1. Get your ‘offensive Head coach’
Mike Macdonald runs the defense. I think he wants an offensive mind to do the same thing with the offense. This isn’t unusual. Many coaches in the league look after one side of the ball and install an expert to run the other.
It appears likely that Ryan Grubb will depart after the final game of the season against the Rams. Before the Seahawks can focus on significant roster changes, they have to get the coordinator right. They need someone who can align with Macdonald to play a more connected, effective brand of football.
They need to hit on this appointment. This can’t become an annual thing, scrambling around to find the right offensive mind. We’ve seen defensive-minded coaches struggle in the past purely down to the fact they can’t get the right person to run their offense.
My guess is Grubb departs, the Seahawks open up a search with Jake Peetz most likely to be promoted. He was extremely highly rated in LA and it was a surprise when the Seahawks were able to bring him to Seattle. With the exception of Shane Waldron, Sean McVay tree coaches remain highly successful. This would give the Seahawks an opportunity to have some continuity in 2025 while switching to someone with a bit more NFL experience who might be better placed to execute Macdonald’s preference for the offense.
I doubt it’d be an immediate appointment and they would speak to others. It’d be great to think they could interview Josh McCown in Minnesota but a potential long Vikings playoff run could kibosh any hopes there. Marcus Brady (Chargers), Tanner Engstrand (Lions) and Josh Grizzard (Buccaneers) could all be interview candidates. Brady and Engstrand have links to the Harbaugh’s. They could also return to Mike Kafka.
If the likes of Doug Pedersen and Brian Daboll are fired, they could be talked to if they’re interested in immediately returning to the league. Getting an experienced play-caller would be beneficial and finding Macdonald his offensive version of Wade Phillips would be a positive. I’m not convinced the Seahawks want to hire someone like Daboll, with his reputation in New York for being quite abrasive. Macdonald might prefer a younger, technical coach in the mould of himself and that’s why Peetz might be seen as an ideal fit.
This is priority number one once the final game is out of the way.
2. Aggressively pursue changes to the offensive line
This is the next priority. I think the Seahawks need to take a page out of the LA Rams’ book and aim to be big and physical up front. McVay has completely reworked his offensive line, prioritising size. They spent big money on Jonah Jackson and Kevin Dotson and used a second round pick on Steve Avila.
The Rams don’t have a perfect O-line by any stretch — they rank only 20th for pass-block win-rate. However, they’re 10th in run-block win-rate. That should be Seattle’s aim for 2025 — create a legit run-blocking offensive line first and foremost. That feels easier to put together in one off-season than an elite pass-blocking line.
The Seahawks need to attack this problem with gusto, using free agency dollars, draft picks and they need to consider trades.
Firstly, free agency. The first thing to check on is whether Kansas City allows star right guard Trey Smith to reach the market. He’s the sixth ranked interior lineman for run-block win-rate. He turns 26 in June. It feels almost certain the Chiefs will keep him but if they don’t, this is a player worth spending a significant amount of money on to nail down the right guard spot for the next five years.
Ryan Kelly the Colts center is the third ranked interior linemen for run-block win-rate. The Seahawks are crying out for proven experience and leadership on their O-line. If Kelly is allowed to test the market, he should be a priority target. He might be a risk given he turns 32 next May but it’s a risk worth taking. Bradley Bozeman is a realistic alternative who can do the same kind of job.
Isaac Seumalo is considered by some to be a potential cap-casualty in Pittsburgh. He is ranked eighth in run-block win-rate. He could be a target if released.
There are other players you could look at. I think it’s unlikely that Kevin Zeitler will play anywhere other than Detroit (why would you leave?) but he’s the kind of player they’ve needed for about five years. Will Hernandez is a free agent. James Daniels has shown flashes of quality. Has Brandon Scherff got anything left? I really liked Ben Cleveland at Georgia, could a change of scenery get his career going?
The Seahawks can’t rely only on young players in the draft. They have to find some starters in free agency — and not bargain-bin shopping like this year, or waiting until training camp to add a center. They need to go into the draft creating a situation where they can go O-line early if they want to — but don’t necessarily need to.
That said, interior O-line is one of the deeper groups in terms of the first two rounds in the draft.
I continue to think Tyler Booker has got ‘Seahawk’ written all over him. He’s big and athletic, so he’d fit the bill. He’s worthy of a first round pick and he’s a player who could comfortably start at left guard immediately. He’s a plug and play guard, made for the NFL. He might not be the flashiest player or the most exciting pick for some — but if you want to create a competent offensive line, this is the type of player you need to consider selecting.
There are alternatives we’ve talked about — Kelvin Banks, Josh Conerly, Donovan Jackson, Grey Zabel, Dylan Fairchild, Jonah Savaiinaea, Jack Nelson, Will Campbell and others. Jake Majors is also an excellent center prospect.
It’s worth stressing though, there’s sufficient depth here to double-dip or wait if you want to take a different position in round one. Players like Armand Membou, Wyatt Milum, Emery Jones and Marcus Mbow are a bit overrated as early round picks within draft twitter but as guard converts — they all have a lot of very positive traits.
This is why free agency is so important. If you don’t feel like you desperately need to go O-line with your top pick, it opens things up. What if a player like Malaki Starks, Jalon Walker or Jihaad Campbell is available to bolster your defense? Jahdae Barron and Nick Emmanwori are very intriguing players too — and TJ Sanders is underrated.
