Seahawks enter a new era under coach Mike Macdonald looking to rejoin elite of the NFC

Welcome to a new era in the Pacific Northwest. After 14 seasons, Pete Carroll was let go following another average season for the Seahawks and the resulting move led Seattle to go from having the oldest coach in the league to the youngest.

Mike Macdonald, age 37, is now in charge after two seasons orchestrating the defense in Baltimore and quickly rising the coaching ranks. He inherits a Seattle roster that is filled with talent, providing optimism that the Seahawks can quickly turn into contenders in the NFC West.

Geno Smith is back at quarterback, this time directing the offense of Ryan Grubb, who is in his first stint coaching in the NFL but had massive success as the offensive coordinator nearby at Washington. The skill positions are flush with talent such as DK Metcalf, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet.

Macdonald must improve a defense that ranked at the bottom of the league last year in nearly every statistical category and was especially bad at stopping the run. First-round pick Byron Murphy II should help along with a full season of Leonard Williams on the defensive front. The secondary could be very good if Riq Woolen returns to his rookie year form, Devon Witherspoon continues his rapid growth and Julian Love provides a steading force at safety.

Strengths

Grubb and Macdonald are bringing new systems to Seattle, each with their own unique quirks that could make Seattle very good on both sides. The skill position talent for the Seahawks is without questions and players have raved about how well Smith has taken to Grubb’s offensive plans.

Seattle’s defensive line could end up being exceptional if Macdonald finds new ways to take advantage of matchups, highlighted by Murphy and Williams. Uchenna Nwosu suffered a knee injury in the preseason finale but should return sometime in the first month and is another significantly important player for Seattle.

Weaknesses

Offensive line and inside linebacker stand out as the two biggest concerns for Seattle. If the offensive line stays healthy, it could end up being adequate because of the additions of Tomlinson and Williams. But the lack of depth behind the starting five and continued worry about the health of former starter Abraham Lucas’ knee make the line a worry. Inside linebacker depth is also a concern as beyond Dodson and Baker there is rookie Tyrice Knight and not much else.

Schedule

The Seahawks won two out of three preseason games in August, beating the Cleveland Browns and Los Angeles Chargers. Seattle lost to the Tennessee Titans by 1 point.

Seattle's first regular season game will be at home, Sunday, September 8 against the Denver Broncos.

After that they'll hit the road to play the New England Patriots on September 15.

Copyright 2024 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. KNKX Editor Cara Kuhlman contributed reporting.