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Seattle Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks’ biggest and most pressing need this offseason is their offensive line, but another interesting position group to monitor is tight end.

2024 Seahawks Final Grades: Evaluating Year 1 of the Macdonald era

No. 2 tight end AJ Barner, a fourth-round draft pick out of Michigan, had a promising rookie campaign with 30 receptions for 245 yards and four touchdowns. But it’s possible Seattle could choose to move on from one or both of its other tight ends.

Veteran tight end Noah Fant could be a salary-cap casualty, given that his production hasn’t lived up to his contract or his first-round draft status since he came over from the Denver Broncos in the 2022 Russell Wilson trade. Fant hasn’t ranked higher than 18th among tight ends in receiving yards in any of his three seasons in Seattle. And he isn’t known for his blocking ability, ranking just 69th out of 75 tight ends in Pro Football Focus‘ run block grading in 2024.

That could make it difficult for the Seahawks to justify keeping Fant for the second season of his two-year, $21 million deal. According to Over The Cap, Fant’s cap hit increases to $13.4 million in 2025. And Seattle currently sits $27.4 million over the cap, which is more than just two other teams.

Meanwhile, it seems unlikely the Seahawks will re-sign No. 3 tight end Pharaoh Brown after his underwhelming 2024 campaign. Brown, who arrived in Seattle last March on a one-year deal, had just eight catches for 65 yards and ranked 49th out of 75 tight ends in PFF run block grading.

If the Seahawks are looking to upgrade their tight end room, how is this year’s NFL Draft class? During an appearance last week on Seattle Sports’ Bump and Stacy, ESPN NFL Draft analyst Matt Miller raved about two first-round tight end prospects who have particularly bright futures: Penn State’s Tyler Warren and Michigan’s Colston Loveland.

Miller said that if the Seahawks don’t go with an offensive lineman or an edge rusher at No. 18 overall, Warren or Loveland would both be slam-dunk picks if they’re still on the board. Below is a closer look at both players.

“They’re both gonna be stars,” Miller said.

Tyler Warren (Penn State)

Warren is coming off a spectacular season that garnered a seventh-place finish in the Heisman Trophy voting, which was the best finish by a tight end since 1977.

The ultra-versatile Warren put up massive numbers in Penn State’s run to the College Football Playoff semifinals, racking up 104 catches for a team-high 1,233 yards and eight touchdowns in 16 games. The 6-foot-6, 261-pound senior also was PFF’s top-graded run-blocking tight end. And as a former star high school quarterback, Warren served as a Swiss Army knife weapon who periodically lined up in the backfield as a wildcat quarterback or a running back. He rushed for 218 yards and four TDs on 26 carries, while also completing 3 of 6 passes for 35 yards and a TD.

Warren topped the 100-yard receiving mark four times this season, including a monster 17-catch, 224-yard performance against USC that tied the FBS record for most receptions in a game by a tight end. He had one play in that game where he lined up at center, snapped the ball, ran a go route downfield and leaped over a safety in the end zone to haul in a trick-play double pass for a 32-yard TD reception.

In his latest mock draft, ESPN NFL Draft analyst Jordan Reid has Warren going to the Indianapolis Colts at No. 14 overall – four spots ahead of Seattle.

“He’s amazing,” Miller said. “He had a touchdown rushing, receiving and passing. I mean, he does it all. He’s 6-foot-6, 255, but he moves like he’s 6-foot-3. He moves like he’s a much smaller player. He’s a top-10 player (in the draft) for me.”

Colston Loveland (Michigan)

Could the Seahawks draft a Michigan tight end for the second straight year? Loveland and Barner were teammates on Michigan’s 2023 national championship team, with Loveland actually serving as the Wolverines’ top tight end and Barner as the backup.

The 6-foot-5, 245-pound Loveland had 45 catches for 649 yards and four touchdowns during Michigan’s 2023 title run, including a key 41-yard catch-and-run in the national championship game against the UW Huskies. The Gooding, Idaho, native was hampered by injuries and subpar quarterback play this past fall, but still mustered 56 catches for 582 yards and five TDs in 10 games – including seven catches for a season-high 112 yards against Oregon.

ESPN’s Reid has Loveland going to the Los Angeles Rams at No. 22 overall in his latest mock draft – four spots behind Seattle.

“He got banged up this year at Michigan (and) they couldn’t throw the ball at all, so that affected his numbers,” Miller said. “But I watched him at Michigan’s pro day last year when (2024 first-round pick) J.J. McCarthy was throwing to him, and he’s special. He could be like a Trey McBride type player in the NFL. He can do it all. He’s so, so talented.”

Listen to the full conversation with ESPN’s Matt Miller on Brock and Salk at this link or in the audio player near the top of this story. Tune in to Brock and Salk weekdays from 6 to 10 a.m. or find the podcast on the Seattle Sports app.

More on the Seattle Seahawks

• Why former Seahawks DB thinks Seattle will move on from Geno and DK
• Huard: Free agent class has answers for Seattle Seahawks’ biggest need
• Report: Seattle Seahawks request interview with Saints OC
• Reports: Seattle Seahawks to interview 2 candidates for OC job
• ESPN Insider: Edge rushers Seattle Seahawks could target in NFL Draft

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Keeping you up to date on Seattle's pro hockey team

Seattle Kraken

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Kaapo Kakko scored twice in the third period, Joey Daccord made 33 saves and the Seattle Kraken overcame an early two-goal deficit to beat the Buffalo Sabres 6-2 on Saturday.

Seattle Kraken 6, Buffalo Sabres 2: Box score

Oliver Bjorkstrand gave Seattle the lead on a scramble in front of the net at 3:08 of the third. Kakko scored 38 seconds later, and added another goal on a power play 1:40 after that.

Andre Burakovsky, Ryker Evans and Brandon Tanev also scored to help the Kraken snap a four-game skid. Chandler Stephenson, Joshua Mahura and Jared McCann each had two assists.

The Kraken scored six straight goals after Sam Lafferty and Jack Quinn gave the Sabres a 2-0 lead in the first period. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 24 shots for Buffalo.

The Sabres had won two in a row.

Takeaways

Seattle Kraken: Rallied from a multi-goal deficit for an NHL-best sixth time, rebounding from a 6-2 loss in Columbus on Thursday night.

Buffalo Sabres: Fans booed and bellowed for general manager Kevyn Adams to be fired and owner Terry Pegula to sell the team after the season’s 15th blown lead in a loss.

Key moment

After Luukkonen made the save on an initial shot by Burakovsky, the rebound shot by Bjorkstrand ricocheted off the goalie’s leg pad and into the net off the glove of Sabres defenseman Jacob Bryson.

Key stat

The Kraken are 4-0-0 liftime in Buffalo with a 22-11 goal differential.

Up next

Seattle is at Detroit on Sunday in the middle of a five-game trip. Buffalo has three days off before hosting Carolina on Wednesday night.

Weekdays at 2 p.m. on Seattle Sports

Wyman and Bob

Not everybody saw the Seattle Seahawks’ trade of Russell Wilson coming three years ago, but former NFL safety Jordan Babineaux did.

And that makes his take on Seattle’s most pressing personnel decisions this offseason worth listening to.

Rost: Seattle Seahawks have two paths they can go down at QB

Babineaux, who spent the first seven years of his nine-year NFL career with the Seahawks and is a longtime analyst on FOX 13’s coverage of the team, believes quarterback Geno Smith has already played his last down for Seattle. Not only that, but he thinks wide receiver DK Metcalf is in the same camp.

On Friday’s edition of Wyman and Bob, Babineaux told fellow former Seahawks player Dave Wyman and co-host Bob Stelton what has informed those thoughts, and a big part of it is similarities he sees now with Smith to when the team decided to move on from Wilson.

“In terms of where the Hawks are when you look at that time with all of the conversation and back and forth between Russell’s camp, Russell’s agent, and where the franchise was and the opportunity that they had to move him, we see something similar,” Babineaux said. “(It) could be happening again in terms of who they’re going to turn over the key for the franchise.”

