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Entering the 2006 regular season, the Seattle Seahawks have some of the highest expectations in the National Football League. Much of the confidence people have in Mike Holmgren"s team comes from its superb offense, which finished last season tops in the league in total yardage and second in points scored. Thanks to that tremendous unit, the Seahawks marched all the way to Super Bowl XL, where they lost controversially to the Pittsburgh Steelers.This season, 30-year-old Matt Hasselbeck returns under center. Considering he was once an unheralded backup quarterback in both Green Bay and Seattle, it"s hard to believe how far the former Boston College standout has come. The two-time Pro Bowler had his best season in 2005, tossing for 24 touchdowns, nine interceptions and 3,455 yards. Since Hasselbeck"s in his prime, look for him to continue performing to an elite level in "06.Much like the QB position, the Seahawks return a familiar stalwart in the backfield. Defending NFL MVP Shaun Alexander, who set an all-time record with 28 touchdowns last year, remains the No. 1 man on the roster. The former first-rounder also eclipsed the 1,800-yard rushing mark last year, making him arguably the best back in the game. However, what goes up must come down, which means the 29-year-old probably won"t approach either his yardage nfl jerseys or touchdown totals from last year. Still, the 218-pounder"s a top-notch performer capable of carrying the Seahawks every week, though he likely won"t need to.At wide receiver, the Seahawks are clearly questionable. Top man Darrell Jackson is certainly above average when healthy, but that seems like a rarity. Jackson is battling injuries once again this preseason, and hasn"t even practiced or played yet this summer. Obviously, that spells trouble.Following Jackson in the starting lineup will either be Bobby Engram or Nate Burleson. Of that pair, the newly acquired Burleson has the most potential of the two, but Engram brings veteran steadiness. Since Burleson, a former Viking, was signed to such a large deal in the offseason, it would be hard to envision him not starting. Burleson, who was once a 1,000-yard receiver, will have a tall order ahead of him trying to replace the departed Joe Jurevicius.The tight end position in the Pacific Northwest will see 6-foot-4, 265-pounder Itula Mili as the opening day starter, assuming his recent knee sprain heals in time. The 33-year-old only played in two games last season, but he was known as a dependable blocker/receiver prior then, catching Dallas Cowboys jerseya combined 112 passes between 2002-2004. He"ll hold down the fort until former first-round pick Jerramy Stevens returns from a preseason knee injury. Seattle"s offensive line is where the winds of change blew in the most during the offseason. The team waved goodbye to left guard Steve Hutchinson, one of the best in football, who signed a massive deal with the Minnesota Vikings. As a result, 27-year-old career backup Floyd Womack is tentatively inserted into the starting lineup, but he can"t seem to stay healthy at all. The door remains open for inside linemen Chris Spencer, a first-rounder in the "05 draft, and Rob Sims, who was drafted in the fourth round out of Ohio State last April.Teaming up inside with either Womack, Spencer or Sims is right guard Chris Gray and center Robbie Tobeck, two o-line sages who have a combined 25 years of experience under their belts. Tobeck"s excellence was finally recognized last year, as Indianapolis Colts jersey the 36-year-old made the trek to his first Pro Bowl. Gray, meanwhile, hasn"t missed a game this millennium, starting in 96 consecutive contests. Rounding out the Seahawks" starting line is their two tackles, left man Walter Jones and, on the right, Sean Locklear. The 308-pound Jones is hands down the best left tackle in the league, while Locklear, a 25-year-old, burst onto the scene last year, starting in all 16 games and taking only four penalties.In terms of offensive depth, Seattle is difficult to beat. Players like backup RB Maurice Morris, WR"s D.J. Hackett and Peter Warrick, and linemen Tom Ashworth and whichever two players lose out on the LG job jump to the forefront.Final prediction: Once again, underappreciated coordinator Gil Haskell"s offense will finish this season near the top of the NFL. If the group doesn"t end the year standing at the peak of the league"s mountain of offenses, it will be mighty close. With guys like Hasselbeck, Alexander and Jones, that"s not at all far-fetched.--Got feedback? Connor J. Byrne responds to your questions and comments: cbyrneSign up for our free e-mail alerts at the top right-hand corner of the page for the latest Seattle Seahawks articles sent directly to your inbox.