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This is a guest article by Curtis Allen…
What a way to end the regular season.
A 13-3 Seahawks team with minimal drama and so much upward potential playing for home field advantage and a first-round bye in the playoffs is incredibly meaningful. A milestone moment in the team’s history to be sure.
Standing in their way are the rival San Francisco 49ers — a team on no less of a long, strange trip of a season. They stand at 12-4 despite injuries to nearly every key player, a dramatic impasse with their best Wide Receiver that just will not end and a defense that has been intelligently cobbled together with duct tape and packing peanuts.
These teams met in Week One and despite the score being 17-13, San Francisco clearly was the better team. They owned the majority of the Time of Possession, had ten more first downs than the Seahawks and collected almost 400 yards of offense.
And still, the Seahawks were in the game until a fumble by Sam Darnold in the Red Zone sealed the game in the last seconds. Until then they had fought and clawed, blocking a Field Goal try and picking Brock Purdy off twice. Darnold had a beautiful sideline throw to Jaxon Smith-Njigba to get into range to win the game. But it was not to be. Some early-game struggles with playcalling and establishing the run and some key misplays by Tariq Woolen in coverage were just too much to recover from.
Many things have changed for those teams since that game.
For San Francisco, stars Nick Bosa, Fred Warner and likely Trent Williams will not suit up for this game. They have acquired Keion White, Dee Winters has stepped into a bigger role and Brock Purdy has been on fire of late, completing 72% of his passes with 11 touchdowns against two interceptions in his last three games.
The Seahawks look entirely different as well. On defense, Nick Emmanwori made his NFL debut in Week One but only took four snaps before getting injured. He figures to have a far greater impact on this game. Uchenna Nwosu missed the game but has returned to his old form as a critical component of the defense.
The defensive unit as a whole has emerged as the obvious standard-bearer for the team. Offensively, Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s nine catches for 124 yards was just the beginning of third season renaissance. He has taken his game to an entirely different level by succeeding in so many different ways. Rashid Shaheed has been acquired to add another element to the attack and Charles Cross will miss this game at Left Tackle.
The things that seem self-evident about these two teams are the most direct truths we can deliver about how this game is going to play out:
1 — Whoever makes the least mistakes will likely win
The Seahawks have been making mistakes and still winning — committing eight turnovers in the last six weeks while winning every one of those games.
San Francisco is following suit. They have five in the last six weeks but have also won every game.
What makes this game different is the stakes: Win, and you get a bye week to rest up and heal, you will not need to travel again, and it only takes two home wins to get to the Super Bowl. Lose, and it takes three (probably all) road wins with no rest.
Both teams know they must improve. It is very easy to shrug and say they will find a way to win despite their mistakes. The prospect of having months off to ponder what might have been focuses the mind like nothing else.
2 — Establishing and leaning on the run game is critical
The Seahawks have done an admirable job bottling up Christian McCaffrey in the running game in the two matchups since McDonald was hired. He has 148 rushing yards for 3.6 yards per carry with no touchdowns. They simply must keep a lid on him to contain this San Francisco offense.
On offense, the Seahawks have run the ball 75 times in the past two weeks and have picked up 287 yards on the ground. And yet, their fit and in-game timing still seem off as they seem to only be able to have one successful Running Back at a time.
3 — The game may come down to Special Teams
The Seahawks boast one of the NFL’s best units. Jay Harbaugh deserves a ton of credit for molding this team into one that is deeply invested in the success of the unit and thus play like every single snap is a critical one. Shaheed has touchdowns in both aspects of the return game, they have blocked Field Goal tries and Jason Myers has been very consistent of late.
San Francisco is likewise strong after some early-season stumbles. Eddie Pinero has been an excellent in-season acquisition, Thomas Morestead is a top punter and Sky Moore is dangerous as a returner.
Aside from those primary factors, there is one more key component of a win.
The Seahawks Must Win Between the Numbers
The center of the field, from the running back on offense all the way to the deep safety on defense is always central to the battleground of a game. But it is even more essential that the Seahawks play well there in this particular game. There are several reasons why.
The first is with Brock Purdy.
The great majority of his throws are between the tackles. He rarely throws outside the numbers with depth downfield. Maybe four or five times per game. It is just not his forte.
When he does throw outside the numbers, it is usually to set up a screen at the Line of Scrimmage.
Kyle Shanahan’s offense is scheming, timing and misdirection. He frequently has Christian McCaffrey or George Kittle motioning all around the offense pre snap to get defenders’ eyes focused on the wrong thing. Then he attacks the middle of the field with slants and in-breaking routes. Purdy is excellent at finding his receivers quickly and delivering the ball before the pass rush can affect the play.