Per Over The Cap, the 34-year-old Smith carries a big salary cap number of $44.5 million for 2025, his last year under contract, which is a big increase from $26.4 million in 2024. If Seattle was to cut him before June 1, only $13.5 million would be a dead cap hit, giving the Seahawks a savings of $31 million. Of course, the Hawks and Smith could also work out an extension to bring down his cap number for next season. Either way, it seems pretty unlikely that Seattle would go into next season with Smith’s cap number staying where it is, especially with the Hawks predicted to be roughly $16.2 million over the NFL’s projected 2025 salary cap, per Over The Cap.

Wilson was set to have a salary cap charge of $26 million in 2022 at the age of 33 before the Seahawks traded him to Denver.

It’s not just the money situation that has Babineaux thinking Smith won’t be with Seattle come this summer, though. He said that the team’s decision to let offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb go last Monday only added to his belief that a big change is coming this offseason.

Two names surface for OC job | Hawks request to interview Saints OC

“This will be Geno’s third offensive coordinator (since becoming Seattle’s starting QB in 2022),” he said. “I just see this team being young, and if you look at the history of what (general manager John) Schneider has done with this franchise over his tenure, he’s always looked to get younger.

“Geno is a capable quarterback, I think he’s still a starting quarterback, he had his best year as a pro this year. I just don’t see him on the Seahawks roster the next season simply because they’ll be looking to bring someone in (as offensive coordinator) to nurture and mature a young mind with newness and freshness and something different at the quarterback position.”

What about DK?

Smith isn’t the only reason the Seahawks are feeling a crunch with their roster and the salary cap this offseason.

The 27-year-old Metcalf, a two-time Pro Bowler, also has a big cap number for 2025 according to Over The Cap at just under $32 million, which is over double his figure in 2024. Not helping matters is that Metcalf missed two games in 2024 due to injury and finished short of 1,000 receiving yards for the first time since 2021, falling behind second-year player Jaxon Smith-Njigba as Seattle’s most productive receiver.

“This was really the first year that we saw (Metcalf’s) production drop off, and in fact he missed two games and that was rare,” Babineaux said. “But even when they decided to give him a new contract (in 2022), they only did it for three years, so it tells me that was another test. So, ‘Let’s try him out for another three years, let’s see if there’s dropoff.” And again, his development or growth as a pro fell short of 1,000 yards this season. I don’t think that’s the big reason. I think a lot of it too is about bringing something fresh and something new … DK is a star, No. 1 receiver. (But) what I don’t believe is that they’ll bring him back at the number at $30-plus million.”

What the Seahawks will do

So if Seattle doesn’t bring back Smith or Metcalf in 2025, what will it mean for their offseason? Babineaux points to an area where the franchise hasn’t typically made big investments, but where head coach and former Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald’s old team has tended to focus its attention.

“I think this is the offseason where the Seahawks will finally invest in the offensive line,” Babineaux said. “… Correct me if I’m wrong, but over the last 10 years the biggest offensive line acquisition that they made was Duane Brown. Under coach (Pete) Carroll, there was very little development or investment into the offensive line. And now you look at what happened in the middle of the season, your veteran center (Connor Williams) decides to step away after the bye week, and now you bring in Olu (Oluwatimi to play center) and the other players (are) kind of fighting to fill that void.

“You got a head coach in Mike Macdonald who came from the Baltimore Ravens, where the trenches were a big highlight, primary (focus) – it was the gold standard for their success. They had success and are still having success because they’re winning at the offensive line, they’re winning at the defensive line. And I think that’s where we’ll see the biggest investment – in protecting the quarterback, particularly if they decide to bring in a young quarterback versus acquiring a veteran quarterback that might be available.”

Hear the full Wyman and Bob conversation with analyst and former Seattle Seahawks safety Jordan Babineaux in the podcast at this link or in the player near the top of this post. Catch Wyman and Bob from 2-7 p.m. weekdays on Seattle Sports.

More on the Seattle Seahawks

• Huard: Free agent class has answers for Seahawks’ biggest need
• Report: Pete Carroll lands another interview for head coach job
• ESPN Insider: Edge rushers Seahawks could target in NFL Draft
• Leonard Williams named NFC Defensive Player of the Month
• Four Seattle Seahawks who took the biggest leaps in 2024

Follow @BrentStecker

Weekdays at 2 p.m. on Seattle Sports

Wyman and Bob

This week, the MLB Network began airing their annual “Top 10 Right Now” series which features position by position rankings of current MLB players. Up first was center field, and atop the list was the Seattle Mariners’ own Julio Rodríguez – perhaps coming as a surprise as Rodríguez is coming off a season that was marred by a massive struggle over the first three months.

Mariners Offseason: How ESPN’s Passan views them right now

In MLB Network insider Jon Morosi’s weekly visit with Wyman and Bob on Wednesday, he was asked about the ranking.

“It’s fair to ask for more,” Morosi said of Rodríguez, who posted a 4.3 bWAR in 2024. “But it is remarkable to think of this – that Julio, even coming off of a down year, a year in which he did not play in 32 games, that he is still rated if you just go by the numbers as the third best center fielder in baseball last year.”

Rodríguez’s struggles at the plate were well chronicled, as was the late season bounceback. It appears, both inside and outside the Seattle Mariners organization, there is a lot of belief in what was seen from Julio in the later months of 2024, as well as what was seen in some of the numbers that indicated he was just a tick off for a good part of the season. His exit velocity and bat speed were there, while his barrel percentage was down. His slugging percentage was a career low .409, but his xSLG at .463 was right in line with the .472 he posted in 2023 and .460 in 2022.

“There’s still a lot there for Julio, even if he has just an OK year by his standards,” said Morosi. “He’s still a very valuable player.”

There is no denying the talent, and while the experience of the struggle last year was not pleasant, it did appear answers were found late in the season – with Rodríguez crediting Edgar Martinez, who rejoined the staff as hitting coach, for some of them. This year in his new position overseeing the Mariners’ overall hitting program, Edgar will have a bigger voice in spring training than he has had in Julio’s time with the organization. The hope is this, plus more at-bats this spring, will help Rodríguez get into a better rhythm at the plate heading into what Morosi believes could be a big season for him.

“He had a down year, and I would expect when you have someone that has that special a skill set he will find a way to bounce back,” he said. “He is only in his age 24 season. Can he go 30/30? Yeah, he’s done it before and I think that level of expectation is appropriate, and I expect he will find a way to hit 30/30 this season.”

MLB Network and NHL Network reporter Jon Morosi joins Wyman and Bob weekly, typically at 5 p.m. each Wednesday. Hear this week’s full conversation in the podcast at this link or in the player below, and catch the show from 2-7 p.m. weekdays on Seattle Sports.

More Seattle Mariners offseason coverage

• M’s reach deals with seven arbitration eligible players
• Mariners add former first-round draft pick on waiver claim
• Seattle claims reliever from Blue Jays with interesting background
• Drayer: Seattle Mariners have been quiet so far, so what now?
• There’s one way Seattle Mariners’ Cal Raleigh sets himself apart as hitter

Follow @shannondrayer

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Seattle Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks head into the offseason clearly needing to upgrade the interior of their offensive line. They appear to have plenty of options in free agency.

ESPN’s Miller names potential draft targets at guard for Seattle Seahawks

During his Blue 88 segment Friday on Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk, former NFL quarterback Brock Huard highlighted what stands out to him about the upcoming NFL free agent class. For Huard, it is the amount of viable options on the interior of the offensive line.

“This is where it’s always a little bit dangerous … because just because you know the name does not mean they’re good anymore,” Huard said. “But there were names at center, guys we’ve talked about in the past. The center (Ryan Kelly) that we wanted to draft out of Alabama (in 2016). … Now that’s a name that they loved 10 years ago. How beat up is his body and everything else? I don’t know but, man, there are some guards.”

Kelly went 18th overall to the Indianapolis Colts in 2016, eight selections in front of where the Seahawks were originally set to pick before trading back to No. 31. He’s spent all nine of his NFL seasons with the Colts, making four Pro Bowl appearances and earning an All-Pro selection. However, the 31-year-old Kelly has missed 10 games over the past two seasons, including seven this season due to neck and knee injuries. He allowed only sack and was the 14th-ranked center in Pro Football Focus grading in 2024.

