With roster shuffling mostly done, are Seahawks closer to being a playoff team?

RENTON — There is lots of new meat, but can they meet the team standard?

All the moves seem to have been made, but can they move up the ladder? 

No doubt these past few months have kept the minds of Seahawks fans occupied. We’ve seen a coaching change, noticeable roster turnover, and now, the completion of a three-day draft. 

The franchise has given its die-hards lots of new names to learn and personalities to familiarize themselves with. But has it given its team any better chance to win the division or even reach the playoffs?

Barring any surprises in the next few months, the Seahawks essentially have their team. After parting ways with a series of staples, Seattle attempted to replenish via free agency and build through the draft. 

However, looking back on all that has transpired since the Seahawks’ final game last season — a win that resulted in a 9-8 record but left them short of the postseason — have the transactions involving between-the-line personnel given you confidence that this team has improved? 

Some of the more notable ones. There was a three-year contract for defensive end Leonard Williams, a one-time Pro Bowler (2016) who joined the Seahawks when they were 5-2 last season. There was the signing of safety Rayshawn Jenkins, a seven-year veteran who’s had 10 interceptions over the past five years, but has received subpar grades from analytics site Pro Football Focus in the past two seasons.

There was a trade for backup quarterback Sam Howell, who had 21 touchdown passes against a league-high 21 interceptions for the Commanders last year. And there were contracts for linebackers Jerome Baker and Tyrel Dodson, who have put up decent-but-not-mind-blowing numbers in their 10 combined years in the league, none of which resulted in a Pro Bowl. 

Remember, the Seahawks released three-time Pro Bowl safeties Quandre Diggs and Jamal Adams, both of whom appear to be past their primes. And they did not bring back linebackers Bobby Wagner and Jordyn Brooks, the former being Hall of Fame-bound. 

And though it’s possible that defensive tackle Byron Murphy II — taken with the 16th overall pick — makes an instant impact for a team that finished 30th in total defense last year, there is a reason that most sportsbooks aren’t predicting more than eight wins for Seattle next season. 

This is not necessarily an indictment of Seahawks general manager John Schneider’s activity this offseason — and certainly not a criticism of his draft. There were only so many players available in free agency, only so much cap room to work with — and it’s impossible to know how a draft class will turn out. 

But there is a standard that the Seahawks set shortly after Schneider and former coach Pete Carroll came on board 14 years ago: Compete for division titles and win playoff games. That hasn’t happened for a minute. Did they inch closer to that tier this offseason? 

“I think we’ve made a lot of progress, and we’re always gonna keep looking at it the same. We’re never gonna be like this, like rebuilding or whatever term you want to use. We’re not that,” Schneider said. “The standard is the standard. So yeah, nothing’s changed in that regard. We’re always going to be pushing the envelope. Now, just because we got through this draft doesn’t mean we’re not going to stop, either.”

There are, after all, still free agents that can be signed — just like there are midseason trades that can be brokered. And this draft class — which did not contain a second-round pick — can end up being a major hit. More significantly, defensive-guru-turned-head-coach Mike Macdonald has the potential to overhaul a defense replete with talented players (e.g., Devon Witherspoon, who finished fourth in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting last season.) 

Perhaps Geno Smith will play like the quarterback that won NFC Offensive Player of the Month two Octobers ago. Perhaps the return of outside linebacker Uchenna Nwosu — who missed 11 games with a torn pec last year — will help reignite the defense. Perhaps 2022 draft picks such as left tackle Charles Cross or linebacker Boye Mafe will have breakout seasons that spark a couple of extra wins. We don’t know.

What we do know is that the 49ers’ roster looks just as dominant as the one that won NFC West and went to the Super Bowl last season. That’s the harsh reality.

The Seahawks have plenty of new faces around these days. There’s just not a lot of evidence they will produce new results.