Defending that requires real discipline. The type of discipline that turns the tables and gets Purdy’s eyes telling him the wrong things.
It starts with providing inside pass rush pressure and making the pocket quickly uncomfortable. Byron Murphy, Jarran Reed and Leonard Williams need to have an impactful game. Purdy is much more comfortable fleeing the pocket from edge rushers and keeping his eyes downfield. He is only 6’1” and the quick passing scheme makes it easier for him to find his targets. If he has to navigate his own linemen being pushed into his face, his mechanics can suffer and he is prone to mistakes.
That is not to say the line will always have time to make this happen. Purdy is one of the NFL’s fastest guns from snap to throw. There are going to be plays the line cannot affect from a pressure perspective. However, getting a hand up to bat a ball down (or tip it for an interception) can be a very effective means to keep this offense from accelerating. In fact, Purdy so often throws in rhythm defenders may have an easier game timing up their jumps.
It also would be quite helpful if defenders can get hands on the receivers right off the line and disrupt the timing of the play. Take away Purdy’s first option and make him scan the field a little. Give your pass rushers an extra second to get home.
Then there are the Tight Ends.
Both teams are among the NFL’s poorest at defending the position. The Seahawks have given up more catches and yards and the Niners have conceded far more touchdowns.
Ty Okada and Nick Emmanwori will play pivotal roles here on defense. Knowing where George Kittle is on every single play will be critical. Letting him have a free release and not swarming to him before the ball is thrown cannot happen again. Jake Tonges is also a weapon that needs attention.
On offense, A.J. Barner can be an effective weapon against this defense. With the Niners short on quality personnel he should definitely garner more than the one target he got in Week One.
The Niners are low on pass rushers and have one of the NFL’s worst rushes statistically. To be fair, their last few games they have scratched and clawed their way up to just below league average.
That said, between their Tight End record, the fact that they are horrid at defending the opposition’s second Wide Receiver and the fact that Smith-Njigba eats Robert Saleh’s preferred coverage for breakfast, there should be plenty of opportunities for Sam Darnold to flourish.
A steady mix of running and passes underneath the coverage that move the ball down the field at a measured pace seems to be in order. This feels like a game that Cooper Kupp can play a critical role in: Take the Niners’ third or fourth string defenders out for a ride and find the soft spots in their defense. Present Darnold with a reliable consistent target and press the defense to its breaking point.
Year End Thoughts
This has been one of the best years of covering the Seahawks in the entire history of my fandom. Seeing John Schneider make so many courageous moves in the offseason, attacking need areas and managing the salary cap so very well has been a joy I had feared would never happen again.
Mike Macdonald has fulfilled the vision we all had when we waited with painstaking patience for his season in Baltimore to be over so the Seahawks could make their move in hiring him. He has proven to be the exact antidote to the last few years of malaise and has recharged the fanbase in ways that have been incredible.
Once again, it has been my absolute pleasure to spend the season with you talking about the Seahawks. Thank you for reading and all of your positive feedback. I treasure every comment.
Let’s do this for three more games this year, shall we?
Thanks to Rob, who continues to selflessly share his space with me. Being able to contribute to the Seahawks discussion that is of the highest quality is an immense privilege. Thank you.
There isn’t that much to write about at the moment regarding the Seahawks.
I think it’s great.
Over the years we had to delve into all sorts of big topics. The Russell Wilson trade saga. The Jamal Adams disaster. The end of the Pete Carroll era. How the Seahawks squandered cap space on a roster that was middling and not really going anywhere. Geno Smith’s level of ability.
Now, things are just good. There is harmony within the franchise.
Fans aren’t tearing shreds out of each other online. It’s easy to forget now but that was essentially life as a Seahawks fan for a few years. Pick a side of the divide, whether it’s ‘running backs don’t matter’ or ‘Let Russ Cook’ or the future of Carroll. There were people refusing to accept Wilson could be dealt. The words ‘careful what you wish for’ were the lazy, auto-pilot response to any suggestion that a coaching change might be worthwhile.
All there is to do now, really, is root for the team.
Sure, there are still topics of discussion. The high number of turnovers feel like they could be a problem now that the games are so important — yet you could argue it hasn’t really done any harm so far. We can talk about the slow starts on offense. Anthony Bradford is a weekly piñata for a section of fans. We can highlight the massive positives on the roster too — with multiple outstanding performers, players taking the next step and the Seahawks boasting arguably the most rounded roster in the NFL.
There’s nothing that spicy to talk about though, at least at the moment. It’s why my occasional dabbling with the Charles Cross conversation often sparks an OTT reaction. I do still think there’s an odd lack of curiosity about his contract situation, with nowhere near enough analysis of his performance — especially in light of Josh Jones’ almost carbon copy displays in relief (FYI — his grade against Carolina was better than five Cross performances this season, and only 0.03 weaker than a sixth).
