RENTON, Wash. (AP) - The remodel of the Seattle Seahawks has started with the goal of remaining competitive while refreshing a roster that at one time was good enough to win a Super Bowl but grew stale.
The key for Seattle remaining a contender while churning the roster is rediscovering success in the draft after the Seahawks went 9-7 last season and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2011.
In recent years, general manager John Schneider and his staff have been tagged with more misses than hits. The days of finding stars such as Russell Wilson in the third round and Richard Sherman in the fifth round have been replaced by high-round busts such as Christine Michael and Malik McDowell.
In the past five years, Seattle has drafted just one player to be voted to the Pro Bowl: Wide receiver and kick returner Tyler Lockett.
So the pressure is on Schneider to again have a bountiful draft. It doesn’t have to be as good as those ones earlier this decade that defined Seattle’s contending squads.
But there are notable areas Seattle needs to address and baring a trade it’ll have to do it with limited picks. Seattle’s first pick is at No. 18, the Seahawks have just eight selections entering the draft and none in the second or third rounds.
In an effort to have fewer misses, the Seahawks have shrunk their draft board with a smaller pool of players to consider.
“It looks cleaner. It’s easier to study. It’s easier to figure out where the ledges are, the drop-offs, where the strengths are,” Schneider said. “(In) 2010, 2011, 2012 we had less numbers in general. And then for one reason or another we continue to add more and more players and it’s just too much.”
Here’s what else to watch about the Seahawks entering the draft:
WHAT ABOUT EARL?
The offseason has been filled with conjecture about the future of star safety Earl Thomas, who is going into the final year of his contract in 2018. Thomas wants a new deal and has not hid his desire for one.
Thomas is also one of the few commodities Seattle has on its roster that could yield a bounty of picks if a trade was made. Thomas is still an elite safety, but the chance to get multiple picks could lead Schneider to pull off a trade.
SILENT DAY 2
Seattle is without a pick on the second day of the draft, the result of trading its second-round pick to the New York Jets as part of the Sheldon Richardson deal, and sending its third-round selection to Houston as part of the Duane Brown deal.
Don’t expect that to last. Schneider has been among the most active GMs during the draft making deals to acquire more picks.
“We take a lot of pride in our relationships with clubs where we can call someone up really quick and make a deal and move around. … I wish we had a second-rounder and a third-rounder, but we went for it and now here we are,” Schneider said. “It’s a challenge, but it’s a fun challenge.”
BIGGEST NEEDS
While the offensive line is regularly the biggest complaint of fans, it’s not Seattle’s biggest need. The Seahawks must get some pass rush help in this draft. The trade of Bennett and uncertainty over the future of Cliff Avril because of a neck injury leaves a void at defensive end with Frank Clark as the only proven pass rusher.
The secondary should also be a priority. Sherman is gone. So too are DeShawn Shead and Jeremy Lane. And there’s the same uncertainty around Kam Chancellor as Avril. Seattle re-signed Bradley McDougald and Justin Coleman, and has hopes for young safeties Delano Hill and Tedric Thompson, but depth is a major concern.
HITS, MISSES AND BARGAINS
The first three drafts Seattle had under Schneider laid the foundation for a Super Bowl team. The past five have been shaky at best.
The misses: None may be more costly than McDowell. The second-round pick has yet to play for Seattle because of an ATV accident before the 2017 season. His injury caused Seattle to trade for one season of Richardson, which cost the Seahawks a serviceable receiver in Jermaine Kearse and a second-round pick.
The hits: Last year the Seahawks nabbed cornerback Shaquill Griffin in the third round and he immediately became the starter. Playing opposite Sherman meant Griffin was targeted right away and his performance showed he can be capable of being Seattle’s next great cornerback.
The bargains: His rookie season was cut short because of injury, but Seattle has high hopes for running back Chris Carson, a seventh-round pick last year. Carson won the starting job in training camp last year and will likely be the presumptive starter going into this season.
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