Jets 2022 Opponent Series | Seattle Seahawks

Week 17 - Jan. 1, 2023 | Jets at Seahawks

Lumen Field

State of the Team

The 'Hawks are in transition mode. From 2012-21, Seattle made the postseason eight times while appearing in two Super Bowls and winning one title. But QB Russell Wilson, who went 104-53-1 in the regular season and 9-7 in the playoffs during that time span, was traded to Denver this offseason in exchange for QB Drew Lock, TE Noah Fant, DE Shelby Harris and five draft picks. Pete Carroll, who will turn 71 in September, is the NFL's fourth-longest tenured head coach and he's had an amazing run in the Pacific Northwest. But what will his team, who finished fourth in the NFC West last season with a 7-10 mark, look like with Wilson in the Rocky Mountains? The NFL schedule-makers provided fans with a Week 1 present as the Hawks will host the Broncos on Monday Sep. 12th.

"It was a long process where I didn't think we would do it," Carroll said of the Wilson deal during the NFL League Meetings in Palm Beach, FL. "It was such a complicated trade to make that I thought it would be all but impossible to pull it off. It did work out and we got an opportunity we thought was too good to pass up. It made the decision for the franchise we thought was a really good one."

In addition to losing Wilson, the 'Hawks also parted ways with the longtime defensive signal-caller, Bobby Wagner. A second-round pick of Seattle in 2012 (Wilson was a third-rounder in the franchise-changing draft), Wagner was a six time first-team All-Pro and eight-time Pro Bowler during his stay but become a salary cap casualty and will chase a ring in LA with the Rams.

Biggest Offseason Addition

With one of the picks acquired in the package for Wilson, the Seahawks selected Mississippi State T Charles Cross at No. 9 overall. A first-team all-conference selection in 2021, Cross started 12 games at left tackle for Mississippi State and Cross — Seattle's highest draft choice since 2010 — likely will remain there on the pro level. On the other side of the ball, the 'Hawks selected an explosive pass rusher in the second round in Minnesota's Boye Mafe. Mafe (6-4, 261), who ran a 4.53-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine, racked up 7 sacks and 10 TFL last season at Minnesota. The Seahawks drafted six Senior Bowl alums and five of those players, Mafe, CB Coby Bryant (Cincinnati), OL Abraham Lucas (Washington State), WR Bo Melton (Rutgers) and DL Tyreke Smith (Ohio State), were coached up by the Jets in Mobile.

Must-See Matchup

The Seahawks have a new defensive coordinator in Clint Hurtt and one of his primary objectives will be getting former Jets S Jamal Adams back to his 2020 level. Just two seasons ago, Adams set an NFL record with 9.5 sacks in 12 games. The 'Hawks sent Adams on the blitz far less last season, and he didn't record a sack while finishing with a career-high 2 INTs. The most improved position group on the Jets' roster is tight end as the Green & White signed both C.J. Uzomah and Tyler Conklin in free agency before drafting Jeremy Ruckert. Seattle will counter with one of the most talented safety groups in football featuring Quandre Diggs, a two-time Pro Bowler who recorded 10 INTs in 2020-21, and Adams. We'll take the Jets TEs vs. Adams and the 'Hawks safety group, but this promises to be a fascinating contest for a multitude of reasons. Will Lock, former Jet Geno Smith or someone else start at QB in Week 17? Plus, former Seahawks' CB D.J. Reed and Jets' first-rounder Ahmad 'Sauce' Gardner will attempt to lock up D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett on the outside.

Inside the Numbers

*No longer on roster