It took the Seattle Seahawks some time to get going in free agency, but they eventually got active in the first wave, making several additions to the roster in Mike MacDonald’s first offseason as head coach.
Most of them were focused on the defensive side of the ball, but there is still clear work to be done to put this team in a better spot to compete with the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams in the NFC West.
There is one area of the team that, following free agency, stands out as in dire need of help, and that is where we focus in a three-round mock for Seattle.
TRADE: Seattle receives pick 21 and pick 55 from Miami for pick 16 and pick 102
As it stands, the Seahawks don't have a second-round pick. In this mock, they change that, picking one up and sending a fourth to the Miami Dolphins to move back five spots in the first round to select....
Round 1, Pick 21: Jackson Powers-Johnson, C, Oregon
The Seahawks’ interior offensive line still has a very unconvincing look despite some moves to address it in free agency.
Powers-Johnson gives them a plug-and-play starter who can take the job at either center or right guard immediately in his rookie year.
Composed yet with a clear edge to his game, Powers-Jackson possesses excellent awareness and plays with a violence that allows him to excel in the pass game and produce highlight reel blocks in the run game.
On top of that, he is an excellent athlete with impressive lateral quickness who can climb smoothly to the second level of the defense in a blink.
Center has for too long been an issue for Seattle. Powers-Johnson would remove it as a problem.
Round 2, Pick 55: Michael Penix Jr, QB, Washington
What does the league think of Penix? Not much in this scenario, with the man who led Seattle’s college team all the way to the National Championship Game falling to the middle of the second round.
The rest of the NFL’s loss is Seattle’s gain, however, the Seahawks landing their quarterback of the future, whose deep-ball prowess should make him a natural fit with an explosive group of pass-catchers.
There is concern about Penix’s ability to perform with pressure in his face, but watch his game against Oregon and you will see him make several standout throws under duress.
In any case, the pressure would be off him for at least a year. Penix would have the luxury of being able to sit for a year behind Geno Smith before potentially taking the reins from a quarterback whose exit would save Seattle $25 million against the cap, albeit with a $13 million dead money charge, if they cut him next offseason.
Round 3, Pick 81: Cooper Beebe, G, Kansas State
The Seahawks recently signed Tremayne Anchrum to bolster their options at guard. However, Anchrum has played 101 offensive snaps in his entire career and it’s difficult to look at Seattle’s depth chart at that spot and not think more is needed.
Beebe had an excellent final season with the Wildcats as a pass blocker and caught the eye with a strong showing in the on-field drills at the Combine.
He could compete to instantly take the starting spot at left guard but also has valuable experience playing at left tackle in case the Seahawks ever find themselves in an emergency on the perimeter.
With Powers-Johnson and Beebe manning two of three spots on the interior and Penix waiting in the wings at quarterback, the Seahawks would be in a much better position for both the present and the future on offense.
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