POLL: Who was the Seahawks’ non-quarterback MVP?

Who was the Seattle Seahawks’ non-Russell-Wilson MVP this season?

Seattle’s 2020 regular season concluded Sunday when the Seahawks defeated the San Francisco 49ers 26-23 in Glendale, Arizona. Seattle finished the season 12-4, earning the NFC’s No. 3 seed to the playoffs. The Seahawks host the Los Angeles Rams at 1:40 p.m. Saturday in a first-round contest that pits NFC West foes that split their games this season.

So with the regular season done and dusted, let’s reflect on which non-quarterback was the Seahawks’ most valuable player.

The logic of removing Wilson from the discussion is that he’s too easy an answer. The quarterback is a football team’s most important player, and Wilson is a long-established franchise QB. Any playoff team’s quarterback is likely to be the front-runner in a team MVP poll, and that’s especially the case with Wilson, given his franchise record 40 touchdown passes and 105.1 quarterback rating. So removing Wilson from the equation makes it more interesting.

Here are some of the candidates for a non-Wilson Seahawks MVP:

• Bobby Wagner, middle linebacker. Seattle’s defensive captain churned out yet another Pro Bowl season. Wagner was the Seahawks’ runaway leader in tackles with 138, which ranked seventh in the NFL. He was also deployed effectively as a blitzer, finishing with 3.0 sacks and 11 quarterback hits. Tack on eight passes defensed, eight tackles for loss and one fumble recovered and Wagner was at the center of everything Seattle did defensively.
• Jamal Adams, strong safety. Adams’ acquisition just before the season began transformed the way Seattle plays defense. The Seahawks blitzed more than they ever have since Pete Carroll took over as coach in 2010, and Adams’ abilities as a pass rusher were the reason as he set a new NFL record for sacks by a defensive back (9.5), despite missing four games because of injury. The Pro Bowler also finished third on the team with 83 tackles.
• DK Metcalf, wide receiver. Seattle’s physical freak-of-nature, in his second year, took the step from being a receiver with great potential to being one with great production. He caught 83 passes for 1,303 yards and 10 touchdowns, breaking Steve Largent’s franchise record for receiving yardage in a season that stood 35 years. And, of course, the first-time Pro Bowler had that memorable chase down of Arizona safety Budda Baker.

Those three aren’t the only legitimate options. Maybe you think Tyler Lockett and his 100 receptions warrants consideration, or that running back Chris Carson’s physical style set a necessary tone. Perhaps you believe K.J. Wright’s adjustment from playing weak-side linebacker to strong-side linebacker made an important difference, or that Pro Bowl free safety Quandre Diggs and his five interceptions is the answer. Heck, even kicker Jason Myers and his perfect field-goal record and punter Michael Dickson and his magical ability to pin the opposition deep are in the conversation.

So who do you think was the Seahawks’ non-quarterback MVP for 2020? Let us know here, and if you choose the “other” option let us know who in the comments section: