The NFL Offseason Dust Has Settled and Nobody in Seattle Is Ready For What It Means

Alright, 12s, buckle up, because the NFL offseason, that wild ride of free agency and the draft, it's pretty much done. We're talking late May here, just a few weeks past the draft madness, and the final pieces are falling into place for teams around the league. ESPN's Ben Solak just dropped his list of the ten positional groups that improved the most from the end of 2025 to the start of the 2026 season, and let me tell you, this list changes how we look at the competition. The big question, always, is what does this mean for our Seattle Seahawks?

Who's Making Big Moves (and Why It Matters to Us)

Solak isn't just looking at who made a splashy signing, he's digging into the "net gains" from last season, focusing on the biggest leaps. He's talking about groups that needed serious help and went out and got it. For example, he pointed out that even though Tampa Bay brought in Alex Anzalone and Josiah Trotter, they lost Lavonte David to retirement, and his standard of play was so high, it was tough to count that as a massive net gain despite the additions. It's about how much better a unit truly is, not just who got new players.

He ranked the Arizona Cardinals running backs as the most improved unit, and honestly, you gotta see why. Last season, the Cards had five running backs with at least 40 touches, which is just too many cooks in the kitchen. Injuries to James Conner and Trey Benson forced them into rotations with guys like Michael Carter, Bam Knight, and Emari Demercado. Carter and Knight were two of the six worst rushers by yards over expectation. Demercado, despite leading the league in rushing yards over expectation per carry thanks to a few explosive plays, also had one of the worst EPA per carry numbers because of a self-inflicted fumble at the 1-yard line. This was a mess, plain and simple.

So what did they do? They signed Tyler Allgeier from the Falcons, a bruiser who hit 1,000 yards before Bijan Robinson joined the Falcons. Then, they drafted Jeremiyah Love with the third pick! Love brings that lightning-quick speed and tackle-breaking ability. Between Allgeier and Love, the Cardinals' running back room has taken a monumental leap. That's a division rival making a huge move right at the top of Solak's list.

The Shifting Landscape Around Our Hawks

While Solak's deep dive focused on the Cardinals' running backs, the chatter around the league is already hitting our Hawks. Even if we're not ranked #1 on Solak's "most improved" list for a specific unit, the broader NFL landscape is shifting, and that impacts us directly. We're hearing about "NFL futures" for the Seahawks moving significantly after blockbuster trades for guys like Myles Garrett and AJ Brown went down across the league. Think about that, folks! Other teams making huge moves are already changing the odds for our squad before the season even starts. It's wild! Plus, the buzz is out there, big time, about our "improved O-line." We're talking about an offensive line that's supposedly ready to handle whatever is thrown at them, and if that's true, it's a huge step for Sam Darnold and our whole offense with Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Rashid Shaheed, and Cooper Kupp ready to go.

So, what's next? The NFL season is still a bit away, but the groundwork is being laid right now. For our Mariners, they're out there grinding, and you know we're watching every pitch. Cal Raleigh and Julio Rodriguez are leading the charge, and we'll be back at T-Mobile Park soon. But as for our Hawks, every move other teams make, and every bit of buzz about our own improvements, shapes the 2026 season. We need to be ready for the ride ahead, because the stakes are already sky-high.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.