It’s a great place to be where this debate, which is more Korma than Phaal in the heat stakes, is about as testy as things get.
I saw this tweet by PFT today:
The Raiders finished last in the NFL in rushing yards last season, made improving the running game a major focus of the offseason, and somehow are poised to have even fewer rushing yards this season. https://t.co/tqze3iivHH
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) January 2, 2026
It reminded me of the annual promise to fix Seattle’s running game by the Carroll regime. Or the never-fixed atrocious tackling — something Carroll recently bemoaned has been a problem for his current Raiders team since pre-season.
Every awful performance was chalked down to ‘not seeing it coming’ — something Raider Nation has had to get used to hearing over the last few weeks.
Sure, the 2025 Seahawks aren’t flawless. Yet we’re not having to deal with being told repeatedly a “turn” is right around the corner, while competing to sneak the seventh seed in the NFC. On Saturday, it’s a game for the #1 seed.
Bloody hell, it’s good to say that again.
Any conversation about the team or the next game feels like a throat-clearing on what has been a brilliantly pleasurable experience so far. It’s just pouring through stats, looking at matchups. Typical things that don’t really create any passion or division among fans. There’s nothing that meaty or controversial. It’s calm seas. Bliss.
Even if the Seahawks lose on Saturday, they’ll simply be heading off to play the winner of the NFC South. It’s hardly a daunting task. Progress would mean facing the winner of a likely Bears vs Eagles contest. You could make an argument for that being slightly more appealing than a divisional round home game against the Rams or 49ers (depending on how tomorrow goes).
The worst case scenario is the Seahawks flop out of the playoffs courtesy of a Sam Darnold turnover fest and we’re forced to linger on the quarterback topic for a few months. That, admittedly, would be unpleasant and tedious.
In light of watching Trinidad Chambliss yesterday, I’m almost inclined to shrug and say perhaps we’ll just spend a bit more time talking about him.
Whatever happens in the next stage of the 2025 season, the Seahawks are in a good place. They have the right leadership, good players, an opportunity to add more good players in the future and compete for Championships beyond just this current shot. They are likeable and easy to root for.
We can all be grateful for that at the start of the new year.
Typically on the final day of the year I publish a mock draft. Regulars will know I’ve been avoiding doing so this time.
It’s such a preposterous draft class. Typically for a mock there are players you want to highlight who deserve to go early, beyond the obvious cast of blue-chippers. This year there’s just such a dearth of those types.
If I was doing a full mock today, I’d be putting players with third round grades in the first frame. There’s a total lack of excellent left tackle prospects, edge rushers or quarterbacks. We might see receivers pushed into round one based mostly on the fact they cost so much on the veteran market. We might see interior linemen and tackle converts over-drafted because of rampant league-wide needs.
We have massively overrated players, such as Miami’s Reuben Bain Jr, who spent most of the college football season being touted as a possible #1 overall pick — yet he might not even go in the first round.
And then we have the likely red-hot trade market come March. Maxx Crosby might have double-digit teams chasing him. AJ Brown could be on the block. There’s talk Trent McDuffie might be available. The Dolphins might continue to sell-off assets. We could see multiple quarterback trades for players like Mac Jones. There could be a few surprises too — just as we saw with Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams a few weeks ago.
We’ll likely see the top ranked quarterback go first overall again but as with a year ago, many teams might not even have a true first round grade on Fernando Mendoza. I think we might see linemen prioritised early, followed by a run on the best available receivers and cornerbacks.
Here’s what I think a top-10 could look like:
#1 Las Vegas — Fernando Mendoza (QB, Indiana)
#2 NY Giants — Arvell Reese (LB, Ohio State)
#3 NY Jets — Caleb Downs (S, Ohio State)
#4 Tennessee — Jeremiyah Love (RB, Notre Dame)
#5 Arizona — Spencer Fano (T/G, Utah)
#6 Cleveland — Francis Mauigoa (T/G, Miami)
#7 Washington — Peter Woods (DT, Clemson)
#8 New Orleans — Kayden McDonald (DT, Ohio State)
#9 Kansas City — Caleb Banks (DT, Florida)
#10 Cincinnati — Keldric Faulk (DE, Auburn)
Arvell Reese, Caleb Downs, Jeremiyah Love and Spencer Fano are the best four players eligible for the draft. I don’t think Francis Mauigoa is that far behind, although I think he has to kick inside to guard. I’m not sure any would’ve been sure-fire top-10 picks in previous years.
