The hiring of Mike MacDonald as Pete Carroll's replacement as the Seattle Seahawks head coach was one predictably viewed as likely to have more impact on the defensive side of the ball.
MacDonald has built a well-earned reputation as one of the finest defensive minds in the game, and he will have a big challenge reviving the fortunes of a unit that was among the worst in the NFL last season.
But just as fascinating as the Seattle defense's transition to MacDonald's scheme will be the change in offensive system under new coordinator Ryan Grubb.
Grubb helped the Washington Huskies reach the College Football Playoff National Championship Game last season, doing so while running a very pass happy offense. The Huskies attempted 574 passes in the 2023 campaign compared to 391 running plays.
The passing game remains king in the NFL, but the league does gradually appear to be pivoting back towards the run game. Only seven teams passed the ball on 60 percent of plays last year, down from 10 in 2022.
Seattle was one of those teams in 2023, throwing it on 61.6 percent of plays, the fifth-highest rate in the league.
Grubb's arrival may see the Seahawks maintain or perhaps even increase that passing frequency. That could be excellent news for their primary passing game weapon, DK Metcalf.
Metcalf was picked by NFL.com's Eric Edholm as Seattle's most likely team MVP for the 2024 season, writing:
There might be a division of labor at QB, but they’re not planning to take Metcalf off the field anytime soon -- and for good reason. Tyler Locket might be entering the twilight phase of his career, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba could pick up additional touches, but I can’t veer off Metcalf as being the biggest beneficiary of this new scheme. Grubb wants to dial up the big plays, and there are few better impact receivers out there, no matter who is at quarterback.
The 2019 second-round pick's best season came in 2020, when he broke the Seahawks' franchise record for single-season receiving yards, racking up 1,303 yards and 10 touchdowns.
However, in terms of yards per reception, his most efficient season was his last. Metcalf finished with 1,114 yards receiving and eight touchdowns, averaging 16.9 yards per catch. He recorded those numbers from 66 catches, 17 fewer than he made in 2019.
The Seahawks will be hoping Jaxon Smith-Njigba makes significant strides in year two after an underwhelming rookie season but, with Tyler Lockett perhaps having past his peak, there is no doubt Metcalf remains the top dog in the passing game.
It's still debatable at best whether he would be able to command the same number of targets as he did in 2020 (129). But if he can do so while displaying the same level of efficiency he demonstrated in 2023, Metcalf could be in a position to break his own franchise record.
With Metcalf entering the final year of his contract in 2025, that could make life complicated for Seattle in terms of planning for the future. But if Metcalf is threatening to make franchise history this coming season, it will surely mean the team is on the right trajectory under MacDonald and with Grubb at the helm of the offense.
Related: Successful first season for Mike MacDonald may hinge on key Seahawks draft class realizing potential
Local Seattle, WA
Most Popular
Comments / 0