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With the typical spate of firings taking place after the NFL regular season concludes, there’s a chance the Seahawks could be left looking for an offensive coordinator for the third year in a row.

There are six vacancies currently — the Giants, Titans, Falcons, Raiders, Browns and Cardinals. It’s unclear if there could be more, with slight questions over John Harbaugh’s future in Baltimore.

The Falcons have reportedly already requested an interview with Klint Kubiak. It’s not a surprise. Arthur Blank has experienced a lot of average-to-bad football over the years. His team, however, went to a Super Bowl when Kyle Shanahan was offensive coordinator.

So what are the chances of Kubiak being one-and-done in Seattle?

NFL teams with young quarterbacks tend to want to pair them with play-calling Head Coaches for obvious reasons.

It stands to reason that the Giants (Jaxson Dart), Titans (Cam Ward) and Falcons (Michael Penix Jr) might want to create a long term HC/QB partnership. With the Raiders picking first overall and destined to draft either Dante Moore or Fernando Mendoza with the top pick, they will also surely consider such an arrangement.

It’s also common for teams to do the opposite of what they’ve done before. For example, will the Cardinals now look for an offensive identity after firing the defensive-minded Jonathan Gannon? The Titans appear keen to go for experience after previously hiring first-timer Brian Callahan.

It’s a deeper pool of defensive coaches this year (Jeff Hafley, Vance Joseph, Brian Flores, Chris Shula, Jesse Minter, Robert Saleh) but I wouldn’t rule out teams with a QB-led focus primarily sticking to offensive candidates.

Kevin Stefanski being fired by the Browns probably helps if you’re minded to root for Kubiak to stay in Seattle.

He’s already getting interest, reportedly, from the Giants, Titans and Falcons. He ticks multiple boxes as someone with experience, he’s offensive-minded and he’s enjoyed personal success (two-time NFL coach of the year).

Stefanski is virtually guaranteed to get a Head Coaching job and he’ll probably be able to hand-pick which one he takes.

The problem is the lack of alternatives. Are teams seriously going to give Kliff Kingsbury a second go-around after a disappointing season for the Commanders? Is Joe Brady’s stock high enough in Buffalo after a slight down year for the Bills?

Expect Grant Udinski to emerge as a hot name. He was seen as a wunderkind in Minnesota before taking the Jaguars’ offensive coordinator job. Along with Head Coach Liam Coen, Udinski seems to have helped salvage the career of Trevor Lawrence — who was incredible over the last few weeks.

Don’t be surprised if teams like the Cardinals, who won’t necessarily be a destination gig for people like Stefanski, try to recruit Udinski — sensing he might have a Sean McVay-type aura to him. Heck, teams might even be satisfied trying to find the next Coen.

The Cardinals could also go after Kubiak for similar reasons. He’s an offensive mind at a time when they appear set to make changes at quarterback.

It’s reasonable to think Chris Shula and Jesse Minter could easily end up getting new jobs. Both seem quite highly rated. Nevertheless, Kubiak’s going to be in the mix for sure. There are many reasons why.

He inherited a shambles of an offense from Ryan Grubb and despite sweeping changes (changing quarterback, trading DK Metcalf) he created the #10 ranked unit per DVOA. He has led a staff that has transformed the O-line performance and helped turn Jaxon Smith-Njigba into a star.

The Seahawks are winning and part of Kubiak’s allure will be tapping into what has worked in the Pacific North West. This is as much about hiring from Seattle as anything.

Many will note he isn’t the most dynamic speaker in the media but regardless of how he communicates, it’s still easy for an owner to win the initial press conference by introducing Kubiak. You pitch that you’re bringing in a bright, young offensive mind who has worked with Shanahan (also not the most dynamic media presence), succeeded in Seattle and his Dad was a Super Bowl winning Head Coach with the Broncos.

That ticks a lot of boxes.

I’ve seen it mentioned that the fact he and his family have had to move cities in five consecutive years might make him reluctant to make it six by moving again. I’m not buying that.

If it’s his burning ambition to be a NFL Head Coach, that is a very difficult thing to turn down. Given his family background and his life in football, I’d guess it probably is his aim to get a top job. It sounds great — not doing it now, turning down jobs, waiting until next year. You never know if that opportunity will still be on the table in 12 months.

Even then, you’re moving six times in seven years instead of six in six. It’s still another move. The best way to ensure you’re not moving around all the time is to get a Head Coaching job. If it works out — and that’s what you plan for — you’re not moving for years. It’s the kind of security, not to mention increased pay (which also matters greatly) you’re not getting as an offensive coordinator.