Peter Woods has had a very disappointing season at Clemson but teams will need to take someone in the top-10. If he runs a 4.8 at +300lbs as has been reported, combined with his better 2024 tape, some team is going to roll the dice on 2025 being merely a down year. This is where we’re at though. A player who would’ve sunk down the board typically after a majorly disappointing season is probably going to retain a place in the top-10.
Kayden McDonald reminds me of Derrick Brown and he’s the best run defender in the draft, with room for further growth. I think in this draft he will go earlier than people are currently projecting.
Caleb Banks — despite his injury — has highly impressive size and length and shows consistent disruptive ability on tape when available. Again, you’ll have to get comfortable with the medical checks. In a class with limited options, he probably still goes earlier than many think because the tools are there.
Keldrick Faulk also has great size, length and potential. He’s in the same boat as Woods and Banks. High upside, not much in the way of 2025 results. But in a draft where you ‘have’ to select someone, that’s a shot you probably take.
After that — I think it could be anyone’s guess. My early thought is the receivers and cornerbacks start coming off the board. Typically Makai Lemon and Carnell Tate would go in the 20’s or 30’s but probably go earlier in this class. KC Concepcion, Jordyn Tyson, Chris Brazell II and Denzel Boston are all day-two players for me. Would it be a shock if all are gone by pick #25? Nope.
The hopelessly expensive market at receiver, the ability to provide early impact and the number of teams picking in the second half of round one who need weapons will likely lead to some kind of rush on the position.
Cornerbacks always tend to get pushed up. Testing could move Mississippi State’s Kelley Jones right up boards and into contention to be CB1. Jermod McCoy, who didn’t play a down for Tennessee due to injury, is going to go in the top-20 anyway. I enjoy watching Mansoor Delane and he’s a savvy, intelligent player who can be sticky at the college level. I’m not sure he has the deep or recovery speed to be great at the next level — but I’m going to sound like a stuck record by saying he’s another player who should go on day two but probably goes way earlier.
Brandon Cisse will also have a very good shot to go in the top-32 as teams like to draft for this position early.
The player who probably intrigues me the most at cornerback is Avieon Terrell. I think he’s got a lot of potential, has a versatile skill-set allowing him to play deep, cover running across the field, execute scheme-specific requirements coming off coverage and play better against the run than expected. With good coaching he might be able to develop into a player as good as his brother.
To me it feels like a very overrated EDGE class — with a bunch of prospects who lack length, ideal size, twitch or upside. It just looks like a bunch of round 3-5 picks who might end up going earlier. Nothing about the R Mason Thomas, David Bailey, TJ Parker types feel like round one picks. Cashius Howell can potentially act as a specialist rusher but lacks any kind of length and good luck leaving him on the field for running plays in the NFL.
I’d rather roll the dice on Romello Height on day two than draft these guys to be impact first round rushers.
The Matayo Uiagalelei, Rueben Bain Jr and LT Overton types always get overrated in the media. Bigger rushers without ideal traits. They struggle to make much of an impression at the next level and become average at best players.
Kenyatta Jackson is someone who has the necessary size, length and burst and it feels like the Ohio State EDGE is only scratching the surface of his potential. It won’t be a surprise if he jumps many of the names listed above. Ditto Dani Dennis-Sutton if he tests well.
I do think we’ll see a bunch of offensive linemen pushed up because the need is so enormous. There’s a decent collection of zone-blockers but they might be gone by the time Seattle picks, depending on how the next few weeks go. Brian Parker, Emmanuel Pregnon, Gennings Dunker and Kadyn Proctor are all good in the zone system. You do have to balance out how much greater these players are compared to say Iowa’s Beau Stephens who will go later but equally excels in the system.
I genuinely believe the Seahawks will aggressively pursue the trade market, as I’ve repeated many times over the last few weeks. I think the big target will be Maxx Crosby but they’ll probably have backup plans too because he’s the kind of player many teams will be desperate to acquire (and I think it’ll take two high picks to get him, one in 2026 and one in 2027 — a price I’d be willing to pay).
There are some players I would keep an eye on with the idea of finding value. Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green had some ugly turnovers this year but I just can’t help but shake the thought that he has a lot of the things needed to be a very useful project with future starting potential. If you want to keep taking shots at QB — and I would do — he’s someone I’d look at. I feel the same way about Garrett Nussmeier, particularly in this offense.
Gracen Halton the Oklahoma defensive tackle just plays his arse off every week and has some pass-rush productivity. He’s not the biggest but he’s someone who kept catching my eye. Running backs Emmett Johnson and Mike Washington Jr caught my attention — and the Seahawks might be in the market given Ken Walker’s contract situation (although I’d like to find a way to add top-end speed and suddenness at the position).
I like the idea of working out how Dillon Thieneman could be used in Mike Macdonald’s defense, even with Nick Emmanwori on the roster already.