Another name that caught the attention of Huard was Detroit Lions guard Kevin Zeitler, who was the third-ranked guard in PFF grading and allowed five sacks this season. Zeitler made his first Pro Bowl in 2023 with a Baltimore Ravens team that featured Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald as its defensive coordinator. The former first-round pick will be 35 years old next season.

The name that Huard was most excited about was Kansas City guard Trey Smith, who he called “an absolute monster.” Smith was the ninth-ranked guard in PFF grading this season and didn’t allow a sack while appearing in all 17 games. Smith, a sixth-round pick in 2021, is much younger than the options named above at just 25 years old. He earned his first Pro Bowl selection this season.

“He’s a difference-making dude right there in Kansas City,” Huard said.

Additionally, Huard mentioned longtime Dallas Cowboys guard Zack Martin as another potential target on the interior. The 34-year-old Martin has been a Pro Bowl and All-Pro selection in all but two of his 11 NFL seasons, most recently earning both honors in 2023. He ranked 32nd among guards in PFF grading this season. Martin did show some signs of regression this season, though. He surrendered a career-worst five sacks despite playing in just 10 games.

“There at least is like a Baskin-Robbins of a lot of names here,” Huard said. “I don’t remember in years past seeing this much production, name recognition and then at the very top end – as I said there with the Kansas City guard – really elite stuff. So I was encouraged.”

Listen to the full conversation at this link or in the audio player near the top of this story. Tune in to Brock and Salk weekdays from 6-10 a.m. or find the podcast on the Seattle Sports app.

More on the Seattle Seahawks

• Report: Pete Carroll lands another interview for NFL head coach job
• ESPN Insider: Edge rushers Seahawks could target in NFL Draft
• Report: Seahawks request interview with Saints OC
• Seahawks assistant leaves Seattle to rejoin Boise State coaching staff
• Reports: Seahawks to interview two candidates for OC job

Follow @ZacHereth

News from Seattle Sports, the home of the Seattle Seahawks

Seattle Seahawks

Lamar Jackson beat out Josh Allen, and Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson are unanimous choices for The Associated Press 2024 NFL All-Pro Team.

ESPN Insider: Edge rushers Seahawks could target in NFL Draft

Saquon Barkley received 48 of 50 first-place votes and Patrick Surtain II got 49 from a nationwide panel of media members who regularly cover the league.

“Wow, that’s crazy. That’s respect right there. That’s love,” Jefferson said of his unanimous selection and second overall.

Jackson received 30 first-place votes to Allen’s 18, making the team for the second straight year and third overall. Peyton Manning (7) and Aaron Rodgers (4) are the only quarterbacks with more All-Pro nominations in the Super Bowl era than Jackson.

Linebacker Roquan Smith, slot cornerback Marlon Humphrey and fullback Patrick Ricard joined Jackson from the Ravens (12-5).

The NFC-leading Lions (15-2) had four players selected: wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, right tackle Penei Sewell, safety Kerby Joseph and punter Jack Fox.

“They know what’s up,” said Joseph, who led the NFL with nine interceptions but was snubbed from the Pro Bowl.

Barkley, who ran for 2,005 yards in 16 games in his first season with the Eagles (14-3), and linebacker Zack Baun were Philadelphia’s first-team selections. Barkley sat out the final regular-season game with the Eagles locked into the No. 2 seed instead of chasing Eric Dickerson’s 40-year-old single-season rushing record.

Browns edge rusher Myles Garrett and 49ers linebacker Fred Warner were each chosen for the fourth time.

Buccaneers left tackle Tristan Wirfs became the first player selected at both tackle spots. Before 2016, the All-Pro roster included two tackles but didn’t differentiate between right or left side. Wirfs made it at right tackle in 2021. He switched positions in 2023.

“It’s pretty special,” Wirfs said. “It’s something I wanted to do, wanted to accomplish.”

Fourteen players are first-timers, including Raiders rookie tight end Brock Bowers. He got 27 first-place votes to George Kittle’s 22.

Chiefs center Creed Humphrey and left guard Joe Thuney and Broncos right guard Quinn Meinerz round out the offense.

Cincinnati’s Trey Hendrickson, who led the league with 17 1/2 sacks, joined Garrett at edge rusher.

“That’s such a privilege and an honor,” Hendrickson said.

Kansas City’s Chris Jones and Pittsburgh’s Cameron Heyward are the interior linemen. Texans cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. and Packers safety Xavier McKinney join Surtain, Humphrey and Joseph in the secondary.

“That’s a huge honor,” Surtain said. “That’s one of the accolades I definitely had goals for.”

Stingley, the No. 3 overall pick in 2022 chosen right before two-time All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner, rebounded from two-injury plagued seasons and played every game to help Houston win its second straight AFC South title.

“It’s really more about the secondary as a unit, how do we gel together when it comes to communication, when the ball is in the air and different types of things like that. I’d rather focus more on that than the personal,” Stingley said.

Steelers kicker Chris Boswell, Cowboys kick returner KaVontae Turpin, Broncos punt returner Marvin Mims Jr., Patriots special teams ace Brenden Schooler and Vikings long snapper Andrew DePaola along with Fox are the special teams picks.

Jackson also was an All-Pro in 2019 and 2023. He was the NFL MVP both of those seasons and Baltimore had the AFC’s No. 1 seed both years but failed to reach the Super Bowl. Jackson got 30 first-place votes, Allen received 18 and Joe Burrow got two.

Ravens running back Derrick Henry received the two first-place votes that didn’t go to Barkley.

St. Brown (40), Thuney (41), Humphrey (44), Baun (44), Garrett (45) and Turpin (49) also had at least 40 of the 50 first-place votes.

This was the third year for the AP’s new voting system. Voters chose a first team and a second team. First-team votes are worth 3 points, second-team votes are worth 1.

No Seattle Seahawks make the cut

Five Seattle Seahawks players received All-Pro votes, but none garnered enough points to make either of the teams.

Interior defensive lineman Leonard Williams was Seattle’s top vote-getter and finished only spot away from making the second team. Williams received eight first-place votes, 41 total points, and finished seven points behind Philadelphia’s Jalen Carter, who received the final interior defensive linemen spot on the second team.

Punter Michael Dickson received three first-place votes and 18 total points, cornerback Devon Witherspoon received three first-place votes and 16 total points as a slot cornerback, wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njiba received one point, and safety Julian Love received one point.

All-Pro Teams

First team

Offense

Quarterback — Lamar Jackson, Baltimore

Running Back — Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia

Fullback — Patrick Ricard, Baltimore

Tight End — Brock Bowers, Las Vegas

Wide Receivers — Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati; Justin Jefferson, Minnesota; Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit

Left Tackle — Tristan Wirfs, Tampa Bay

Left Guard — Joe Thuney, Kansas City

Center — Creed Humphrey, Kansas City

Right Guard — Quinn Meinerz, Denver

Right Tackle — Penei Sewell, Detroit

Defense

Edge Rushers — Myles Garrett, Cleveland; Trey Hendrickson, Cincinnati

Interior Linemen — Cameron Heyward, Pittsburgh; Chris Jones, Kansas City

Linebackers — Zack Baun, Philadelphia; Fred Warner, San Francisco; Roquan Smith, Baltimore

Cornerbacks — Patrick Surtain II, Denver; Derek Stingley Jr., Houston

Slot cornerback — Marlon Humphrey, Baltimore

Safeties — Kerby Joseph, Detroit; Xavier McKinney, Green Bay

Special Teams

Placekicker — Chris Boswell, Pittsburgh

Punter — Jack Fox, Detroit

Kick Returner — KaVontae Turpin, Dallas

Punt Returner — Marvin Mims Jr., Denver

Special Teamer — Brenden Schooler, New England

Long Snapper — Andrew DePaola, Minnesota

Second team

Offense

Quarterback — Josh Allen, Buffalo

Running Back — Derrick Henry, Baltimore

Fullback — Kyle Juszczyk, San Francisco

Tight End — George Kittle, San Francisco

Wide Receivers — Terry McLaurin, Washington; CeeDee Lamb, Dallas; A.J. Brown, Philadelphia

