Seahawks Re-Starting a Legacy

Many people believe because the Seattle Seahawks had a terrible season last year, they'll never get back to the 2005 Super Bowl team they once were.

But let me tell you one thing: those people are all wrong.

Breaking Down the deal the Seahawks are facing:

Injuries

During the 2007-08 playoffs and in the 2008-09 preseason and regular seasons, the Seahawks sustained a lot of injuries that contributed to their unsuccessful season last year.

The first one was Deion Branch in the 2007-08 playoffs. In the playoff game against the Green Bay Packers, Branch damaged his ACL to the point where it required surgery, surgery that took him out until late '09 season.

Then Bobby Engram got injured in the 2008-09 preseason and Nate Burlesson injured himself in the season opener against the Buffalo Bills, leaving Seattle with just it's backup receivers until late season.

A little later, starting running back Maurice Morris injured his tail bone, an injury leaving backup Julius Jones as the starter most of the season.

Then mid season, of course, QB Matt Hasselbeck got injured, leaving him out for the rest of the season and a young Seneca Wallace throwing to three sub-par inexperiencd receivers, and handing off to a backup.

What did all this add up to?

An offense full of backups and a bad season for the Seahawks. However, late in the season the Seahawks pulled off an upset win over the high-flying Jets with almost none of their starters playing, leading to high hopes for next season when they would have their team back. 

Losses

Last season and this off season provided a number of key player losses for the Seahawks.

Rising receiver D.J. Hackett was lost to Carolina before the season even started, which didn't help when losing all of their receivers to injuries.

Another loss before the season was declining, past MVP RB Sean Alexander. The Seahawks released him and he wasn't picked up for a while, but was eventually snagged by the Redskins.

Then, this off season, the Seahawks lost quite a few key players. FB Leonard Weaver was lost to the Eagles as was RB Maurice Morris to the Detroit Lions.

Rocky Bernard was picked up by the New York Giants, too, leaving a hole in their defensive line.

Then there was the controversial Julian Peterson trade to the Lions, denying the Seahawks of a Pro Bowl LB for salary cap room for the upcoming draft. Then, of course, WR Bobby Engram was signed by the Kansas City Cheifs, making T.J. Houshmadzadeh his new replacement (read on for more info on T.J.). 

Acquisitions

Along with their many losses to free agency, trade, and injury, the Seahawks have gained many players to fill their roster back up.

First, there's RBs Julius Jones and T.J. Duckett to fill the hole left by Maurice Morris heading to Detroit. Julius Jones showed some signs of stardom last season when he got the starting job, and T.J. Duckett is a big former Lion that can run guys over like a full back when they need him to at the goaline.

Then there's defensive lineman Cory Redding, who the Seahawks got from Detroit in the Peterson trade, ready to fill the hole left by Bernard's loss.

Wide Receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh is definitely their biggest gain, as this star WR is ready to stop playing second fiddle to Ocho-Cinco and take over the star role in Seattle.

Leonard Weaver and Julian Peterson are still not replaced, leaving you to think if they'll use that No. 4 overall pick for a LB instead of WR Michael Crabtree or DE/OLB Brian Orakpo.

Hmmmmmmm....................

Draft

Like I said above, some holes left by losses of players could be the way Seattle goes in the first round or second round. I guess the only good thing about Seattle's terrible season is that they get a darn good draft pick— No. 4 overall.

Along with that, they got another pick in the Julian Peterson trade, a fifth rounder. After the gain of Houshmandzadeh, people have started to question whether Seattle will really take WR Crabtree in the first round, and thoughts have drifted off to Texas DE/OLB Brian Orakpo.

I think they should take a LOLB in the first round myself, as they could get the best one available to replace Peterson. Then in the second or third round they could get a FB to replace Leonard Weaver and a WR to help add strength to their receiving core and replace D.J. Hackett.

Maybe, though, just maybe, they might take Georgia RB Shawn Moreno to add Rookie Power to their running backs. Just saying :). 

So, with all their injured players returning, great acquisitions and draft picks replacing losses, and that gleaming glory of an early draft pick, the Seattle Seahawks will take flight again next season, and become title contenders.