Magic 8 ball predictions for the 2024 Seattle Seahawks

Mattel's Magic 8 Ball has been predicting the future since 1946. We ran a few questions about the San Francisco 49ers by one, and the results were less than optimal.

For those unfamiliar with the concept, users ask yes-no questions to the ball, give it a shake and then turn it over to reveal the answer. We opted for an online version to ask the following:

Did the Seahawks make the right call replacing Pete Carroll?

Magic 8 ball says: Signs point to yes

After mostly successful 14 years the Seahawks decided to move on from head coach Pete Carroll, replacing him with former Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald. It was a bold move because even though the Seahawks had fallen into a string of mediocrity the past three seasons, Carroll was still a stabilizing presence on their sidelines and consistently kept the team competitive.

The Seahawks finished with a winning record in 11 of Carroll's last 12 seasons with the team, and remained competitive after moving on from franchise quarterback Russell Wilson when few gave them a chance to do so.

While everybody likes to think they can find the next new hot-shot coach, that is an incredibly difficult thing to do, and more often than not coaches are simply hired to eventually be fired.

But this might have been a situation where it was time for a fresh start. The Seahawks hadn't won a playoff game since 2019 and were not showing any signs of improvement on their defense the past two seasons.

Will the Seahawks defense play well enough to be a playoff team?

Magic 8 ball says: Very doubtful

The biggest thing that has held the Seahawks back the past two years has been a sub-par defensive unit that has finished 25th in points against each year, and 26th and 30th in yards against. That is simply not good enough, and it has wasted what has been a mostly respectable offense that is loaded with playmakers.

The Seahawks made some big changes to their defense this offseason by re-working their middle linebacker room (for the second year in a row) and using their first-round pick on defensive lineman Byron Murphy.

Those changes, place a new defensive-minded head coach could make a big impact on that side of the ball. But the Seahawks have such a tall mountain to climb when it comes to becoming a formidable defense that it might be asking too much in just one offseason.

Will Jaxon Smith-Njigba will lead the team in receptions?

Magic 8 ball says: Outlook good

Smith-Njigba was the second of the Seahawks' two first-round picks in the 2023 NFL Draft (No. 20 overall) and had a strong rookie season with 63 catches, good enough for third most on the team behind Tyler Lockett (79) and D.K. Metcalf (66).

Is it possible he could overtake both of them this season and become the Seahawks' new go-to player in the passing game?

It might not be that big of a stretch.

The Seahawks are expecting him to take a big jump from year one to year two with a bigger role, and with Lockett being another year older (32) and Metcalf still likely commanding most of the attention from opposing defenses that could open up Smith-Njigba for a breakout year that ultimately results in him leading the team in receptions.