Left Tackle — Jordan Mailata, Philadelphia

Left Guard — Quenton Nelson, Indianapolis

Center — Frank Ragnow, Detroit

Right Guard — Chris Lindstrom, Atlanta

Right Tackle — Lane Johnson, Philadelphia

Defense

Edge Rushers — T.J. Watt, Pittsburgh; (asterisk)-Nik Bonitto, Denver, (asterisk)-Andrew Van Ginkel, Minnesota

Interior Linemen — Zach Allen, Denver; Jalen Carter, Philadelphia

Linebackers — Frankie Luvu, Washington; Bobby Wagner, Washington; Zaire Franklin, Indianapolis

Cornerbacks — Trent McDuffie, Kansas City; Christian Gonzalez, New England

Slot cornerback — Derwin James, Los Angeles Chargers

Safeties — Kyle Hamilton, Baltimore; Budda Baker, Arizona

Special teams

Placekicker — Brandon Aubrey, Dallas

Punter — Logan Cooke, Jacksonville

Kick Returner — Austin Ekeler, Washington

Punt Returner — Kalif Raymond, Detroit

Special Teamer — J.T. Gray, New Orleans

Long Snapper — Ross Matiscik, Jacksonville

*-tied for second-team spot

The Seattle Sports staff contributed to this story.

Huard weighs in on Seattle Seahawks’ biggest Pro Bowl snub

Brock and Salk

The Seattle Seahawks invested in their defensive front early in last year’s draft. Will they do it again in 2025?

ESPN’s Miller names potential draft targets at guard for Seattle Seahawks

According to ESPN Draft expert Matt Miller, “this is the year” to add defensive ends and edge rushers in the draft.

The Seahawks enter the offseason in an interesting spot at the position. Young edge rushers Boye Mafe and Derick Hall appear as if they’ll be around for at least the near future, but the team could have some tough decisions to make on veterans Dre’Mont Jones and Uchenna Nwosu.

Seattle is roughly $16.2 million over the NFL’s projected 2025 salary cap, according to OverTheCap.com. The site also lists the team’s effective cap space, which includes compensation for rookie deals and projected spending to get the roster to 51 players, at just over $22 million in the red. The Seahawks could save about $11.5 million by releasing Jones and $8.5 million by releasing Nwosu before June 1.

If they were to cut either or both of those players to create cap space in 2025, edge rushers will become an area of need. Miller shared three players he feels the Seahawks could target to fill that potential need in the 2025 NFL Draft when he joined Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk.

“I think the great thing about (head coach) Mike (Macdonald)’s defense is you can kind of fit some different bodies in there,” Miller said.

Potential Seattle Seahawks draft targets

Shemar Stewart

Stewart, a former five-star recruit, is one of the more intriguing prospects in the draft. At 6-foot-6 and 290 pounds, the Texas A&M product has a combination of size and athleticism that NFL teams covet. But the production hasn’t quite matched those traits. The junior edge rusher had six tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and one forced fumble this season. In 37 total college games over three years, he has just 12 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks.

Stewart ranked 90th out of 869 edge rushers in Pro Football Focus grading this season, including 13th against the run. He is the second-ranked defensive end on ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper’s Big Board and the No. 23 overall prosect on Pro Football Focus’ Big Board. Stewart was a third-team All-SEC selection in 2024.

“If you want to go with that kind of traditional big-bodied pass rusher, Shemar Stewart from Texas A&M fits that mold,” Miller said. “… Now he’s had limited sack production, but (has) just phenomenal traits and (is) somebody that you can mold into that (role of) you’re playing upfront, but you need a little bit of burst off the edge. He definitely fits that.”

We know a QB hates to see Shemar Stewart coming 😳

📺 SEC Network+#GigEm | #BTHObowlinggreen pic.twitter.com/zQsLeVoV0Y

— Texas A&M Football (@AggieFootball) September 22, 2024

Jack Sawyer

Sawyer isn’t the same sort of physical specimen as Stewart, but he’s been a very productive player in his four seasons at Ohio State. In 14 games this season, he has eight tackles for loss, eight sacks, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, an interception and a defensive touchdown. That includes two-sack outings in each of the Buckeyes’ first two College Football Playoff games. In 52 career college games, the senior edge rusher has amassed 28 tackles for loss, 22 sacks and five forced fumbles.

The 6-foot-5, 260-pound Sawyer ranks 14th among edge rushers in PFF grading this season. He’s the sixth-ranked defensive end on Kiper’s Big Board and ranked No. 39 overall by PFF. Sawyer was a second-team All-Big Ten pick this season.

“Jack Sawyer from Ohio State fits that (big-bodied-pass-rusher mold) as well,” Miller said. “He’s a guy who has gone off in the College Football Playoff. He’s leading all pass rushers in terms of pressures during the College Football Playoff. We’ll get to see him against a pretty good Texas offensive line on Friday night. (Sawyer and Stewart) definitely stand out for me guys who feel like Mike Macdonald picks.”

Landon Jackson

Jackson is coming off a pair of very productive seasons for Arkansas and possesses plenty of size at 6 foot 7 and 280 pounds. The senior edge rusher has posted double-digit tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks totals in each of the past two seasons, including a career-best 14 tackles for loss as a junior. He had 10 tackles for loss, six sacks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery this season. In 42 career games, he totaled 28 tackles for loss and 16 sacks.

Jackson, who began his career at LSU, ranked 48th among edge rushers in PFF grading this season, including 15th against the run. He is the No. 5 defensive end on Kiper’s Big Board and the 34th-ranked player overall on PFF’s Big Board. Jackson was a second-team All-SEC selection in 2024.

“(He) moves really well for that size, though,” Miller said. “So again, if you want kind of the bigger, supersized defensive ends that were in vogue in Baltimore, I think that’s the way you can kind of go.”

Landon Jackson says hello pic.twitter.com/Lk63NvLizq

— Arkansas Razorback Football (@RazorbackFB) September 28, 2024

Listen to the full conversation at this link or in the audio player near the top of this story. Tune in to Brock and Salk weekdays from 6-10 a.m. or find the podcast on the Seattle Sports app.

More on the Seattle Seahawks

• Reports: Seahawks to interview two candidates for OC job
• Seahawks assistant leaves Seattle to rejoin Boise State coaching staff
• Leonard Williams named NFC Defensive Player of the Month
• Rost: Seahawks have two paths they can go down at QB in 2025
• Four Seahawks who took the biggest leaps in 2024

Follow @ZacHereth

Keeping you up to date on Seattle's pro hockey team

Seattle Kraken

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Denton Mateychuk and Luca Del Bel Belluz, both recent callups from the AHL, each had a goal and an assist to help lift the Columbus Blue Jackets over the Seattle Kraken 6-2 on Thursday night.

Columbus Blue Jackets 6, Seattle Kraken 2: Box Score

Zach Werenski also added a goal and an assist, extending his home point streak to 16 games, as the Blue Jackets won their third straight.

Sean Kuraly, Kent Johnson and Kirill Marchenko also scored. James van Riemsdyk contributed two assists, and Elvis Merzlikins made 29 saves for Columbus. Mateychuk’s goal was the first of his NHL career.

Eeli Tolvanen scored twice for Seattle, which has lost four straight. Philipp Grubauer stopped 14 shots before being replaced late in the second period by Joey Daccord, who saved all four shots he faced in his first game action since suffering an upper-body injury on Dec. 22 against the Colorado Avalanche.

Takeaways

Seattle: The Kraken dominated shots and puck possession early and were competitive through the first 20 minutes. They were overwhelmed in the second period and started their five-game road trip with a loss.

Columbus: After a slow start, the Blue Jackets found their rhythm and dominated the final two periods. Contributions from recent Cleveland callups helped them secure their 14th home win this season.

Key moment

The Blue Jackets were tied after one period but erupted in the second, scoring four unanswered goals in 12:16. The surge broke the game open and forced Grubauer from the net.

Key stat

Del Bel Belluz has played in only two NHL games and scored in both. His first goal came on April 16 against Carolina.

Up next

Both teams are on the road Saturday, when the Kraken visit Buffalo and the Blue Jackets visit St. Louis.

