THE CHEAP SEATS with STEVE CAMERON: Close, but still missing a serious piece

What can you tell from one game?

What if it’s the last game of a bruising and disappointing NFL season, with no playoff picture and not much importance in terms of draft order?

In other words, do we have a better idea of the Seahawks’ future after watching Sunday’s 30-25 victory over a gang of Rams backups?

Well, start with this: It’s hard to imagine any of the Hawks harming their long-term spots in Mike Macdonald’s plans.

Even with seven offensive starters sitting out, and impact defenders sprinkled in and out throughout the day, the Rams didn’t come to lounge around.

Jimmy Garoppolo was generally sharp at quarterback, and L.A. showed off enough second-team talent that the Seahawks encountered a serious challenge at SoFi Stadium.

It took a terrific fourth-quarter drive led by Geno Smith, and then a gutty red-zone stand in the final seconds to get the Hawks out of town with their 10th win of the season.

Geno is going to be the center of offseason chatter, and he produced a four-TD game to debut the stage for 2024.

Macdonald and GM John Schneider no doubt already have their feelings about Geno — pro and con — pretty much locked in place.

CAN THE Hawks upgrade on Geno Smith, assuming they hope to do so?

Do they feel a new offensive coordinator — replacing the fired Ryan Grubb — can spark the quarterback room?

If he sticks around, Smith will earn around $30 million — plus $6 million more in roster bonuses for reaching pre-set targets.

Smith reset his team records for yards in a season (4,320), attempts (578), completions (407) and completion percentage (70.4 percent).

Still, there are doubters.

Should Seattle commit to Geno for several seasons in his mid-30s?

He can spin the ball as well as the game’s elite passers, but he’s not mobile enough to escape trouble, and he’s had a habit of throwing disastrous interceptions late in drives — and especially in the end zone.

He chucked 15 picks overall this year, against 21 TDs.

OK, then, where could the Seahawks look for a successor?

There are veterans on various rosters who could be available, assuming you’re buzzing for, say, Carson Wentz or Marcus Mariota.

I don’t feel much buzzing, gang.

The Hawks now have their draft spot locked in at No. 18.

Might Schneider unearth a star of the future, and have the kid sit for a year in the final year of Geno’s contract?

That worked for Kansas City, who put young Patrick Mahomes in study hall for a year behind savvy veteran Alex Smith.

Same thing with Jordan Love in Green Bay.

Meanwhile, the defense will be good, no question.

Macdonald has the touch on that side of the ball — plus, he’s got a great spine in place with Leonard (Big Cat) Williams up front, Ernest Jones IV at inside linebacker and Julian Love anchoring things at safety.

There was a bit of scary talk last week concerning Jones’ free agency, and the fact that his agents wanted to “amicably pause” negotiations until Ernest could see his value on the open market.

Jones threw cold water on that notion after Sunday’s game, saying (again) that talks are going fine and he wants to stay in Seattle.

SO, WHAT do the Seahawks need to become a routine playoff team?

Let’s return to quarterback.

Whether Geno holds the fort or not, eventually they need a dude.

A serious dude.

The quarterback needs to be on the same page as Grubb’s successor as OC, and they need to light up the offense.

Picture all the pizzazz that Andy Reid tosses around in Kansas City.

A lot of it is just eye candy to get people running in the wrong direction, but hey, it works.

Once the QB thing is done, presumably with someone who can take off and run as a regular weapon, then at least two spots on the offensive line need to be upgraded.

The Hawks have to run the ball.

That’s not an option, just something that’s necessary to win.

One positive note we saw on Sunday was Geno using tight ends Noah Fant and AJ Barner — who are doggone good.

Those guys really open up the rest of the passing game.

Tyler Lockett may be retiring (I hope not), but DK Metcalf and Jaxon Smith-Njigba are stud bookends.

Bottom line: Most of the pieces are already in place — on both sides of the ball.

Special teams are excellent.

The Seahawks are close, really close.

They just need a dude.

Email: scameron@cdapress.com

Steve Cameron’s “Cheap Seats” columns appear in The Press three times each week, normally Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday — unless, you know, stuff happens.

Steve suggests you take his opinions in the spirit of a Jimmy Buffett song: “Breathe In, Breathe Out, Move On.”