HEAD COACH: Pete Carroll
Key Additions: QB Matt Flynn; DE Jason Jones; WR Terrell Owens; WR Braylon Edwards; TE Kellen Winslow, Jr.; OL Frank Omiyale
Key Losses: TE John Carlson; QB Charlie Whitehurst; LB David Hawthorne; OL Rob Gallery
Offense: After finishing strong a year ago, it appears Seattle is making some adjustments at the quarterback spot by bringing in free agent Matt Flynn (518 pass yards with six touchdowns and two interceptions) from Green Bay, where he set the team's all-time single game pass yardage record in the 2011 season finale.
Tarvaris Jackson is also in camp, looking to battle Flynn for the starting spot after throwing for 3,091 yards with 14 TD passes and 13 interceptions a year ago. Rookie Russell Wilson (Wisconsin) is also on hand for Seattle.
Marshawn Lynch leads the rushing attack after gaining 1,204 yards (4.2 ypc average) with 12 TD last season. Leon Washington (53, 248, one TD) will once again be counted on to spell Lynch and also returns kicks. Rookie Robert Turbin (Utah State) is also available. The fullback is Michael Robinson.
The wide receiving corps is bolstered with the addition of Terrell Owens (after missing 2011 with knee injury) and signing Braylon Edwards, who had a less than stellar year with San Francisco.
Those two will look to crack the lineup along with a plethora of receivers, including Mike WIlliams (18 catches for 236 yards, one TD), Sidney Rice (32, 484, two TD), Golden Tate (35, 382, three TD) and Doug Baldwin, the team's leading receiver in 2011, who grabbed 51 receptions for 788 yards and four touchdowns.
Kellen Winslow, Jr. (75, 763 yards and two TD) comes over from Tampa Bay at tight end. Zach Miller, who made 25 catches for 233 yards, is the other tight end.
The O-line has Max Unger at center, along with tackles Russell Okung and Breno Giacomini. The guards are Paul McQuistan and John Moffitt.
The Seahawks averaged 304 yards a game in 2011, which put them 28th overall. The rushing game averaged 110 yards and the passing game 194 yards per game.
Defense: After finishing ninth in the NFL last year, giving up 332 yards per game, the Seahawks will once again have the 4-3 look on defense, with Red Bryant and Chris Clemons (11 QB sacks) at the end positions and Alan Branch and Brandon Mebane playing defensive tackle. Rookie Bruce Irvin (West Virginia), Dexter David, Jason Jones and Pep Levingston provide depth in the trenches.
The linebackers are K.J. Wright and Leroy Hill (four sacks) outside with the likely middle linebacker being a rookie, Bobby Wagner, taken in the second round out of Utah State. Malcolm Smith, Korey Toomer (rookie from Idaho), Barrett Ruud and Mike Morgan will also be available.
The secondary has corners Richard Sherman and Brandon Browner, who had six interceptions, including two returned for touchdowns. The safeties are Kam Chancellor and Earl Thomas. Sherman and Chancellor each had four picks as well.
Marcus Trufant, Jeron Johnson, Roy Lewis and Chris Maragos will aid the secondary, which helped Seattle accumulate 22 picks last season.
The Seahawks gave up 220 yards passing per game (22nd in NFL in 2011) and 112 rushing yards per game, which was 21st overall.
OUTLOOK: Head Coach Pete Carroll saw the team rebound from a poor start to go 7-9 a year ago, while the defense showed steady improvement.
Flynn comes in with some high expectations after showing what he could do in Green Bay the past two seasons when he spelled Aaron Rodgers at quarterback. The Seahawks should have a decent passing attack with the diversity of receivers they feature.
The running game should be fine once again as well. One area of concern is the pass protection, as Seahawks quarterbacks were sacked 50 times last season.
On defense, the secondary will look to improve on allowing so many big plays that resulted from their ball hawking, gambling style of play that helped produce a plus eight in the turnover category.
While winning the NFC West is a big reach for the team, and a very tough schedule with a lot of travel will be a challenge as well, Carroll's enthusiasm and the additions of new faces on offense may provide Seattle a boost in the 2012 season.
The Seahawks should finish at or possibly above the .500 mark this year as they continue to build for the future. An 8-8 finish would be a good start in that direction.
TEAM SCHEDULE:
Week 1- at Arizona
Week 2- vs. Dallas
Week 3- vs. Green Bay
Week 4- at St. Louis
Week 5- at Carolina
Week 6- vs. New England
Week 7- at San Francisco
Week 8- at Detroit
Week 9- vs. Minnesota
Week 10- vs. NY Jets
Week 11- BYE
Week 12- at Miami
Week 13- at Chicago
Week 14- vs. Arizona
Week 15- at Buffalo
Week 16- vs. San Francisco
Week 17- vs. Arizona
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