Seattle Kraken lose 2 key players to injured reserve

Brock and Salk

ESPN’s Jeff Passan took his turn in talking about the Seattle Mariners’ surprising lack of moves so far this winter, joining Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk on Thursday morning.

Drayer: Mariners have been quiet so far, so what now?

In his eyes, the Mariners’ inactivity has largely boiled down to being a trade problem. Where they are in the calendar, however, should help clarify things – and perhaps not in a exciting but rather necessary manner.

“M’s fans should ask themselves this question: When we are sitting around waiting, waiting desperately for something to happen, do you think sometimes we trick ourselves into thinking that some action is better than no action when no action is maybe actually better than some?” Passan asked. “How much better is this team in 2025 without Luis Castillo?”

Integral to that equation, according to Passan, was how compelling a potential move following a hypothetical trade of Castillo could be at this late date with the mid-tier free agents off the board. Asked about the upper tier of remaining bats in free agency, Passan pointed out “late date” goes two ways – with potential for opportunity with two of those bats, Alex Bregman and Pete Alonso, if the Mariners are willing to grab it.

“Either of those, I mean, it’s like stretch. ‘Let’s stretch for this guy,'” he said. “Let’s go and get the power and get the home runs from Alonso. Let’s get the contact and on base, the glove, the leadership with Bregman. And I think it’s a matter of waiting and waiting and waiting, and hoping that guys get a little bit desperate that you can come in at the end and get them under what you thought you were going to be able to. You’re not paying retail for them at this point, and if the Mariners want to avoid paying retail in free agency, if that’s like something that they’re looking to do out of necessity, then man, waiting this long and pouncing when the opportunity is there seems like a real no-brainer.”

What about Sasaki?

From no-brainer to head-scratcher, Passan was also asked about the Roki Sasaki sweepstakes. The star pitcher from Japan’s Nippon Pro Baseball has until Jan. 23 to sign with a team, and curiously enough, the Mariners do not appear to be a finalist as they have not been named as a team that has had a face-to-face meeting with the 23-year-old right-hander.

“The case they have to make is a pretty darn good one,” Passan said. “Nobody has developed good starting pitching the way the Mariners have over the last 3-4 years. With their starting pitching depth, they have the ability to put him on a schedule where there’s not a lot of pressure coming into Year 1. They can kind of ‘Bryan Woo’ him and keep the arm healthy and prioritize that.”

While a “mystery team” has been reported to have entered the fray this week, Passan said he did not know if that team was the Mariners.

“The whole process has been very secretive and very covert. I still don’t know what’s what yet,” he said. “Things can change, but I do not see them as being the team at the end of the day.”

"The #Mariners have such an interesting next 18 or so months."

ESPN'S @JeffPassan discusses 'bridging the gap' between the present & future.

Full video 📺: https://t.co/9oGlbk87w1 https://t.co/3bABOKqK38 pic.twitter.com/2w7alzrJqq

— Seattle Sports (@SeattleSports) January 9, 2025

Hear the full Brock and Salk conversation with ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan in the podcast at this link or in the player near the top of this post. Catch Brock and Salk live from 6-10 a.m. weekdays on Seattle Sports.

More on the Seattle Mariners

• Mariners add former first-round draft pick on waiver claim
• Mariners pick up reliever from Blue Jays with interesting background
• There’s one way Mariners’ Cal Raleigh sets himself apart as a hitter
• Salk: To be successful this offseason, Mariners’ need to pivot
• Has the AL West changed on the Seattle Mariners this offseason?

Follow @shannondrayer

News from Seattle Sports, the home of the Seattle Seahawks

Seattle Seahawks

Seattle Seahawks defensive lineman Leonard Williams was a stunning omission when the Pro Bowl rosters were released last week.

At least he wasn’t overlooked for NFC Defensive Player of the Month.

Reports: Seahawks to interview 2 candidates for OC job

Williams received the award on Thursday after a season-ending tear that included a league-high-tying six sacks and nine tackles for loss over six games combined in December and January.

The 6-foot-5, 300-pound Williams also had a 92-yard interception return for a touchdown against the New York Jets on Dec. 1, which is the longest pick-six in NFL history by a player of 300 pounds or more.

It capped a monster first full season with Seattle for the 10th-year NFL veteran, who was acquired from the New York Giants in an October 2023 trade and re-signed with the Seahawks last offseason on a three-year deal.

In 16 games in 2024, Williams tied for 10th in the league in sacks (11.0), tied for ninth in tackles for loss (16) and tied for third in quarterback hits (28) over 16 games. Among interior defensive linemen, he led the league in both sacks and tackles for loss. He also had three pass breakups.

Leonard Williams feasting against his former team 😤

📺: #SEAvsNYJ on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO8ZBqG pic.twitter.com/PeWp8bpl0O

— NFL (@NFL) December 1, 2024

Williams ranked fourth among interior defensive linemen in Pro Football Focus grading and fourth among defensive tackles in ESPN’s pass rush win rate.

Williams was the first Seahawks player to reach double-digit sacks since Frank Clark and Jarran Reed both achieved the feat in 2018. He also tied for the second-most tackles for loss in a single season in franchise history, trailing only Michael Bennett’s 18 in 2015.

Williams closed with 8.5 sacks over the final seven games. He had 2.5 sacks against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 12 and then two sacks apiece against the Jets in Week 13, the Chicago Bears in Week 17 and the Los Angeles Rams in Week 18.

Williams’ dominant play helped key a dramatic turnaround for Seattle’s defense, which ranked fifth in points allowed per game (19.2) over the final 10 weeks of the season.

More on the Seattle Seahawks

• Salk: What will decide if Geno Smith returns with Seahawks in ’25
• Four Seattle Seahawks who took the biggest leap in 2024
• An NFL insider’s view on Seahawks OC change and what’s next
• How should Seattle Seahawks approach RBs in 2025?
• Where Seattle Seahawks players, team finished on NFL leaderboards

Follow @CameronVanTil

News from Seattle Sports, the home of the Seattle Seahawks

Seattle Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks fell just short of the playoffs in Mike Macdonald’s first season at the helm, but there were still plenty of positive developments from their 10-7 campaign.

Salk: What will decide if Geno Smith returns with Seahawks in ’25

Among the highlights were several young players who took the next step and made considerable strides this fall.

Here’s a look at the four Seahawks who took the biggest leap forward in 2024.

WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba

2023 stats: 63 catches, 628 yards, 4 TDs (17 games)

2024 stats: 100 catches, 1,130 yards, 6 TDs (17 games)

Smith-Njigba exploded over the second half of season to finish with 100 catches and 1,130 receiving yards in a breakout second-year campaign. The 2023 first-round pick finished tied for ninth in the league in receptions and 12th in receiving yards – a massive jump from his rookie year, when he ranked 51st and 63rd in those two categories. He also matched Tyler Lockett’s single-season franchise receptions record and finished 12th on the Seahawks’ single-season receiving yardage list. Smith-Njigba totaled 742 receiving yards over the final nine games, including a franchise-record seven straight games with 70-plus yards. He topped the 100-yard mark three times – including a career-high 180 yards and two touchdowns in an overtime loss to the Rams. To put his second-year leap in perspective: His 66.5 yards-per-game average this season was higher than his 63-yard season high as a rookie.

SMITH TO JSN AGAIN! THIS TIME FOR SIX! pic.twitter.com/ciXD042RFX

— NFL (@NFL) November 4, 2024

S Coby Bryant

2023 stats: 0 interceptions, 0 pass breakups, 1 forced fumble (9 games)

2024 stats: 3 interceptions, 6 pass breakups, 1 forced fumble (17 games)

Drafted as a cornerback, Bryant worked his way into the nickel corner role as a rookie in 2022 before falling down the depth chart during an injury-plagued 2023. But after switching to safety this year, the former fourth-round pick bounced back in a major way. Bryant began the season as the third safety, but took over the starting role in Week 7 when Rayshawn Jenkins went down with an injury. Bryant played so well that he held onto the role for the rest of the season, even after Jenkins return in Week 12. Bryant showcased his playmaking ability with three interceptions, six pass breakups and a forced fumble – including a game-swinging 69-yard pick-six in a win over the Cardinals. Bryant ranked 22nd out of 98 safeties in Pro Football Focus grading and had the 14th-best opponents’ passer rating among safeties with at least 500 snaps.

