the two more concerning spots on the roster. Seattle has made wholesale changes along the defensive line, but whether that will instantly turn around a struggling unit remains to be seen. Jordyn Brooks’ timetable for a return to the field after his ACL tear is not clear, and Devin Bush is trying to revive his career after some lackluster seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers following his own ACL injury. Bobby Wagner still has something left in the tank but the depth chart is not deep.

Offensive line could be (at long last) a net positive for the Seahawks if Charles Cross and Abe Lucas stay healthy and continue to improve, and especially if Evan Brown (or rookie Olusegun Oluwatimi) can be the solution to the Seahawks’ ongoing problem at center. We know there’s a lot of talent at running back and receiver, so it’s up to Geno Smith to build off of his successes from 2022. The secondary is exciting just because of Tariq Woolen and Devon Witherspoon alone, but there’s still the great unknown of Jamal Adams both getting back to action and how he’ll perform after yet another season-ending injury.

All I’m saying is there’s a lot to be excited about with this Seahawks team, much of it owed to how many young and promising players there are on both sides of the ball.