And while many talk-up the linebacker position — I think there are overrated bigger names who won’t go as early as some think (Anthony Hill Jr, Dontae Lawson). I do not think Sonny Styles is a first round pick but maybe his testing will mean someone takes a shot on his athleticism. I’ve been on a bit of a journey with Georgia’s CJ Allen and he’s growing on me.
Bryce Boettcher, Jake Golday and Cade Uluave could provide value at the position later.
Happy New Year to you all. Here’s to, hopefully, a great 2026 for the Seahawks.
Please check out the video below and leave a comment and a like on the YouTube page if you can, it all helps!
One more win and the Seahawks will earn the #1 seed in the NFC.
It’s been a long time since we can legitimately talk about that. Now it’s a reality. One more victory, albeit against a very good 49ers team (despite their long list of injuries) and the Seahawks will do something they’ve only done three times in franchise history. On each occasion, they followed it up with a Super Bowl appearance.
There’s still plenty to do to make any of this a reality.
This is far from a flawless team. There were further turnover issues today — a problem that threatens to be an issue down the road, even if so far it hasn’t proven to be too costly.
Sam Darnold is a question mark. There are good and bad moments it seems every game. They have lost an explosive element to their passing game too.
The play-calling was baffling at times here. On a day where running the ball and playing defense felt like the flow of the game early on, the Seahawks refused to accept this.
The slow starts are an increasingly common occurrence.
It was also confusing why it took until a five-run clinching drive from the Panthers’ 25-yard line for Zach Charbonnet to out-carry Ken Walker on a day where he was the hot-hand.
Even so — this is more or less the 2025 Seahawks. They aren’t as complete or rounded as the legendary 2013 group but we’ll likely never see a team who is. The defense can be brilliant. They do have a very talented roster. They find ways to win games in the second half. They also have shown multiple ways to win games.
Football has three aspects — offense, defense and special teams. Seattle’s combination of the three appears to be the best.
They’re the highest scoring team in franchise history (470 points). They’ve won 19 of their last 24 games (#1 in the NFL during that period) and they could’ve easily won all three of their lost games this season.
They haven’t allowed a 100-yard rusher in a franchise record 25 consecutive games. What a stark contrast to the end of the Carroll era where we bemoaned the embarrassing loss to the Steelers at Lumen Field as they ran down Seattle’s throat in abject humiliation.
This is what many of us wanted. This is why we called for change, despite a lot of pushback (some of it quite nasty) from fans who disagreed.
It speaks to where we are now that in a close, awkward, sloppy game in Carolina — we expect better. And despite the awkwardness and sloppiness, they still won by 17 points in the end.
Whatever happens the rest of the way, this is a team to be celebrated. They’re heading in the right direction and can be even better in the future.
It would be great to finish the regular season job next week, have a week off and look forward to the best opportunity this franchise has had for 11 years.
I so hope that happens.
This is a guest article by Curtis Allen…
With two weeks to play, the most exciting season in recent Seahawks history is coming to a crescendo.
After a thrilling, improbable, spectacular win against the Rams, all that stands in the way of the #1 seed, a bye and homefield advantage are Carolina and San Francisco.
One game at a time. The Seahawks must travel to the east coast for an early game and dispatch the Panthers, who stand at 8-7 but have also recently beaten the Rams and Buccaneers, two teams the Seahawks have lost to this year.
Seahawks fans know what happens when you underestimate the Panthers.
Mike Macdonald does too. I think we can have confidence that he will navigate the post-adrenaline high of beating a fierce rival and the odd schedule of coming off a Thursday game and getting the players time to spend with their families for the holiday.
A lot of the Panthers’ effectiveness has come from mistakes from the opposing offenses. They are +5 in turnovers their last five games, mostly due to some very poor throws from Baker Mayfield, Brock Purdy and Matthew Stafford. Generally speaking, they were not under extreme duress, they had options, and they made bad choices and executed them very poorly.
The Rams alone committed three turnovers, all within 35 yards of the end zone. We can give the Panthers credit for a well-played game. But the truth is, some of the ‘old Matt Stafford’ mistakes came out and absent those, the Rams score about 50 points and leave Carolina with a win and are in the pole position for the top seed.
So that might be the biggest watch point of all: Play a clean game. Thursday Sam Darnold had two interceptions and nearly sealed the game. An excellent quarter by the defense and a Rashid Shaheed punt return touchdown allowed the offense to recover and get back in the game.
What better way to put a stranglehold on the top seed and gain some confidence going into Week Eighteen than to beat Carolina with a solid game that does feature any major mistakes like turnovers?
The way the Panthers defense is shaping up, that is not too tall of an order for Sam Darnold and the offense.
Let’s look at our watch points.
