The Seahawks will have the 31st pick in the NFL draft April 29-30. Some needs will be filled by free agents, but this is how the Seahawks stack up this offseason.

Highest priority: Free safety, running back, outside linebacker, cornerback.

The Seahawks could lose players at these positions. The future of free safety Ken Hamlin is up in the air because of head injuries suffered last fall, and fill-in Marquand Manuel, though expected to be kept, could become a free agent. The team can't go into next season with unproven Etric Pruitt as the only free safety on the roster. Running back becomes critical if the Seahawks don't re-sign Shaun Alexander and/or Maurice Morris. At linebacker, the team will need some depth if Jamie Sharper is a salary-cap casualty and Kevin Bentley is not re-signed. Same goes for cornerback, where injuries took their toll on the consistency of the pass defense, which was the most underachieving area on defense in 2005.

Medium priority: Guard, wide receiver, fullback, defensive tackle, defensive end, punter.

Left guard Steve Hutchinson has been given the transition tag but could still leave if the Seahawks don't match a big offer for him. Right guard Chris Gray is nearing the end of his career, though he has been durable, and Floyd Womack has to be ready to assume more of a role. If the Seahawks lose Joe Jurevicius to free agency, they'll lose some big numbers, size and plenty of intangibles at receiver. And Peter Warrick might go elsewhere. Fullback Mack Strong's career is in its twilight. He is an impending free agent but likely will be back. Defensive tackle Rocky Bernard might be lost to free agency after his productive year in 2005. The team always seems to be looking for a pass-rush specialist, perhaps a lighter and faster rush end. Punter Tom Rouen could be replaced by a more affordable player.

Low priority: Offensive tackle, center, quarterback, middle linebacker, kicker, tight end.

While the Seahawks might look for a good backup for Lofa Tatupu at middle linebacker, they have depth at the other positions. Kicker Josh Brown, a restricted free agent, has earned at least the low-end tender of close to $700,000 that would keep him in Seattle next season. Although the cornerbacks struggled at times in 2005, this is a fairly young and still experienced group. Among tight ends, the Seahawks could lose Ryan Hannam in free agency, Itula Mili barely played last season and Jerramy Stevens struggled mightily in the Super Bowl, so the team could look for a tight end in the draft.