2008 Seattle Seahawks NFC West Preview

The 2008 edition of the Seattle Seahawks should be an exciting thing to watch. It will be a new look Seahawks team with a running back by committee approach replacing Shaun Alexander. Julius Jones and TJ Duckett will be employ a thunder and lightning concept and should complement Matt Hasselbeck nicely. Shaun Alexander was the face of this franchise for many years, but after signing his big contract never did perform at the same kind of level that made him MVP.

KEY ADDITIONS:

1) Julius Jones/TJ Duckett - Jones and Duckett will be called upon to replace the former MVP in Shaun Alexander. Jones is more shifty and quick than Alexander, and has been a proven starter for years in Dallas. Duckett isn't a number one runner by any means, but he is however a great change- of-pace bruiser that has a knack for the tough short yards.

2) Olindo Mare - Mare is a downgrade from Josh Brown, but is a proven reliable kicker that will spell him nicely. It likes to rain in Seattle, and the former Dolphin has seen his fair share of rain. Mare likes the weather warm however, and those December games could be tough to kick in.

3) Chris Cooper - An extremely underrated player that began his career in Oakland. He may not be flashy, or overtake a game, but he will work the trenches nicely and will work his tail off to help his team.

KEY LOSSES:

1) Shaun Alexander - Losing a former MVP, and the face of the franchise over the last decade, will be hard. The Seahawks however upgraded at this position by acquiring two backs that compliment each other nicely. Don't be surprised to see more production out of the backs this year, despite the lack of a big time name.

2) DJ Hackett - The loss of Hackett to a thin receiving will be a hard pill to swallow for the Seahawks. While Hackett wasn't a pro-bowl quality receiver, he was dependable and consistent. That's something most pro-bowlers (ie Randy Moss) can say.