Attack the Prone Areas of the Defense
The Panthers defense is very middling. They do not have a real standout identity or position group they can feature.
Joe Horn concedes as many touchdowns as he has interceptions. Mike Jackson has mixed good moments with some confounding play. Their Linebackers are replacement-level and their top pass rusher is Patrick Jones, who is on Injured Reserve.
The Seahawks can attack this defense in a number of ways. Here are a couple of them they should focus on.
Attack the edges of this defense. The last few weeks, Panthers opponents have effectively run the ball around the edges and between the tackle and the guard with regularity:
— McCaffrey could have jogged into the end zone on this play. DJ Wonnum misreads the play and darts upfield, putting himself a mile out of position, Kyle Juszczyk easily clears Mike Jackson and poor 200lb Nick Scott has to try and handle Trent Williams with a head of steam.
— Black Corum ran seven times against them and was frequently into the second level before anyone could get to him. The only run he had where he gained less than six yards? A two-yard touchdown run.
— Rachaad White had a 39-yard run where he patiently waited for the Tight Ends to move their targets out of his way and bolted through the hole.
Eric Saubert, Robbie Ouzts and A.J. Barner could have very effective days leading their Running Backs to solid gains on this defense.
The second area is to take full advantage of their weak pass rush.
Derrick Brown is the only player on the roster with 10 Quarterback Hits on the season (The Seahawks have five such players and Leonard Williams has 22 alone). Half of their sacks have come on blitzes but they are not very good at it.
To wit — two weeks ago, they blitzed Tyler Shough thirteen times. They sacked him five times but could only generate a 15% pressure rate for the game on 37 drop backs. In the fourth quarter, they called off the dogs and flooded coverage. Shough easily moved the Saints down the field, finding holes in their defense. In the Red Zone, they brought the house on a key third down. They did not get home and Shough made them pay by finding Chris Olave to tie the game up. The Saints won with another drive that netted them a field goal to break the tie.
They do not blitz, they cannot get pressure and the secondary gets diced up. They blitz and the secondary cannot consistently win in man coverage.
You feel for the defensive coaching staff. They are trying everything they can to at least give the offense some support.
With some selective and patient play by Sam Darnold, the Seahawks should be able to move the ball effectively. He will have the time to find his best option and if he does not get flustered, moving the offense down the field in chunks should be well within their grasp.
Defending the Panthers Offense
The Panthers have found effectiveness mixing some tough running with Rico Dowdle and Chuba Hubbard with force-feeding rookie Tetairoa McMillan with targets to develop some chemistry with his new Quarterback. McMillan currently has 16 explosive receptions, tied for ninth in the NFL (no shock who is #1).
Some effective running and Bryce Young making smart decisions open the door to take shots to McMillan and his scheme knowledge and confidence are growing by the day.
The best way to keep the offense in check is to limit the running game and get checkdown options like Dowdle to the ground on the first try.
Young has found a bit of a nice safety blanket when he is blitzed, finding Dowdle in the flat and letting him pick up yards because the backfield has one less defender. In fact, the games where Young has been blitzed the most? He has been the most effective in passing the ball. There are some downfield shots on blitzes to be sure. But finding his hot read and breaking to it will put much more pressure on Young to carry more of the offense himself and that is not a strength of his.
Have a look at how much his effectiveness drops the longer he is in the pocket:
If the defense can get him off of his first read and make him scan the field, there will be opportunities to take advantage. His sack rate and interception rates skyrocket and his accuracy plummets to undrafted rookie levels.
This bodes well for the Seahawks who are renowned for getting pressure without blitzing. The quick outlet passes Young likes to rely on? There will not be as much room in the defense to break off a big play because that fifth man is in the backfield and not trying to fight his way through guards and tackles.
In fact, I can see Young getting some pressure and bailing out on a pass to the flat and one of our quick defenders stepping in front of it for a pick-six. Call it a gut feeling.
Scoopage: Raiders told Maxx Crosby they want to shut him down last two games. Crosby, who has played with injuries for much of the year, vehemently disagreed and has left the building @nflonfox has learned. This could lead to questions on his future in Vegas
— Jay Glazer (@JayGlazer) December 26, 2025
This feels like it’s trending a certain way, doesn’t it?
Against Maxx Crosby’s wishes, the Raiders are shutting him down for the season. A cynic might say it’s partly to give them the best chance to secure the #1 overall pick with two games to go. An even bigger cynic might suggest it’s to keep Crosby healthy ahead of a rebuilding period for the franchise.
Jay Glazer isn’t daft. His sentence at the end of his tweet above, “this could lead to questions on his future”, should be noted.
It’s something we’ve been talking about for weeks. As a disastrous 2025 season unfolds, it feels inevitable that the Raiders are going to experience another period of upheaval. Crosby is an asset they can deal as they prepare to embrace a longer-term plan.