COBY BRYANT PICK-6 IN SEATTLE!

📺: #AZvsSEA on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO8ZBqG pic.twitter.com/xVFRwEbk70

— NFL (@NFL) November 24, 2024

OLB Derick Hall

2023 stats: 0 sacks, 3 tackles for loss, 1 pass breakup, 5 QB hits (17 games)

2024 stats: 8 sacks, 6 tackles for loss, 2 forced fumbles, 20 QB hits (17 games)

After not recording a sack as a rookie, Hall took a big step forward with eight sacks, six tackles for loss and two forced fumbles in a breakout second season. The 2023 second-round pick finished second on the team in sacks, trailing only Leonard Williams. He finished tied for 27th on the NFL’s sack leaderboard, including tied for fourth among players in his draft class. Hall also had a 36-yard fumble return for a touchdown against the Falcons off a strip-sack from Boye Mafe. Hall did most of his damage at the start of the season, exploding for five sacks over the first five games. Then after a midseason lull, he closed strong with sacks in back-to-back games in Weeks 16 and 17. Hall more than doubled his snap count this year, increasing his defensive snap rate from 26% to 60%.

D-Hall trucked him. 🛻 pic.twitter.com/lE38hHb4Sz

— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) September 22, 2024

LT Charles Cross

2023 PFF grade: 38th out of 81 tackles

2024 PFF grade: 10th out of 81 tackles

Cross was a rare bright spot in another rough year for Seattle’s offensive line. After a promising first two seasons, the former No. 9 overall pick appeared to take the next step this fall toward becoming one of the game’s premier left tackles. Cross ranked 10th out of 81 tackles in PFF grading, which continued a steady upward progression after ranking 54th as a rookie in 2022 and 38th in 2023. He was equally effective both run blocking and pass blocking, ranking 15th in the former and 16th in the latter. The 6-foot-5, 311-pound Cross also received high marks from ESPN, ranking 16th among tackles in pass block win rate. And along a Seahawks O-line that was ravaged by injuries, Cross stayed healthy and played all but three of the team’s offensive snaps.

More on the Seattle Seahawks

• How should Seattle Seahawks approach RBs in 2025?
• An NFL insider’s view on Seattle Seahawks OC change and what’s next
• Seattle Seahawks OC Search: Brock’s 2 surprising names to watch
• With Seattle Seahawks’ 2025 opponents set, here’s what stands out
• Where Seattle Seahawks players, team finished on NFL leaderboards

Follow @CameronVanTil

Weekdays from 10 a.m to 2 pm. on Seattle Sports

Bump and Stacy

The Seattle Seahawks have an interesting situation developing in their backfield.

ESPN’s Miller names potential draft targets at guard for Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks entered the 2024 season with third-year pro Kenneth Walker III as their clear No. 1 running back, but it appears that may not be the case in 2025.

After an impressive first two seasons, Walker battled injuries and had his least productive season as a pro in year three. Meanwhile, second-year running back Zach Charbonnet emerged with strong performances in Walker’s absence.

The team ran the ball more effectively when Charbonnet was the feature back. In 11 games with Walker, the Seahawks averaged 88.8 rushing yards game. In the six games without him, they averaged 108.3 rushing yards per game.

The improved performance of the run game with Charbonnet leading the way sparked some debate as to whether Charbonnet’s physical, downhill running style is a better fit for Seattle’s offense than the elusive Walker.

Walker has the ability to break big runs at any moment due to electric his speed and agility, but it can lead to east and west running that sacrifices gainable yards in search of the big play. The Athletic’s Ted Nguyen had an interesting player comparison for Walker when he joined Seattle Sports’ Bump and Stacy on Tuesday.

“I call him the Russell Wilson of running backs, because he’s gonna make those spectacular plays, but he does it in his own way and unorthodox way, and sometimes that leads to negative plays that you don’t want as well,” Nguyen said. “But if he could just be a little bit more disciplined and run where he’s supposed to instead of trying to make a 50-yard run out of every single run, he could be one of the top running backs in the league.”

Seahawks Radio Network analyst and former NFL wide receiver Michael Bumpus delved further into the conversation surrounding Walker, Charbonnet and the Seahawks’ run game on Wednesday.

“When you are as gifted as Ken Walker, it’s a gift and a curse because you think you can break the big one every single time,” Bumpus said. “You see this when the four and five stars go from high school to college. In high school, you can go left, you can go right, you can stop (and) start, and boom you’re gone. You’re that much better than anyone else. The only people I ever saw while playing in college that were able to do that: Reggie Bush and Desean Jackson. It’s rare that you take that jump from that level and you’re able to (keep doing it). It’s extremely rare to go from college to the NFL and be able to do that.”

Walker’s season

Walker rushed for over 1,000 yards as a rookie and nearly reached the 1,000-yard barrier again in his second campaign. But his 2024 season featured career lows of 573 rushing yards, 3.7 yards per carry and 52.1 rushing yards per game. He rushed for over 100 yards in the season opener, but didn’t reach the mark again.

Some of Walker’s issues could be placed on the offensive line. The Seahawks used a number of different starters up front and struggled in the trenches all season, oftentimes leaving little to no room for backs to work with.

Despite down numbers, Walker was the Seahawks’ top-graded player at any position by Pro Football Focus and ranked seventh among running backs leaguewide.

All aboard the K9 train 🚂 pic.twitter.com/dCv6sT9IWr

— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) September 8, 2024

Improvements down the stretch

The Seahawks finished 28th in the league while averaging 95.7 rushing yards per game. They also ran the ball less than just about any team in the NFL, finishing 29th with 22.5 rushing attempts per game.

However, Seattle churned out 112.6 rushing yards per game and eclipsed 120 yards on the ground three times over its final five games, including a season-best 176 yards in their Week 14 win over the Arizona Cardinals.

The Seahawks’ improved results over the final five weeks were largely without the services of Walker, who played in only one of those games. That game also happened to be their worst game on the ground during that stretch, a 59-yard performance against a stout Minnesota Vikings defense that ranked second in the league against the run.

While Walker was out, Charbonnet shined with a number of strong outings, averaging 76 yards per game and 5.2 yards per carry in the four games Walker missed down the stretch. That included a career-high 134 rushing yards and two TDs against the Cardinals.

Co-host Stacy Rost asked Bumpus if the improved results without Walker were a result of Charbonnet being a better fit or Seattle’s offensive line playing better.

“It’s both, and I think once an offensive line knows that their back is going to give them a chance, they get more motivated,” Bumpus said. “Not to say these guys aren’t going out and playing hard, but you build some chemistry. You feel like you’re going to get positive yardage, you hold your block a bit, you drive the guy into the ground. I think it has to be both.

“Zach Charbonnet (running) straight downhill is the best thing for a run game. Get downhill. Who is the best running back in the game right now? Arguably, it’s Derrick Henry. Why? He’s big as heck and he gets downhill. Saquon Barkley gets downhill, too. Then he looks for the big bounce.”

Charbonnet finished the year with 569 yards and eight TDs rushing while averaging 4.2 yards per carry. He was also more effective at breaking big runs than Walker. According to Pro Football Focus, his 16 carries of at least 10 yards were three more than Walker had.

Charbonnet for 6️⃣#ProBowlVote + Zach Charbonnet pic.twitter.com/OLMXfm38hM

— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) December 16, 2024

Bumpus said he would take a running back by committee approach into next season.

“If I’m the OC, I’m saying it’s open,” Bumpus said. “When you get to camp and you put your depth chart together … it’s not Ken (at) one and Zach (at) two. They’re on the same level. We’re gonna split the reps evenly and let’s battle from here. That might do something for Ken Walker. I think he’s a competitor. He might see that and be like, ‘Aye, let’s get it.’”

During Seattle Sports’ Wyman and Bob on Tuesday, former NFL linebacker Dave Wyman said he saw enough from Charbonnet to feel that the Seahawks could eventually move on from Walker, who will be in the final year of his rookie deal in 2025.

