Carroll praises Wilson, calls 2016 Seahawks' 'best offseason'

Pete Carroll has been to two Super Bowls in his six seasons as head coach of the Seattle Seahawks, but he says this year has been his team's "best offseason" to date, mostly due to Russell Wilson.

The Seahawks finished strong last season, going 6-1 in their final seven games as Wilson and receiver Doug Baldwin delivered record-setting performances. Carroll noted that Wilson and his teammates have carried that success into the offseason.

"This is year five (for Wilson). It has taken all of this time to get to this point, and he'll still improve, but you can really see him as a real true vet now," Carroll told Lindsay H. Jones of USA TODAY Sports. "I think coming off of last year, with the great success of the second half of the season, he has taken it right in the offseason, and here we go. It's been our best offseason, and I think it's an indication of the development of our guys."

The Seahawks lost Marshawn Lynch to retirement, and saw starters Bruce Irvin, Brandon Mebane, Russell Okung, and J.R. Sweezy leave in free agency. The team's free-agent additions didn't quite match up, as they added offensive linemen Bradley Sowell and J'Marcus Webb, and are bringing back aging defenders in Brandon Browner and Chris Clemons.

Calling 2016 the Seahawks' best offseason refers more to how Carroll's current players have developed since arriving in Seattle, especially Wilson, Baldwin, and receivers Jermaine Kearse and Tyler Lockett.

"It takes four, five, six years - you don't know - for these guys to develop. (Wilson) has made a clear step ahead. His command is all time," Carroll says. "We saw him throw the ball all over the field throughout the offseason, and he's been strong and accurate and really precise about stuff. He has had a great offseason."