Jan 22, 2015
Seahawks' roster comparison from Super Bowl XLVIII to XLIX
Since their Super Bowl XLVIII victory in New Jersey last season, the Seahawks roster has remained largely unchained. The offensive line has just one new starter – rookie right tackle Justin Britt – and the linebackers, cornerbacks and safeties all have the same core players. The Seahawks are not entirely without change since last February, however, and enter Super Bowl XLIX with major changes to the receiving corps and on the defensive line.
TSN.ca Staff
,Since their Super Bowl XLVIII victory in New Jersey last season, the Seahawks' roster has remained largely unchained. The offensive line has just one new starter – rookie right tackle Justin Britt – and the linebackers, cornerbacks and safeties all have the same core players.
The Seahawks are not entirely without change since last February, however, and enter Super Bowl XLIX with an overhauled defensive line and a receiving corps that took significant losses over the year.
The wide receiver changes have been discussed and dissected throughout the year for the Seahawks, who let starter Golden Tate walk to the Detroit Lions in free agency and traded Percy Harvin during the season. These changes forced Doug Baldwin to become the feature wide receiver of the offence and promoted Jermain Kearse to a starter. Baldwin fell just of Tate's 2013 numbers this season, while Kearse had a significant drop off from Baldwin's production.
Yet, where these changes are felt for the Seahawks, are on special teams. When healthy, Harvin represents one of the significant kick return threat, as evidenced by his 87-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in Super Bowl XLVIII. Against the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship, Baldwin averaged 19.3 yards per kickoff return with a fumble and punt returner Bryan Walters averaged just seven yards.
Often overshadowed by the losses of Tate and Harvin, are changes Seattle made to create a smaller and more athletic defensive line. The Seahawks lost starting defensive ends Chris Clemons and Red Bryant in free agency to the Jacksonville Jaguars and placed defensive tackles Brandon Mebane and Jordan Hill on injured reserve during the season. Tony McDaniel then remained as the team's lone holdover from their Super Bowl-winning front four.
The transition from Clemons to Michael Bennett was a relatively simple one; replacing one edge rusher with another. But replacing Bryant with Cliff Avril at defensive end represented a significant change in philosophy for the base defence of the Seahawks - trading a 323-pound run stuffer with a 260-pound pass rusher. Though the Seahawks already employed multiple fronts to feature pass rushers, the change in their base package clearly didn't hurt the unit, who once again ranked first in total defence and, surprisingly, improved from seventh against the run to third. The defence did, however, drop from 43 sacks in 2013 to 36 this year.
In more minor changes for the Seahawks, K.J. Wright will start in this year's Super Bowl over last year's MVP Malcolm Smith. Smith started the NFC Championship game and Super Bowl last year in place of Wright, who was battling a foot injury.
On the offensive line, Britt has taken over at right tackle for Breno Giacomini, who joined the New York Jets in free agency. The Seahawks once again kept 10 offensive lineman on the active roster this season, but focused on keeping more interior linemen after keeping six offensive tackles last year (of those, only Paul McQuistan was listed a guard/tackle). Alvin Bailey started for Britt against the Packers in the Conference Championship, but the rookie is expected to start against the Patriots despite a knee injury.
An injury to Zach Miller allowed Luke Willson to take over at starting tight end this season. Willson had four catches on four targets against the Carolina Panthers in the Divisional Round and has become a significant contributor in the offence.
Finally, with Michael Robinson retiring after the 2014 Super Bowl win and Derek Coleman injured, the Seahawks will start former defensive lineman Will Tukuafu at fullback on Sunday. Tukuafu - 6-4, 293-pounds - is a punishing run blocker head-on, but struggles with lateral movement.
The Seahawks strongest unit from 2013, the secondary or "Legion of Boom," remains unchanged at the starting positions, though Earl Thomas (shoulder) and Richard Sherman (elbow) are battling injuries this year.
See the full roster comparison from Super Bowl XLVIII to XLIX below.
Roster Comparison
Super Bowl XLVIII Seahawks | Position | Super Bowl XLIX Seahawks |
---|---|---|
Russell Wilson | QB | Russell Wilson |
Tavaris Jackson | QB | Tavaris Jackson |
QB | B.J. Daniels | |
Marshawn Lynch | RB | Marshawn Lynch |
Robert Turbin | RB | Robert Turbin |
Christine Michael | RB | Christine Michael |
Derek Coleman | RB | |
Michael Robinson | FB | Will Tukuafu |
Zach Miller | TE | Luke Willson |
Kellen Davis | TE | Cooper Helfet |
Luke Willson | TE | Tony Moeaki |
Golden Tate | WR | Doug Baldwin |
Doug Baldwin | WR | Jermaine Kearse |
Percy Harvin | WR | Kevin Norwood |
Jermaine Kearse | WR | Ricardo Lockette |
Ricardo Lockette | WR | Chris Matthews |
Bryan Walters | WR | Bryan Walters |
Russell Okung | OT | Russell Okung |
Breno Giacomini | OT | Justin Britt |
Paul McQuistan | OT | Alvin Bailey |
Alvin Bailey | OT | Garry Gilliam |
Michael Bowie | OT | |
Caylin Hauptmann | OT | |
James Carpenter | G | James Carpenter |
J.R. Sweezy | G | J.R. Sweezy |
Lemuel Jeanpierre | G | Keavon Milton |
Max Unger | C | Max Unger |
C | Lemuel Jeanpierre | |
C | Patrick Lewis | |
Chris Clemons | DE | Michael Bennett |
Red Bryant | DE | Cliff Avril |
Michael Bennett | DE | O'Brien Schofield |
Cliff Avril | DE | Demarcus Dobbs |
O'Brien Schofield | DE | David King |
Benson Mayowa | DE | |
Brandon Mebane | DT | Tony McDaniel |
Tony McDaniel | DT | Kevin Williams |
Jordan Hill | DT | Landon Cohen |
Clinton McDonald | DT | |
Bruce Irvin | LB | Bruce Irvin |
Bobby Wagner | LB | Bobby Wagner |
Malcolm Smith | LB | K.J. Wright |
K.J. Wright | LB | Malcolm Smith |
Heath Fawell | LB | Brock Coyle |
Mike Morgan | LB | Mike Morgan |
Richard Sherman | CB | Richard Sherman |
Byron Maxwell | CB | Byron Maxwell |
Jeremy Lane | CB | Jeremy Lane |
Walter Thurmond | CB | Tharold Simon |
CB | Marcus Burley | |
Kam Chancellor | S | Kam Chancellor |
Earl Thomas | S | Earl Thomas |
Chris Maragos | S | Jeron Johnson |
DeShawn Shead | S | DeShawn Shead |
S | Steven Terrell | |
Steven Hauschka | K | Steven Hauschka |
Jon Ryan | P | Jon Ryan |
Clint Gresham | LS | Clint Gresham |