His new contract, signed in March, is easy to deal. It looks like it was set-up with the idea he could be moved in the near future. A trade in the coming months would only cost the Raiders $5m in dead money. Compare that to Myles Garrett’s new contract in Cleveland, signed days after Crosby’s deal. It’d cost the Browns $40.8m in dead money to trade Garrett.
I’m convinced the Seahawks are going to be keeping a very close eye on this situation.
They made a move to try and acquire him last off-season. There’s a feeling that interest might’ve reignited prior to the trade deadline.
As we’ve been discussing over the last few months, this is a bad draft class. The worst I’ve covered since starting this blog in 2008.
There’s a good chance players with third round grades will be taken in the top-45. It’s going to be virtually impossible to match grade to value, especially if you’re picking towards the end of each round.
The trade market could be electric when the new league year begins, with contending teams feeling they’re better off using their key draft assets to acquire impact players rather than draft day-two prospects in round one.
John Schneider has shown in the past he’ll take this approach. For the covid-impacted draft of 2021, where there was hardly any 2020 college tape to study and a massively restricted pre-draft process, he was willing to deal his 2021 first round pick for a veteran.
That move, for Jamal Adams, didn’t work out. However, the problem wasn’t the concept of the trade. It was the compensation for a player who wasn’t worth it.
That isn’t a hindsight thought, I hated that trade from day one. Here’s what I wrote at the time:
There is simply no precedent whatsoever for the cost of this trade. Nobody can dispute Adams’ talent. We’ve also talked several times on this blog about the benefit of trading away 2021 picks. The college football season is in flux this year and the 2021 class appears to be top heavy. Dealing your first rounder for a proven veteran who can improve a mediocre defense made sense.
Yet this is the kind of outlay you can really only justify for a quarterback or a truly elite pass rusher or left tackle.
Now the Seahawks face a similar situation. It’s nothing to do with a global pandemic this time — but instead a bad draft.
In the case of Crosby, he isn’t a box safety. He’s a top-level pass-rusher. In this instance, you can justify the big outlay. Particularly in the circumstances.
I keep pitching it like this. The Seahawks could end up having to draft someone with a similar grade to Christian Haynes with their top pick next year. That doesn’t mean the pick would end up with the same result — but it’s far more of a possibility than, say, the times when you’ve felt like you’re getting genuine round one value (Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Byron Murphy etc).
Now compare that to swapping the pick for someone like Crosby.
Whether the Seahawks win the Super Bowl this season or not, the off-season will be about finding ways to improve the team to reach an even higher level.
It is going to be extremely difficult to improve the roster through the draft in 2026.
It’ll also be difficult, perhaps even impossible, to make significant free agent moves. Teams do not have an endless amount of cash to put in escrow for guaranteed contracts. If the Seahawks aim to extend the deals of Smith-Njigba, Devon Witherspoon and possibly Charles Cross in the off-season, that will limit how much they have to throw around on the open market.
There are no such issues with acquiring Crosby. His contract is already locked-in to 2029. You wouldn’t need to begin talks over a new deal, or pay him new money up front to get him to join.
He is also a perfect fit for the personality of this team. I’d go as far to say I can’t think of a more Mike Macdonald-type player. His relentless commitment to his craft, passion for the game, lead-by-example presence and 100mph playing style are tailor-made for Seattle’s defense.
It isn’t a surprise they’ve tried to get him before.
Crosby is currently ESPN’s #1 ranked player for run-stop win-rate. We know the Seahawks really value run-defense for their EDGE players. He’s just had another 10-sack season playing basically as a one-man-band for a struggling Raiders defense. Imagine what he could do lined up next to Leonard Williams and Byron Murphy, with Nick Emmanwori lurking on the blitz.
I can well imagine Crosby seeing the Seahawks as an attractive destination too. The team personality, contending status and Head Coach would appeal to him.
There would likely be heavy interest in him. The Dallas Cowboys badly need a top pass rusher and they have surplus draft stock to bargain with. The Detroit Lions face a critical off-season after missing the playoffs this year. Crosby is from Michigan and played college football for Eastern Michigan.
It’s also possible the two other NFC West contenders show interest.
However, there are a few things to consider here. The Cowboys are currently $60m in the red for effective cap space for 2026. The Lions are $10.5m in the red. The Seahawks, meanwhile, are $60m in the black. They’re in a much stronger place to make a big trade.
I’d argue the Rams are unlikely to look at adding a big-name pass-rusher in the off-season. They have two of the better, younger pass rushers already in Jared Verse and Byron Young. They’re both among PFF’s top-15 edge rushers for 2025. They have far more pressing needs — including a future beyond Matthew Stafford, cornerback, skill players and O-line.
