Seattle Seahawks--Monitoring Team Needs--Free Agency to the 2009 Draft

 Keeping track of a team's dynamic roster gain/loss throughout the offseason is one of the keys to understanding their draft day moves and choices.  Enter Monitoring Team Needs, an at-a-glance way of checking up on your team's latest roster flux, as we count down through Free Agency, and into the days before the 2009 Draft.

Below is a table that breaks down this roster flux, showing who has come and gone, as well as updating the neediest areas of the team and some of the top names that have a good chance of being available when they pick in the Draft.  Draft prospects are linked to their Mocking the Draft Profiles and any names or positions highlighted in bold should be considered either to be positions of particular need and emphasis, or players of particular relevance and interest to the team's situation.  Below the chart we will discuss some of the names and situations described, and as always, you can join in on the discussion in the comments.

See you below the fold!

• Cautious will be the word of free agency, but to maximize draft leverage, the Hawks need to address WR to some degree, or the likelihood of WR Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech being forced on them at #4 is very real.  Enter WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh whom the Seahawks have been courting since free aency began.  Not a lot of rubber left on the tires, but still elite, and could put the WR position on the backburner for the rest of the season.  [TJ is officially on board with the seahawks, and things now get interesting in the top ten, as skill positions look like they will slip due to team needs elsewhere throughout.  Without Seattle in the running (probably) for Crabtree, one has to wonder how far he will drop.]
• Seattle's number one concern in the offseason is retaining existing talent and depth.  On the offensive line alone they have 3 players worth keeping including Floyd Womack, but that hasn't stopped them from courting OT John Stinchcomb from the Saints. 
• DT Colin Cole is a gret pickup and a solid anchor who underperformed in Green bay.  As Bernard leaves, Coles arrival leaves the team at a net gain at the position.