“Charbonnet, he’s the one mostly that makes me think that they could go on without Kenneth Walker,” Wyman said. “And that’s because he just showed so much quickness and burst. It was new to me. What we saw from Zach Charbonnet was him getting settled in to the pro game and really being decisive and displaying his speed.

Listen to the full conversation at this link or in the audio player in this story. Tune in to Bump and Stacy weekdays from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. or find the podcast on the Seattle Sports app.

More on the Seattle Seahawks

• Salk: What will decide if Geno Smith returns with Seahawks in ’25
• An NFL insider’s view on Seattle Seahawks OC change and what’s next
• Seattle Seahawks OC Search: Brock’s 2 surprising names to watch
• With Seattle Seahawks’ 2025 opponents set, here’s what stands out
• Why LB Ernest Jones IV says Seattle Seahawks ‘have something special’

Follow @ZacHereth

The Seattle Sounders finalized a blockbuster trade on Wednesday, acquiring two-time MLS All-Star forward Jesús Ferreira from FC Dallas in exchange for midfielder Léo Chú and up to $2.3 million in general allocation money.

Ferreira signed a new three-year contract with Seattle that includes club options in 2028 and 2029.

Ferreira, a 24-year-old Colombian native, spent the past eight seasons with FC Dallas after climbing the ranks of the club’s academy. He made his MLS debut in 2017, became a regular starter in 2019 and was an MLS All-Star in both 2022 and 2023.

During his breakout 2022 season, Ferreira tied for fourth in the MLS with 18 goals and added six assists. He recorded 12 goals and four assists in 2023 and then had five goals and three assists during an injury-riddled 2024 campaign. Last May, he became the youngest player in MLS history to reach 50 goals.

Ferreira also has played a key role on the U.S. national team, netting 15 goals in 23 international appearances. During the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, he started the United States’ round-of-16 match against the Netherlands and played alongside new Sounders teammates Jordan Morris and Cristian Roldan. Ferreira also scored seven goals in five matches for the U.S. during the 2023 Gold Cup.

“I’m very pleased to welcome Jesús to Seattle,” Sounders head coach Brian Schmetzer said in a statement. “He’s a player with great technical ability and an eye for goal, which will make him a real asset in our attacking setup. What excites me the most is his movements in the attacking half of the field and finishing ability inside the 18-yard-box. I’m looking forward to integrating him into our group and seeing how his qualities (jell) with the talented players we already have. I’m confident he’ll make a big impact for us going forward.”

Ferreira will not occupy a designated player spot. The league’s designated player rule allows each club up to three players who can exceed the salary cap.

As part of the trade, the Sounders will send FC Dallas $1 million in 2025 general allocation money, $500,000 in 2026 GAM and up to $800,000 in additional GAM if certain performance metrics are met. Seattle also will send a 2025 international roster slot.

Chú heads to Dallas after spending four seasons with the Sounders. He totaled seven goals and 12 assists in 79 matches with Seattle.

Seattle Sounders coach Brian Schmetzer signs multi-year extension

Follow @CameronVanTil

Brock and Salk

Heading into the offseason, the biggest and most obvious positions the Seattle Seahawks need to improve are the guard spots along the offensive line.

Salk: What will decide if Geno Smith returns with Seahawks in ’25

Veteran left guard Laken Tomlinson, who started all 17 games for the Seahawks this season, ranked 46th out of 77 guards in Pro Football Focus grading. Second-year right guard Anthony Bradford, who started the first 11 games before landing on injured reserve, ranked 73rd. And rookie right guard Sataoa Laumea, who started the final six games, ranked last at 77th.

The interior O-line struggles played a major role in Seattle’s inconsistent offense, leaving little room for the rushing attack to get untracked and resulting in quarterback Geno Smith facing one of the highest pressure rates in the league.

Could the Seahawks fortify their guard spots in this year’s NFL Draft? On Tuesday, ESPN NFL Draft analyst Matt Miller discussed that topic during an appearance on Seattle Sports’ Bump and Stacy. Below are the two things that stood out from their conversation.

First-round options

According to Miller, the top guard prospects in this year’s draft class might actually be a pair of linemen who played tackle in college: LSU left tackle Will Campbell and Oregon left tackle Josh Conerly Jr., the latter of whom is a Rainier Beach High School alum.

In his latest mock draft, ESPN NFL Draft analyst Jordan Reid projected Campbell to go No. 10 overall to the Chicago Bears and Conerly to go No. 18 overall to Seattle.

“I think we’ll see a lot of guys who are playing tackle in college that are gonna get talked about as moving to guard at the next level,” Miller said. “Will Campbell from LSU is a great example of that. … He might be kicked into guard. Josh Conerly at Oregon, there’s some talk because he’s 6-foot-4, he might get kicked inside the guard as well.

“So I think that’s gonna be the bigger conversation: How many of these tackles in college do we see get moved inside to guard?”

Day 2 options

While there may not be a college guard to draft in the first round, Miller said the second and third rounds could be ripe for selecting a guard. He named Alabama guard Tyler Booker and Georgia guards Tate Ratledge guard Dylan Fairchild as top potential targets. Booker is projected to go No. 30 overall in Reid’s mock draft, but Miller thinks he could slip into the second round.

“It is a really strong guard class when you look at round 2,” Miller said. “… All three of those guys could be round 2 to round 3 type picks. So in round 1, guard to guard, probably not, unless someone slips that could be a tackle that moves inside. But I think that’s where in rounds 2, 3, even round 4, that’s where you’re gonna find your really good value this year.”

More on the Seattle Seahawks

• An NFL insider’s view on Seattle Seahawks OC change and what’s next
• Seattle Seahawks OC Search: Brock’s 2 surprising names to watch
• With Seattle Seahawks’ 2025 opponents set, here’s what stands out
• Why LB Ernest Jones IV says Seattle Seahawks ‘have something special’
• Where Seattle Seahawks players, team finished on NFL leaderboards

Follow @CameronVanTil

Brock and Salk

The Seattle Seahawks are home in January for the second straight season and third time in four years.

In 2021, it led to Russell Wilson being traded to Broncos. The 2023 failure ended Pete Carroll’s tenure in Seattle. What will be the fallout this time?

With Seattle Seahawks’ 2025 opponents set, here’s what stands out

To start, this feels different from the previous seasons. A new coach is instituting a new culture and deserves some leeway, especially after winning 10 games and showing tremendous improvement throughout the season. Last season’s commitment to John Schneider, coupled with a successful coaching hire and draft class, would seem to put the general manager on firm footing.

But the decision to part ways with offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb illustrates the frustration with that side of the ball. That may be the only major casualty, but it’s worth wondering if it is the first domino to fall.

That leads us directly to the quarterback position.

Geno Smith is entering the final year of his contract and is looking for a raise. His three-year tenure as the starting quarterback has not led to a single playoff win. Furthermore, and more jarringly, those three seasons have seen a combined three coaches and offensive coordinators dismissed.

Geno’s future is, and should be, murky.

When asked after the season if Geno would be back for the next, coach Mike Macdonald was coy, answering that he had no reason to say no. A day later, he left the door cracked again by saying he wanted Geno back but that it wasn’t his call – that instead it is “a Seahawks decision.” Macdonald also mentioned that he wants his new offensive coordinator to have some say over his staff. Would he also want some input on who is in the quarterback room? Further, if the team does indeed look to run more often next season, does it need to spend more money on its starting quarterback?

As of today, I would bet that Geno is back for 2025. To move on from him would be an incredible risk that I don’t believe the organization is willing to take, especially after a 10-win season. But it’s worth noting that they moved on from a much more successful quarterback in 2010, even after Matt Hasselbeck led them to a playoff win and nearly a second.

If Geno does not return, I would think there would be four major contributing factors.

• 1. Interceptions.

Geno threw 15 interceptions this season, one fewer than league leaders Kirk Cousins and Baker Mayfield. The former was benched and the latter coupled it with 41 touchdowns, nearly doubling Geno’s total of 21. Those numbers simply don’t work in this era, especially for a coach looking to play a complementary style of offense that demands ball security.

