The 2016 NFL offseason is essentially over, which means it's time to grade what the Seattle Seahawks did this offseason. Sure, a few more players might be traded, cut or signed, but it's likely the Seahawks are finished making move. Below, we have the Seahawks'' offseason grade, as well as roster moves, what went right and what went wrong.
As for the grading, teams don't get a "B" just for showing up. A "B" is a good offseason, while an "A" is a great offseason. A "C" is not bad in my eyes, it's simply average at best. It's tough to get a "D," since that basically means a team botched almost everything about the offseason. Obviously there is a lot of opinion here, so hit me up on Twitter if you disagree with the Seahawks' offseason grade.
Offseason Roster Moves:
Notable Additions:
OT J'Marcus Webb, OT Bradley Sowell, DT Sealver Siliga, DE Chris Clemons, CB Brandon Browner, OT Germain Ifedi, DT Jarran Reed, RB C.J. Prosises
Notable Losses:
OL Alvin Bailey, DT Brandon Mebane, LB Bruce Irvin, G J.R. Sweezy, WR Ricardo Lockette, LT Russell Okung, RB Marshawn Lynch
Notable Retentions:
DT Ahtyba Rubin, CB Jeremy Lane, WR Jermaine Kearse, P Jon Ryan, RB Christine Michael, LB Mike Morgan, CB DeShawn Shead, TE Cooper Helfet
What The Seahawks Did Well:
Solid Draft Effort
I'm not always a huge fan of what the Seahawks do during the draft, but I liked their effort this year. Ifedi was a decent selection, and taking literally any offensive lineman would have been smart. Getting Jarran Reed in the second round was a complete steal. Prosise has potential at RB, as does Alex Collins.
Some Smart Signings
The Seahawks brought back former Seahawks in Brandon Browner and Chris Clemons this offseason. Sure, they aren't the players they once were, but they're quality buy-low additions. J'Marcus Webb and Bradley Sowell aren't great options to start, but the Seahawks needed something up front (we'll get to the o-line later). Bringing back Jeremy Lane, Ahtyba Rubin and Jermaine Kearse on relatively team-friendly deals was smart. The Seahawks didn't have much cap space, but they did what they could with it.
What The Seahawks Didn't Do Well:
Offensive Line Issues
After having a terrible offensive line last year, the 2016 edition somehow looks worse on paper. Losing J.R. Sweezy to the Bucs wasn't terrible since Tampa wildly overpaid for him, but losing their best offensive lineman in Russell Okung will hurt. Sure, he's been injury prone, but the Seahawks failed to effectively replaced Okung (or Sweezy for that matter). Fighting for starting jobs on the Seahawks' offensive line are Garry Gilliam, Ifedi, Justin Britt, Webb, Sowell, Mark Glowinski and Patrick Lewis. Sowell, Webb and Britt were among the worst players at their positions last year and Gilliam wasn't much better last year. The Seahawks are once again going to force Russell Wilson to scramble for his life in 2016.
Grade: B
Factoring in their limited cap space, the Seahawks had a solid offseason. They did well in the draft and didn't overpay for any free agents. But the serious issues on the offensive line hurt their grade. The Seahawks also didn't panic with the retirement of Marshawn Lynch. Instead, they added a few rookies and stuck with the cheap players on their roster. While the Seahawks had a good offseason, the lack of help for the offensive line prevents an 'A' grade.