April 1, 2008

Needs on offense: A tight end who can stretch the middle of the field and do some damage in the red zone is a top priority. The team also needs to seriously consider an eventual replacement for aging OLT Walter Jones, who can’t shoulder the load as well anymore due to ongoing shoulder issues, and more manpower at guard, especially on the right side. Although Julius Jones and T.J. Duckett have been added to the mix, the team would still like to find another back with long-range “feature” potential. 

Needs on defense: The Seahawks need to beef up their interior defensive line after losing Chuck Darby and Ellis Wyms in free agency. 2007 third-round pick Brandon Mebane was a great find last season, but former first-round DT Marcus Tubbs remains a major injury risk. More depth at linebacker is also imperative after losing quality reserves Kevin Bentley and Niko Koutouvides. 

On Draft Day … The Seahawks consider themselves fortunate that there appears to be a fair amount of depth at their four neediest positions — in no particular order, TE, OL, DT and RB. Provided they stay put at the 25th pick in the first round, look for them to draft the best athlete available at one of the four positions listed above.