Seattle Seahawks NFL Season Betting Preview (Expect Rough Year Without Russell Wilson)

The Seattle Seahawks are now Drew Lock’s team. 

Russell Wilson is now in Denver and that means the Seahawks are now in rebuild mode. On top of Wilson’s departure, Chris Carson also retired due to a neck injury. The Seahawks still have D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett on the offensive side of the ball, so they aren’t devoid of talent on that side, but with Drew Lock – or Geno Smith – at quarterback, there is still a lot of work to be done. 

The NFC West is a loaded division, and the Seahawks will try to find footing with three other contenders. 

Seattle Seahawks 2022 Offseason Moves and Signings

• Traded QB Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos for a two first-round picks, two-second round picks and a 5th-round pick
• Re-signed S Quandre Diggs to a four-year extension
• Re-signed RB Rashaad Penny
• Re-signed QB Geno Smith

Seattle Seahawks 2022 Schedule

According to SharpFootballAnalysis.com, Seattle has the 11th-toughest schedule in the league. The Arizona Cardinals are the only NFC West team with a harder schedule. 

Seattle has nine games against teams that made the playoffs last season, with six of those coming from the division. While the Seahawks have a winnable game at home against the Falcons to start the year, there aren’t many “gimmes” this season. 

Seattle Seahawks 2022 Win Total Prediction

• OVER 5.5 Wins (-140)
• UNDER 5.5 wins (+120)

DraftKings Sportsbook has the Seahawks’ win total set at 5.5 for the 2022 season, which I feel is an invitation to take the UNDER. We all know the transition the offense will have to make going from Russell Wilson to Drew Lock. I don’t see that process going smoothly. There will be growing pains on that side of the ball, especially because the defense isn’t going to provide much help. 

This was a bend-don’t-break defense last season, ranking 28th in yards allowed per game and 12th in points allowed per game. That isn’t sustainable when you don’t have elite talent. 

Seattle lost Bobby Wagner this offseason to the Los Angeles Rams, leaving a big hole at linebacker. The Seahawks also had the second-worst pass defense in the league in 2021. 

The Seahawks should win in Week 1 against the Falcons, beat either the Jets or Giants in consecutive weeks and win two divisional games. I’m projecting a four-win season for them. If Seattle fans get lucky, maybe the team stinks enough that they can be in the Bryce Young or C.J. Stroud sweepstakes. 

This is a team that will force the offense to win shootouts with Drew Lock at quarterback. Good luck. 

Pick: UNDER 5.5 Wins (+120)

Seattle Seahawks 2022 Odds to Win NFC West, NFC, and Super Bowl

• To Make the Playoffs: +500
• Odds to Win NFC West: +1800
• Odds to Win NFC: +8000
• Odds to Win Super Bowl 57: +15000

We don’t have to take the Seahawks seriously as contenders to win the Super Bowl, NFC or even the NFC West. The Cinderella story for Seattle would be to make the playoffs, but I don’t see that happening. Some of the hardest games this season will be on the road (@Buffalo & @NFC West opponents). 

This is a Seahawks team that will have moments of fun simply because of their offensive weapons on the outside, but the quarterback and defense will both struggle in 2022. I can see Seattle being a decent team ATS, but that might be the nicest thing I have to say about the Seahawks this year. 

You can find Donnavan Smoot’s full betting record here.