Seahawks Mailbag: Which Draft Picks Might Start As Rookies, Excitement About Germany & More

It's been a busy week for the Seahawks, who last weekend selected nine players in the 2022 NFL Draft, and who on Wednesday learned that they are heading to Germany this season to face the Buccaneers in Munich in what will be the first regular-season NFL game played in Germany. With all of that going on, now's a great time to dig into the mailbag and answer some questions from you, the fans. As always, thanks to everyone who asked questions this week, and apologies if I couldn't get to yours this time around.

Imelda McGuire from Panama City, Florida asks, "Which draft picks have the best chance to be Week 1 starters?"

A: While a lot can and will change between now and the start of the season, looking at where the Seahawks selected players in the draft, as well as what the competition looks like on the roster, the most obvious choice would be first-round pick Charles Cross starting at left tackle. Not only was cross the No. 9 overall pick, meaning the Seahawks think very highly of his ability, he also is coming to a position where last year's starter, Duane Brown, remains unsigned as a free agent.

Sticking with tackle, third-round pick Abraham Lucas also will get a real shot to compete for a starting job, though he'll face some stiff competition in Jake Curhan, who played well after taking over the starting job for an injured Brandon Shell late last season.

Second-round pick Ken Walker III should have a decent role in the offense right away, though as long as Rashaad Penny and/or Chris Carson is healthy, it might be hard for Walker to start right away. Fellow second-round pick Boye Mafe and fifth-round pick Tyreke Smith may not be starters to kick off their rookie campaigns, but Pete Carroll said he wants to have a deep rotation of edge rushers, so both could earn early playing time even if players like Darrell Taylor and Uchenna Nwosu are ahead of them on the depth chart. For those who miss the broadcast in its entirety or specific portions of it, the NBC Sports streaming service allows the option of on-demand viewing for the fan. If you're a cord cutter, here are the ways you can stream Rugby World Cup 2013 live online.