The Seattle Seahawks are one of the most talented teams on paper in the NFL. They have a great young QB who now has some solid weapons to throw the ball to, a very good running game and an outstanding defense. They will certainly be contenders for the Lombardi Trophy this season.
When looking at the Seahawks' roster, it was kind of hard to come up with five irreplaceable players. The team has a ton of talent but also has so much depth at many different positions that even great players seem to be easily replaceable if needed. A great example of this was the player who was most difficult to leave off this list. I am sure that many people will not agree with this: running back Marshawn Lynch did not make my list of one of the five most irreplaceable members of the Seahawks.
Lynch is a great player. He is easily one of the ten best running backs in the entire NFL. Ever since he arrived in Seattle, Lynch has put up incredible stats and has been a big reason for the turnaround of the Seahawks. That being said, running back is such a replaceable position. As long as you have a good quarterback, the running back position is easily replaceable. RBs are a "dime a dozen." Obviously, there are still guys with elite talent who can't be replaced. Adrian Peterson is the obvious example of this. The guy is a freak and simply can't be replaced. Lynch is not in the Peterson category; he is a solid player but he is not an elite athlete.
Lynch has a couple of good young running backs backing him up who would keep the Seahawks afloat if he were to go down. Robert Turbin looked great in limited time last season and rookie Christine Michael is one of the most talented running backs in the 2013 draft class. I think the Seahawks would be just fine with these guys taking over for Lynch.
All of this makes Lynch replaceable. Do not get me wrong, he is a great player, he just is not "elite." Lynch is still an important piece to the 2013 Seahawks and will certainly be a big part of their success. The Seahawks are absolutely loaded this year. They are stocked and ready for a Super Bowl run. It has been quite some time since the Seahawks have put together a team like this. Seattle fans are some of the best in the NFL and will back this team to the fullest. Seattle will be a very interesting team to watch this season. Here are the five most irreplaceable players on the Seahawks.
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Percy Harvin was acquired via trade from the Minnesota Vikings during the offseason. Harvin gives the Seahawks a playmaker at the wide receiver position that they desperately needed. Golden Tate and Sidney Rice are nice players, but they do not compare to Harvin when it comes to pure talent. He is a great player who can score from anywhere on the field. His elite speed and athleticism allows him to make defenders miss when he has the ball in his hands. Harvin is a very tough, physical player for his size, but this has given him many injuries in the past. If Harvin can somehow stay healthy, he will be a huge part of the success of the Seahawks.
I think it is safe to say that Richard Sherman is now the best cornerback in the NFL. The guy is a legitimate shutdown corner who will defend the opposing team's best receiver. His size, strength and speed combination is unmatched at the cornerback position in the NFL. Sherman allows the rest of the defense to play more freely as they know he will shut down his guy.
Earl Thomas has become one of the best safeties in the NFL. He is great at helping stop the run game and is even better in pass coverage. Thomas has the speed to fly around the field and make plays, which he does on a regular basis. The Seahawks would certainly miss Thomas if he were to get injured.
Max Unger is one of the best centers in the league and is a leader for the Seahawks. Unger is fantastic at both opening holes for the running back and protecting the quarterback. Unger was voted to the Pro Bowl last season and was also ranked in the top 100 players by his peers. Unger will continue to be a huge part in the success of the Seahawks, both as a player and as a leader.
Russell Wilson is the single most irreplaceable player on the Seahawks. Last year as a rookie, Wilson played the game like a 10-year veteran. Not only did he make great plays with his arm and legs, but he was and will continue to be a big-time vocal leader for this team. The Seahawks have needed a quarterback for some time, and they finally have their guy. Wilson will undoubtedly be the starting QB for the Seahawks for a very long time. He has answered every question about his playing ability and is now ready to lead this team on a Super Bowl run.
