We’re two years removed from the Seattle Seahawks’ massive trade with the Denver Broncos. Russell Wilson was sent to Denver for a haul of draft picks, as well as Noah Fant, Shelby Harris, and Drew Lock. While Harris and Lock are on other teams, Fant is still here and the Seahawks have all of their picks acquired from the Broncos either on the active roster or (in the case of Tyreke Smith) the practice squad.
In Sunday’s Week 1 win over the Broncos, it was fittingly the top picks from the Wilson trade who were the star performers.
Charles Cross (2022, No. 9 pick)
The Seahawks offensive line as a whole wasn’t very good. Cross was outstanding, backing up the preseason and training camp hype.
If you’re into PFF grades, Cross posted a 94.8 overall grade with a run block grade north of 96. He allowed zero pressures and zero sacks, and reacquainted himself with former teammate Cody Barton on Kenneth Walker’s touchdown run.
The Seahawks need Cross to make a significant improvement from his previous two seasons in order to have some semblance of function on the OL, and this was as promising a start as you could have.
Boye Mafe (2022, No. 40 pick)
Mafe had a quiet first season in Seattle before making a big surge to lead the team in sacks (9.0) in 2023. So far, so good in 2024. According to Next Gen Stats:
Boye Mafe generated his second-highest pressure rate (19.4%) and tied his most total pressures (7) in a game in Week 1 against the Broncos.
Mafe had 4 of his 7 pressures come in under 2.5 seconds, averaging an impressive 2.57 seconds per pressure. Mafe generated 3 pressures and 1 sack in 11 matchups against Garrett Bolles (27.3% pressure rate).
It wasn’t just the pressure that Mafe repeatedly got on Bo Nix, however. He played a huge role in Seattle’s run defense.
With Uchenna Nwosu out for at least another game, Mafe will continue to be the most important outside linebacker on the team. It’s not far-fetched to think that he may still hold that distinction even when Nwosu returns.
Devon Witherspoon (2023, No. 5 pick)
Statistics for how often a cornerback was “targeted” can be all over the shop in the same way pressures are counted, but the second-year cornerback was his usual outstanding self. PFF charted him for three catches allowed on eight targets for just 17 yards. Witherspoon also was credited with a pass defensed, which I assume is the interception that he nearly had in the first half.
Similar to Mafe, Witherspoon’s primary role is in pass defense, but that doesn’t mean you won’t see Witherspoon down in the box helping on run plays. One of Byron Murphy II’s two tackles in this game was assisted, and that assist came from Murphy.
Witherspoon’s continued usage as a blitzer also yielded Mafe’s lone sack of the game. Mike Macdonald showed seven at the line of scrimmage, with Witherspoon coming off the edge. Jarran Reed and Leonard Williams dropped into coverage, creating a five-man pressure and Witherspoon was able to flush Bo Nix out of the pocket.
Derick Hall (2023, No. 37 pick)
While Hall didn’t make as big an impact as the others on this list, he still recorded four pressures and had his first career sack when he ushered Bo Nix out of bounds for no gain.
Hall was not particularly effective as a rookie and also dealt with a shoulder injury that impacted his performance. After a dominant preseason, hopes were high that Hall would be able to make a second season leap similar to Mafe. While the sack is nice in terms of that statistical milestone, I’m more encouraged by his discipline to not bite hard on the fake and stay on Nix’s case.
Meanwhile, the two players the Broncos received in the trade combined for zero snaps played in a Denver uniform in Week 1. Russell Wilson is currently with the Pittsburgh Steelers, while fourth-round pick Eyioma Uwazurike (back from a gambling suspension) was a healthy scratch.
