5 players who Seahawks need to be great in 2020

The Seahawks want to give Russell Wilson the chance to bring another Super Bowl title to Seattle. To make that happen, he needs help from these five guys.

Russell Wilson deserves a ton of credit for leading the Seattle Seahawks to a final regular season record of 11-5 in 2019. In sharp contrast to the team’s recent history, it was the Seattle offense that powered the franchise’s success a season ago.

That makes playing better defense a top priority for Pete Caroll and his staff in 2020. This team cannot afford to give up 24.9 points per game again. The Seahawks don’t necessarily need to forge an elite defense to become Super Bowl contenders, but finishing in the top 10 would greatly improve the team’s chances of securing a Lombardi Trophy.

That doesn’t mean the offense can rest on their laurels. The unit still puts too much pressure on Russell Wilson to deliver heroics on a regular basis. Getting more support from the skill positions would great increase Wilson’s margin for error on Sundays.

Overall this roster still looks to be more good than great, but there’s always a chance things could break right and make them a legitimate Super Bowl contender. To make that leap, Carroll needs big seasons from the following five players.

5. Duane Brown

Wilson makes a lot of plays for this team, but it’s still in Seattle’s best interest to limit the number of hits he takes over the course of the season. That makes Brown’s play at left tackle particularly important to the team’s success.

Betting on him to continue to play at a high level during his age-35 season is a questionable choice for the Seahawks. It’s a gamble that needs to pay off if they’re going to make another extended postseason run. Brown doesn’t need to perform like an All-Pro, but the Seahawks can’t afford much slippage from their veteran left tackle.