The Seattle Seahawks rewarded their two signature stars, Russell Wilson and Bobby Wagner, with big off-season contracts in hopes that their big ‘Pay Day’ will arrive in January

So, the good guys won.

That is to say, Russell Wilson and Bobby Wagner won the hearts of management, and thus the locker room and now the lottery.

The off-season was payday for the Seattle Seahawks’ entrepreneurial quarterback and their All-Pro linebacker – with a little spare change left over for linebacker K.J. Wright, too.

It also marked the exit of what remained of the most volatile elements in the Seahawks’ weird chemistry – safety Earl Thomas and defensive end Frank Clark, who got their paydays in Baltimore and Kansas City, and receiver Doug Baldwin, whom injuries forced into retirement.

So the revolution that began with the departures of players like Richard Sherman and Michael Bennett – undeniable talents with the rebellious streaks that often put them at odds with head coach Pete Carroll – seems complete.

Now, can the kinder-and-gentler version of the Seattle Seahawks win in the fashion that the more abrasive, in-your-face version once did? Or is there not enough of a supporting cast to produce anything better than the upper-middle-class 10-wins-and-a-first-round-playoff-exit the franchise seemed quite pleased with last year?

Is that the kind of payday Seattle management has in mind?

What’s included

Even those who refuse to believe Wilson is worth the NFL’s biggest contract – the extension calling for $140 million over four years – can’t deny he deserved a raise. His 2018 season produced career bests in touchdowns (35) and quarterback rating (110.9) and just seven interceptions.

A good deal of that had to do with a improvements in the offensive line and at running back that led to the NFL’s best rushing attack – at least until the playoff loss to Dallas. Chris Carson became Seattle’s first 1,000-yard back since Marshawn Lynch in 2014.

Wagner, too, earned his big bump – three years, $54 million – for a career year when he too rarely had running mate Wright alongside for support. Once surrounded by outsized – and loud – personalities, at 29 he’s become the unquestioned soul of Seattle’s defense.

For the time being, you may not need to familiarize yourself with game piece upgrades. Almost every significant addition the Seahawks made in the offseason has struggled with injury during August camp, but Seattle could really stand for some instant pop from rookie DK Metcalf in an ordinary-looking receiver corps.

This indeed may be the new referendum on the team-building plan of Carroll and general manager John Schneider, whose previous four drafts have produced mostly question marks and marginal-impact players.

How to play

Here’s an area of urgency: the pass rush. Clark had 14 sacks a year ago, but he’s gone. Jarran Reed had 10.5, but he’s on the suspended list for six games due to a domestic violence from 2017. So the Seahawks went out and signed former Pro Bowl defensive lineman Ezekiel Ansah and Al Woods in the spring, though Ansah is battling a groin injury after shoulder issues wrecked his 2018 season. Top draft pick L.J. Collier has been out with an ankle sprain, so that’s going to put a lot of heat on second-year players Poona Ford and Rasheem Green, among others.

Otherwise, there aren’t many true position battles.

Developing capable targets for Wilson beyond Tyler Lockett is another matter. More injuries – to draft pick Metcalf, and then a serious shoulder knock for David Moore – has put the hurt on the receiving corps, leaving Jaron Brown and rookie Gary Jennings to possibly play a lot of downs. There’s also some competition behind Carson and backup Rashaad Penny, and maybe this is the year C.J. Prosise fulfills some promise.

The offensive line can’t seem to make it through a week without someone being doubtful or questionable on the injury report, but Carroll seems comfortable with backups George Fant and Ethan Pocic filling in – and lately it’s newcomer Mike Iupati whose spot at guard has needed to be filled.

As at running back, the competition in the secondary is in the depth – rookie Lano Hill or veteran DeShawn Shead at safety, Akeem King, Neiko Thorpe and Jamar Taylor at the important third corner/nickel spots.

How to win

The object of the game is to win, not to reaffirm an identity. This escaped Carroll and offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer in last year’s wild-card loss to Dallas. As validating as it was for the Seahawks to rediscover the run game – and lead the NFL in it during the season – it was going nowhere against the Cowboys’ stout run D, and Carroll stuck with it far too long.

This is likely to be an issue during the regular season. Seattle was 27th in passing offense a year ago and has one of the NFL’s top playmakers in Wilson. Problem is, Lockett is the only thing close to an elite receiver on the roster.

It almost boggles the mind how the offensive line, once ridiculed and reviled for putting Wilson in peril, is now … well, it’s better. Opening holes for the backs improved mightily in 2018, but the Seahawks still allowed 51 sacks, and this year the Seahawks need to be more than No. 18 in total offense.

That’s because outside of Wagner, the defense has lost its big-name playmakers. There’s a committee along the defensive line, and while the secondary has some solid contributors in Shaquill Griffin and Bradley McDougald, it’s no Legion of Boom.