5 Ways Seth Rollins Can Achieve a Career Year in WWE in 2017

Seth Rollins' return to WWE after knee surgery led to a disappointing year. After a red-hot 2015, The Architect was a stack of damp dynamite that just wouldn't light in 2016. 

Talent wasn't the issue—booking was.

WWE had Rollins running in place, as his rivalry with Triple H never left the starting block. His list of opponents didn't vary enough. The lines the company fed him were too often hackneyed and childish.

To give Rollins room to regain the momentum he had when he was world champion and WWE's cocky king, things have to change in 2017. For Rollins to have a career year, WWE must pit him against rivals who will propel him. It has to refine and refocus his character.

The following is a look at those fixes and what ingredients will add up to a stellar 2017 for Rollins.

Obsess over Triple H Until WrestleMania

Triple H betrayed Rollins in August, flattening him without explanation, but too little has been made of that act.

For months, The Architect barely mentioned his father figure blindsiding him and gifting Kevin Owens the Universal Championship. It wasn't until December and the Roadblock: End of the Line pay-per-view that Rollins began calling out Triple H.

There has been too little follow-up to that, too.

WWE wants to save this showdown for WrestleMania. But as a result, Rollins has been left in limbo, his character lacking urgency and direction without his foil around.

A slow build is fine, but WWE has to give Rollins more to work with. The Architect has to be haunted by Triple H's attack. He must be overcome with a thirst for vengeance.

An enraged Rollins tearing through his opponents to send a message to The Game would be powerful. The story of Rollins' unraveling as he pleads for Triple H to emerge has major potential.

This would give him a chance to showcase his acting skills, and he would finally have a clearer purpose.

A career-changing feud with a future Hall of Famer awaits Rollins on the horizon. The sooner he charges in that direction, the better.

Avoid Corny Dialogue; Be an Antihero

Babyface Rollins has been too much like babyface Roman Reigns at his worst.

He's been hammy, firing off corny one-liners. He's referred to Chris Jericho as "sparkle crotch." His cool factor has plummeted as a result.

Rollins is better off ditching that element of his act.

He would be a more compelling figure if he were angrier and more intense—more of a take-no-prisoners kind of hero than a schoolyard jokester. Rollins is better suited to play a CM Punk-like antihero. 

He was once a part of The Authority, but Triple H abandoned him. That begs for Rollins to battle against the machine, looking to dismantle Stephanie McMahon's corruption and make The Game pay.

He can't goof around during that journey. 

Rollins' character got in his way in 2016. Allowing him to morph into a darker version of himself will let him shine.

Move Away from Roman Reigns

WWE had a chance to invigorate both Reigns and Rollins when the two reunited last year, but it did nothing with that story. There was no exploration of why they shelved their animosity. There was no evolution to their relationship.

Instead, WWE relied on the appeal of teased reunions of The Shield and let the narrative sit in neutral.

The company would be better off moving at this point. It missed its opportunity to build on what would have been a compelling dynamic between allies who became enemies then turned friendly again.

Rollins will be better served being defined as his own man. That will force WWE to play with his character more. And it will avoid the tedium that has emerged by going to the "Is The Shield back together?" well so much.

As Robbie Fox of Barstool Sports pointed out on Twitter, "Nobody cares about the mini Shield teases because they've never given us a second to breathe with them apart."

2017 is an excellent time to start to do just that. Rollins must chase after his own goals and be in his own stories. He spent too long in 2016 being a supporting player in what Reigns was doing.

Face a Wider Variety of Foes

In an abridged year, Rollins' resume lacked variety. 

The Architect faced Jericho and Owens a ton. Since September, Rollins has battled Jericho seven times and Owens six, per CageMatch.net.

But because there has been so few other opponents on his dance card, it's felt like more than that. Brian Campbell of ESPN.com tweeted, "Too much overkill in this Owens/Jericho vs. Reigns/Rollins feud. It feels never ending."

Rollins is a tremendous in-ring performer who works well against just about anybody. WWE has to do a better job of exploiting that.

In addition to his primary rivals, Rollins should have one-off matches against the likes of Karl Anderson, Curtis Axel or Titus O'Neil. Unexpected pairings like that will give Rollins a broader canvas to work on, and it's a safe bet he will create some masterpieces along the way.

Revisit Finn Balor Feud

The Demon vs. The Architect barely got started before Finn Balor tore up his shoulder.

Their SummerSlam clash was excellent—just the kind of high-octane athletic display one would expect from these two. It's a no-brainer to give fans more bouts like this when Balor returns from the disabled list.

And their rivalry would benefit from a shift in character from both men. 

Rollins has since turned babyface. A nastier, more sadistic Balor who welcomes his demonic alter ego would be an excellent foil for Rollins.

There is previous bad blood to build on. The enemies had good chemistry together. The second stage of their story together has great potential. 

If Rollins' character gets the reshaping it needs and WWE allows him to face top talents like Triple H and Balor on big stages, 2017 is going to be one hell of a year for The Architect.