The one thing that would hurt Kubiak’s job prospects, although not hurt him personally I’m sure, is an extended playoff run for the Seahawks. Teams get uncomfortable waiting around. It was actually quite a ballsy move by the Seahawks in 2024 to wait as long as they did for Mike Macdonald. Had they missed out and he’d gone to Washington instead, what then?

If the Seahawks get to the Super Bowl you’d have to really want Klint Kubiak to wait until February.

Clearly the best chance of the Seahawks keeping hold of their offensive coordinator is to make the final game of the NFL season. Let’s hope they do it.

If he ends up moving on it would be a tough pill to swallow, as he’d likely take the staff he brought to Seattle with him. It’d mean major changes again. I also think he’s done an excellent job mostly and it’d be great to see what a second season with Kubiak running the offense looks like.

Who could replace him? The Seahawks seemed to like Mike Kafka quite a lot two years ago. He could be an option. By interviewing Udinski and Hank Fraley a year ago they showed they are also willing to think outside of the box.

Sources: The #Seahawks and star OT Charles Cross have agreed to terms on a 4-year extension worth $104.4M — $26.1M average per year.

This is the largest non-QB contract in Seattle history. He gets $40.5M in Year 1 in a deal done by agent Saint Omni of @KlutchSports. pic.twitter.com/izLEEAcBOy

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 4, 2026

This news shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone. A few weeks ago Brady Henderson, the primary source of Seahawks intel, suggested Cross — along with Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Devon Witherspoon — would likely get new deals in 2026.

The big question for me, and the discussion I’ve tried to generate over the last few weeks, is how much a new deal should be worth.

I am surprised at how Cross has been viewed both locally and nationally. There’s been almost no conversation about his play, with many assuming he’s one of the NFL’s top left tackles. My argument has been that there’s little evidence of that.

Without going over old ground too much, he wasn’t even an honourable mention on Jeremy Fowler’s executive, scouts and coaches poll for the top players at his position (16 others were listed). He’s 14th on ESPN’s pass-block win-rate rankings. He is PFF’s 30th ranked offensive tackle at the end of the season.

Josh Jones, who played in relief for Cross over the last three games, averaged a PFF grade of 71.5. Cross’ average for the season is 66.7. In the most recent outing against San Francisco — Jones’ grade was a 75.4. The only time Charles earned a grade that high was in week one.

Making these points has often been confused with people thinking I want Cross out of Seattle. I don’t. I just want to avoid overpaying for a level of performance that isn’t quite what many people would have you believe.

I even went on the Seahawks Collective and admitted I wanted to see what life was like without Cross to help determine his true value. In fairness, it may well be that missing the last three weeks has helped get a deal done. The Seahawks have hardly faced a crisis at left tackle in Cross’ absence. This possibly cultivated a negotiating environment that was reasonable for all parties.

As I discussed on today’s stream with Jeff Simmons earlier, I don’t think his performance level warranted a re-setting of the market. He didn’t warrant a $30m a year contract. It’s possible the reported $26.1m average per year is lower than Ian Rapoport is suggesting, with his information almost certainly coming from Cross’ agency.

Curtis Allen has already provided some clarity. The fifth-year option for 2026 is not being replaced by the new deal. Per Curtis, that technically means the contract from next season onwards is $24.4m per year over five seasons.

Today I pitched the idea of $24m a year. That felt fair to avoid losing a 25-year-old left tackle who, while not exactly being Tristan Wirfs, also isn’t a liability. There is value in that, along with consistency on the offensive line.

If it’s between $24-26m, I say fair enough. It puts him in the Christian Darrisaw range which feels reasonable. He’s still young enough to take the step I think we’ve all been hoping to see in his performance. Cross is clearly well respected and a big character fit for the identity of the team. This isn’t an overpay, although I think a bit more realism and a little less hype about Cross would be welcome when analysing him in future.

JSN and Witherspoon will inevitably follow, probably over the summer. One thing to consider will be the outlay the franchise will now have to start spending on extensions. It will limit how much ‘cash’ they have to spend.

Cap space isn’t the only thing to consider with teams. There isn’t a bottomless pit of cash to guarantee multiple players who sign large new contracts. If Cross, Smith-Njigba and Witherspoon all agree deals, it’ll mean there’s less of a chance they’ll make splashy moves in free agency. The Seahawks were never likely to dive head first into free agency anyway — but I think it’s important to set realistic expectations (especially with Tyler Linderbaum remaining without a new deal in Baltimore).

It shouldn’t preclude them entering the trade market in March, especially if the players they are acquiring don’t require an immediate new contract (something the Seahawks don’t like to do anyway). As we’ve discussed, there will be options there.

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.

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