Niner Noise
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NFL 2018 preview: 5 quarterbacks with a lot on the line this season

By Peter Panacy

BALTIMORE, MD - DECEMBER 23: Quarterback Joe Flacco #5 of the Baltimore Ravens stands on the sidelines prior to the game against the Indianapolis Colts at M&T Bank Stadium on December 23, 2017 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MD - DECEMBER 23: Quarterback Joe Flacco #5 of the Baltimore Ravens stands on the sidelines prior to the game against the Indianapolis Colts at M&T Bank Stadium on December 23, 2017 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /
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JACKSONVILLE, FL – DECEMBER 10: Russell Wilson #3 of the Seattle Seahawks warms up on the field prior to the start of their game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Field on December 10, 2017 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Logan Bowles/Getty Images)
JACKSONVILLE, FL – DECEMBER 10: Russell Wilson #3 of the Seattle Seahawks warms up on the field prior to the start of their game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Field on December 10, 2017 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Logan Bowles/Getty Images) /

3. team. 36. . . . Russell Wilson

Few NFL teams this offseason have dealt with as much player and coaching losses as the Seattle Seahawks.

Just think on this, from NFL writer Dov Kleiman:

Gone is Seattle’s vaunted “Legion of Boom.” And that front-seven defense looks far less imposing as it did only a few short years ago.

What this does is put even more pressure on quarterback Russell Wilson, who’ll be asked to be the guy now without as much certainty on the other side of the ball.

The cracks started to show for the Seahawks last season, and yet Wilson still tossed a league-leading 34 touchdowns. Without him, Seattle would be looking at a daunting task competing with fellow NFC West teams like the 49ers and Los Angeles Rams.

Yet Wilson might have enough in his playmaking ability to put an entire team on his shoulders. That’s what the elite-level quarterbacks do, and it’s time for Wilson to prove he belongs in that category.