Then there’s the potential for an offensive talent to be too good to pass. I think Colston Loveland and Tyler Warren should both be top-16 picks but if they last to #18 where the Seahawks are likely to select, you’d absolutely have to consider them. They can both be high-impact players. I’d even throw Harold Fannin Jr into the mix. Don’t be put off by the fact he plays for Bowling Green. He is legitimately a very dynamic, exciting tight end.
I want the Seahawks to prioritise the offensive line as much as anyone. But I’d prefer an aggressive free agency period to give you the chance to be open-minded about the draft and maintain a policy where you are drafting for talent and not need. You don’t want to pass on a very exciting defensive player or a very exciting tight end purely because you feel obliged to pick a guard.
I also won’t complain — at all — if they take someone like Booker, feeling like he’s a stalwart, solid left guard who can start for years.
3. Have the difficult conversations at quarterback
The more I think of it, the more I think the Seahawks and Geno Smith might have run their course. He isn’t getting any younger, statistically he’s regressing and yet he’s becoming gradually more expensive.
That’s the problem. Smith at a value cost, providing a useful bridge option, is a positive. As a player I don’t think he’s going to get better at his age, though, and he’s going to expect a raise.
I don’t agree with the sentiment among some fans and media that you can’t possibly find anyone better or as good as Smith. Are we honestly saying you can’t replicate these statistics with anyone else?
— 19th for touchdowns
— 21st for QBR
— 18th for QB rating
— 26th for QB rating under pressure
— 5th for turnover worthy plays
— 2nd for interceptions
People cite the O-line problems but his time to throw (2.83 seconds) ranks 14th.
As noted recently, since the Munich game in 2022, the final game of his hot start, he’s thrown for 52 touchdowns and 32 interceptions (a 13:8 ratio) and the Seahawks are 20-19 with Smith under center.
To suggest it isn’t possible to replicate this is frankly absurd. There are things physically that Smith can do that others cannot. I totally accept that. Yet there are things other quarterbacks will do better — namely red zone production.
It all comes down to cost for me. Smith’s cap-hit, if he hits his three escalators on Sunday, is $44.5m. You’re either playing out 2025 with that cost, or you are committing future years to Smith to reduce his cap-hit. I think I would rather look for a cheaper, younger alternative. Save money to rebuild the offensive line. Try and find the next reclamation project for 2025.
We’ve seen quarterbacks like Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield rebuild their careers. The Seahawks should look to do something similar, perhaps with one of Daniel Jones or Zach Wilson. Perhaps they look at Carson Wentz if he shows well for the Chiefs this week against Denver? I wouldn’t even rule out John Schneider going back in for Drew Lock, who he clearly rates. Either way — paying one of these players $5-7m for 2025 instead of Smith somewhere between $35-45m is a conversation we should have.
What have you got to lose, really? Smith is not good enough to fret about risking moving on from him. If this plan doesn’t work out, you might be better placed in the draft in 2026 — in what looks like a better quarterback class — to get a long-term answer. Seattle has to prioritise its long term future at the position. If Smith is willing to be a cost-effective bridge, that’s fine. But a salary worth tens of millions, to kick the can down the road again, feels increasingly unappealing.
I do think the Seahawks should consider drafting someone too, even if the options aren’t great. There will be a point where a player like Quinn Ewers might be worth a shot. Round three for example. Seth Henigan has intriguing physical tools. Tyler Shough has an arm you can work with. Riley Leonard and Will Howard are good athletes. The player who intrigues me — especially in a McVay/Shanahan system — is Max Brosmer.
I think Schneider is motivated to address this position. Last year, it felt like he was open-minded about change. Macdonald might be more inclined to stick with the veteran starter. It’ll be interesting to see what happens.
I’d also add — if Minnesota allows Sam Darnold to reach free agency, I would make a significant offer to sign him. I would also consider trading for him if the Vikings go the ‘tag and trade’ route. I think he’s shown enough physical excellence and high-level performance this year to be worth a roll of the dice.
4. Consider trading two big names
The Seahawks have a major dilemma with DK Metcalf. He hasn’t taken the next step to warrant an elite contract. His trade stock, though, is lower than it’s probably ever been. Yet you can’t just play out next year given his massive $31.9m cap-hit.
I think you have to see what you can get, unless he’s prepared to do a team-friendly shorter term extension. Jaxson Smith-Njigba is the clear #1 now and looks like the real deal. They could take a page out of the Rams book and try to find a cheap complement, as they did with Cooper Kupp working with Puca Nacua. Ricky White III, Josh Kelly, Elic Ayomanor and Tai Felton are underrated receivers in the 2025 draft. Xavier Restrepo and Tre Harris are big names who could last longer than they should and provide value.
The Seahawks have pumped resources into skill players and they’ve never been able to make the most of the investment. This has to be reviewed internally.
They should also see what the market is for Ken Walker. He’s extremely talented but for a number of reasons, including his durability, it just hasn’t worked. The Seahawks seem incapable of turning Walker and Zach Charbonnet into a two-headed monster and Charbonnet appears best suited to a lead-back role rather than change-of-pace duties. It might be best to see if someone will give you a semi-reasonable pick for Walker, move on, give the lead role to Charbonnet with Kenny McIntosh the #2, then use a later round pick on a third runner (it’s a great, deep class at running back).
You don’t want to get into the habit of removing talent from your team and as I write these words, it’s difficult to consider just shifting off good players. But how prepared are you to pay to keep Metcalf and Walker beyond 2025? And after another playoff-less season, everything needs to be on the table as you reshape the offense.
