After two consecutive winning seasons since Russell Wilson’s departure, things appear to be amazing for Seattle. But not so much. With Pete Carroll stepping down from the head coach spot, and Geno Smith showing more signs of inconsistency, the Seahawks appear to be in a weird spot. Welcome back to another edition of ‘The Super Bowl Race In The Perspective of Chase’, and today we will preview the Seattle Seahawks 2024 season!
2023 Season
The Seahawks made a surprising postseason spot in 2022 after getting rid of Russell Wilson, and expectations were high. Seattle was quietly going into 2023 with one of the league’s best defenses, and Geno Smith and D.K. Metcalf coupled with a Kenneth Walker and newly drafted Zach Charbonnet on offense made the Seahawks a dark-horse contender. And they good, but not at that level. Seattle lost their first game and then found their way to a 5-2 record, but Seattle was never good enough during a stretch to separate them from others. That is partially due to their defense, which was great in the middle of the season but sub-par in the first part of the season. Smith was good, but not anywhere near the level he was playing at in 2022. Same goes for Walker, who took away any opportunity for Charbonnet to shine as a rookie. Overall, Seattle quickly found themselves as an average team with some bad losses, and finished with a winning record but not in the postseason in 2023.
Offseason Additions and Losses
Honestly, for a team that doesn’t appear to be moving in a rebuilding or retooling direction, the Seahawks had a questionable offseason. That started with hiring Mike Macdonald, a move that I do like. But it also seems like that would be the first of many changes in the organization. Not so much. Something that Carroll excelled at was getting the best out of his QB talent, and we saw that from Smith the past two seasons. With Macdonald, a defensive minded coach who’s close to half Carroll’s age, there is no guarantee he will get the most out of a QB who’s close to his age. And Seattle has kept their key offensive paid pieces. But one that they didn’t retain was Bobby Wagner, who despite not being the player he used to be, still led the NFL in tackles last year. They did do a good job at getting front-seven talent in the draft, but overall, I have some questions about what direction Seattle is moving in and how their offseason moves, or lack there of, help them.
X-Factor: Zach Charbonnet
This should not come as a surprise to others. A lot of people viewed Charbonnet as Seattle’s X-Factor last season, though Walker continued to take up the majority of the touches. However, that could change in 2024. We continue to learn that running backs get old…quick. Look at Najee Harris. A third year running back who’s run for 1,000 yards each season is now losing his job to an unproven yet talented Jaylen Warren. That could happen with Walker. His yardage and overall statistics were much worse last season than in his rookie season in 2022, and he wasn’t running as well. On the other hand, Charbonnet has incredible elusiveness and breakaway speed, which makes a dangerous weapon. I wouldn’t be surprised if takes the job as the RB1.
Reason for Concern: Geno
Geno Smith had a very good season in 2022, and a very average season at best in 2023. In the offseason going into 2023, Geno signed a contract that is paying him over $30 million per year. That’s a lot of money, even if it’s been overlooked because of the contracts signed by QB’s this offseason. However, no matter how it compares to others, Smith is not worth $30 million. Especially not more. This is not supposed to be criticizing him only. He’s a veteran with a high IQ and good pocket presence. But he doesn’t have the arm talent, accuracy or mobility that can make him a dangerous signal caller. And that’s what the Seahawks need. They don’t have it.
Reason for Promise: Skill Position Talent
Smith may not be the superstar QB to lead them to success. However, he has some pieces around him that can elevate his play. D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett are both great receivers. Metcalf is a great, physical receiver with great hands, and Lockett has great speed and early separation that makes him a dangerous target. Say whatever you want, but 2300 yards of scrimmage in two seasons will always be 2300 yards in two seasons for Walker, and we mentioned Charbonnet. Even Jackson Smith-Njigba can be the missing piece in this offense if he can develop in year two. Overall, the talent around Smith can allow the Seahawks to stay competitive.
Prediction
I don’t believe the Seahawks will improve this season. In fact, I think they’ll get worse. I think we’ll see a drop off from Smith that Seahawks fans are not anticipating, and I think Walker will not be consistent enough to carry the running game. I think Seattle’s defense has some potential, but is too inconsistent in the front seven. Overall, I think the Seahawks will finish near Arizona for last place in the NFC West, and move on at the QB position going into 2025.
Leave a Reply