The 49ers also feel like an unlikely fit if you’ve been tracking their recent moves. They made a conscious effort to get younger starting this year. They’re already paying big contracts to several players, including their quarterback.
The Seahawks seem uniquely suited to Crosby in terms of fit, opportunity, cap-space and a means to take the next step.
I think it’s absolutely clear it’d be the best use of Seattle’s 2026 first round pick. If it isn’t possible for whatever reason, I suspect they might have an extended list of alternative trade targets.
Crosby’s the one who feels like the best option though. The only question is how much they’d have to pay to get it done. Personally, I would be willing to dip into 2027 stock to make it happen. Considering he turns 29 next August, I think throwing in your 2027 second rounder on top of a 2026 first round pick might be a fair price.
If they get it done — this could be the move to make Seattle’s defense truly elite. They lack the quick wins off the edge Crosby will produce with his elite agility (4.13 shuttle at 255lbs) combined with top-end explosive traits.
The 2026 NFL off-season is going to be different. A very weak draft class is going to shift a lot of attention to the trade market. There’s a good chance a decent chunk of teams will use their main off-season asset (first round pick) to acquire veteran talent, because the value will be so poor in the draft.
Yet the question I’ve kept coming back to is — how easy will it be to make deals if the selling teams also know they’re acquiring stock in a bad draft?
That’s why asking prices might include 2027 stock, as we saw in the Quinnen Williams trade. The Jets took Dallas’ second round pick in 2026 but one of their first round selections in 2027.
We might see other deals like this in the coming months. There’s also another reason why teams might acquire 2026 stock — in order to make deals themselves.
Here’s an example for you. There’s a growing weirdness surrounding the Baltimore Ravens. There’s developing chatter that maybe Lamar Jackson might want/need a fresh start — and that perhaps the Ravens would be right to embrace that too.
A Ravens beat reporter called Mike Preston recently wrote about the relationship between team and quarterback and it wasn’t complimentary. At all.
Within the piece he speculated that Jackson might be open-minded about a trade to Miami or Las Vegas. The Dolphins have a major financial stumbling block in their way in the form of Tua Tagovailoa’s contract, in relation to acquiring another expensive veteran QB. They’re already $32m in the red for cap space next year before cutting Tagovailoa — which would come, if designated as a post-June 1st cut, with an extra $11m cap-hit given the tens of millions it’d cost in dead money.
There’s no such issue for the Raiders. They have the second most cap space available per Over The Cap’s projection.
If the Ravens were open to trading Jackson, it would be a costly deal. Russell Wilson-esque. The Raiders are the kind of franchise that is inclined to go big-name hunting rather than rebuild over the time. Some fans would argue they’ve been “rebuilding” for years. Adding a player of Jackson’s reputation might be seen as the shot in the arm the franchise needs, especially in their division.
Increasingly I think the Raiders will finally be open to trading Maxx Crosby in the off-season and I would fully expect the Seahawks to be one of the teams near the front of the queue. He’s a perfect fit schematically, in terms of playing style and his mentality. They’ve tried to trade for him before and I think they’ll try again.
If the Raiders dealt him they would save another $30m in cap space. They would have extra stock to dangle in the face of the Ravens. They’d have the money to bring in Jackson’s salary (his base salary is $51.25m for the next two seasons) and then add some other free agents around him.
There’s a lot of moving parts here, I appreciate that. But I think there’s a good chance Crosby is dealt. There’s a growing chance Jackson will be too. And the fit of the Raiders adding stock and then using it to get Jackson feels plausible.
I wouldn’t be surprised if the Seahawks were very much involved in the Crosby sweepstakes.
And if it isn’t him, I also wouldn’t be surprised if they have a list of trade targets, rather than tackle the poor value they’d get picking at the end of each round in this upcoming draft.
The one thing to remember is — any player they add is unlikely going to be someone coming in and immediately getting a big new contract. That’s not how the Seahawks go about things for starters. Secondly, there’s only so much ‘cash’ to go around on big signings. The chances are they will give big extensions to Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Devon Witherspoon next year, plus also Charles Cross. They’ll also want to keep Rashid Shaheed.
That’s why Crosby makes sense — because he signed a very tradable contract earlier this year, he’s locked up until 2029. The fact it’ll only cost Vegas $5m in dead money suggests the deal was set up with a ‘play-it-by-ear’ approach.
I do think there’s a very realistic chance Crosby will be a key future target for the Seahawks.
On that note, I want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and say thank you for your continued support of this blog and the work I do elsewhere. It’s now 17 years since I started SDB and it’s become such a big part of my life, thanks to those of you who stick with it and keep things ticking along. Have a great day tomorrow and see you on the other side.
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