Where Seattle Seahawks finished on NFL leaderboards

• 2. Red zone.

What’s worse, too may of those turnovers came in the red zone. If there is one thing we know about Macdonald, it’s that he puts a premium on what happens inside the 20-yard line. Whereas Pete Carroll spent an inordinate amount of time in training camp focused on two-minute offense/defense, Macdonald dedicated those precious minutes to the red zone. His quarterback squandered too many scoring opportunities either with interceptions or sacks that took the Seahawks out of scoring range. That was likely a factor in the decision to fire Grubb, but it could certainly play a role in the quarterback decision as well.

• 3. Leadership.

This is a tough one to judge from the outside. We simply don’t know what kind of a leader Geno is inside that locker room or on the field. We might hear rumblings, but nothing that would speak to the way he inspires teammates. But I will rely on former NFL quarterback Brock Huard when he points out that there are certain signal callers in the league that clearly have the respect, love and admiration of their teammates. He specifically points to Mayfield, Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen as players who just go above and beyond in this area. You can see it when Jackson’s teammates interrupt post-game interviews to shower him with praise or when Allen’s offensive line buys him an MVP necklace. They seem to have something special that Geno does not appear to share.

• 4. Actual willingness to take a risk to get better.

This is the big one. Sticking with Geno is the safe thing to do. He is a good quarterback. Not perfect, but clearly good. He has a strong, accurate arm and good understanding of how to operate an NFL offense. He is athletic enough, has performed well in clutch situations, and has stayed healthy for the past three years.

Geno can absolutely get you into the playoffs. But, as previously mentioned, he has yet to win a playoff game here, and the clock is ticking as he enters his mid-30s. Bringing him back probably means the team wins at least nine games next season. That’s a strong floor. But what is the ceiling? Can he win 11? 12? 14? Can he take a team to the Super Bowl?

If your answer is “no,” then you are just delaying the inevitable. And, even worse, you are making it harder to find the next quarterback by finishing in the upper-middle of the pack, a dead zone for drafting franchise players. Moving on from Geno could lead to a step back – that is the risk associated with trying something else. But there is also risk inherent in paying more for an aging player and hoping he takes you farther than he ever has before.

There are options. The Hawks could attempt to trade for Minnesota’s J.J. McCarthy, knowing that he would likely had been the top pick if he was in this year’s draft class. They could attempt another reclamation project similar to what has worked for the Vikings and Sam Darnold. If they find their quarterback that way, great! If it backfires and they take a step back, wouldn’t they be in position to draft one in 2026 when the QB draft class is expected to be significantly better than this year?

Again, I would bet on Geno returning in 2025 for one last run with the team. To go in another direction is risky, not only because you could take a step back and find yourself in the same boat as so many others desperately seeking a legitimate starter but because it could send the wrong message to a team that is just starting to buy into its coach and his culture.

I would be willing to take that risk. Will the Seahawks?

Seattle Seahawks coverage

• An NFL insider’s view on Seahawks OC change and what’s next
• Bump: The NFL offense that Seahawks should take a page from
• Seahawks OC Search: Brock’s two surprising names to watch
• Why LB Ernest Jones IV says Seahawks ‘have something special’
• Huard: Two reasons Seattle Seahawks moved on from OC Ryan Grubb

Follow @themikesalk

Weekdays from 10 a.m to 2 pm. on Seattle Sports

Bump and Stacy

The Seattle Seahawks are charting a new course on offense after an up-and-down 2024 campaign.

Brock: Two reasons Seahawks moved on from OC Ryan Grubb

The Seahawks relieved offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb of his duties on Monday, less than 11 months after the former longtime college coach was hired by Seattle for his first NFL job. Grubb had a success-filled run as the UW Huskies’ OC in 2022 and 2023, but that didn’t translate to nearly the same level of production across town with the Seahawks.

Seattle finished in the bottom half of the league in scoring, ranking 18th in points per game (22.1) and 21st in points per drive (1.89). Most notably, the Seahawks struggled to establish an effective ground attack, ranking 28th in rushing yards per game (95.7) and 19th in yards per carry (4.2). They ran the ball on just 37.2% of their plays, the fifth-lowest rate in the league.

Grubb’s struggle to get the run game untracked was likely the biggest reason he was let go. First-year Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald appeared to indicate that on Monday when he told Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk that “the direction our offense was going was different than the vision I had for our team.”

On Tuesday, NFL writer Ted Nguyen of The Athletic weighed in on the Seahawks’ decision during an appearance on Seattle Sports’ Bump and Stacy.

“I would say I was surprised,” Nguyen said. “I think especially when a coach is making a jump from the college ranks, there is gonna be an adjustment period. It’s just two totally different games. … I thought he would get a little bit more grace, but this is a prove-it league and things move fast.”

Not enough variety

Nguyen pointed to a lack of diversity in Grubb’s formation usage and play-calling as the biggest issues with Seattle’s offense.

According to Nguyen, the Seahawks ran more than three-quarters of their plays out of shotgun. They ran a particularly large chunk of plays out of the same personnel grouping – one running back, one tight end and three wide receivers. They also used motion and designed rollouts at some of the lowest rates in the league.

Nguyen said that at the college level, it’s not as important to mix up personnel and formations. Grubb had immense success with his pass-heavy scheme on Montlake, where the Huskies rode the most prolific offense in college football to a national championship game appearance in 2023.

But at the NFL level, variety becomes much more important.

“In college, you could just stay in shotgun,” Nguyen said. “You don’t have to mix up your personnel and formations as much. … And obviously that type of offense worked really well (at) Washington.

“But I think in the NFL, you have to be more varied as far as using motion, getting your quarterback off his spot (and) just mixing up more personnel and formations. And I think the Seahawks did some of that a little later in the year, but I guess it was just too little, too late.”

The O-line woes

One reason Nguyen thought Grubb might get another year to prove himself was due to the limitations he faced with Seattle’s struggling offensive line.

The Seahawks once again had major issues up front, which were compounded by the fact that they cycled through 10 different starters due to a slew of injuries and the sudden midseason retirement of center Connor Williams. According to Pro Football Focus, Seattle ranked 24th in run block grading and 26th in pass block grading. ESPN’s metrics paint a similar picture, with the Seahawks ranking 21st in pass block win rate and 28th in run block win rate.

The biggest problems were along the interior at both guard spots and center.

“The hardest thing to deal with for a quarterback is when you’re getting interior pressure,” Nguyen said. “When you have pressure on the edges, you can step up and do some things athletically to avoid those pressures. But when you have pressure up the middle constantly, it’s very hard to deal with. So I think coming into the offseason … that has to be a No. 1 priority – fixing the interior of that line.

“I think that’s one of the reasons I’m also surprised at the Ryan Grubb firing,” he added. “I thought maybe they were going to give him a chance to call the offense with an improved offensive line.”

What Seahawks should look for

It seems pretty clear that the Seahawks will prioritize finding an offensive coordinator who is committed to running the football.

But as Nguyen said, it’s not just about running more often. It’s also about doing it in a creative way.

“With the way the league is moving now and how defenses are trending – they’re getting smaller, playing a ton of two-high (safety) defenses and kind of daring you to run – I think the best teams in the league right now are finding ways to run the ball,” Nguyen said. “And it’s not just outside zone like it’s been in the last few years. Some of the really good teams have a very varied running attack. They can run gap schemes, they can run traps, and they can run outside zone and they can do a really good job of marrying the run and play-action passes.

“And that also helps the offensive line,” he added. “So I think finding somebody like that – that’s where the league is trending now.”

Listen to the full conversation with The Athletic’s Ted Nguyen at this link or in the audio player near the top of this story. Tune in to Bump and Stacy weekdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Seattle Sports.

More on the Seattle Seahawks

• Seattle Seahawks OC Search: Brock’s 2 surprising names to watch
• How much was Grubb handcuffed by Seattle Seahawks’ O-line woes?
• With Seattle Seahawks’ 2025 opponents set, here’s what stands out
• Why LB Ernest Jones IV says Seattle Seahawks ‘have something special’
• Where Seattle Seahawks players, team finished on NFL leaderboards

Follow @CameronVanTil

Weekdays from 10 a.m to 2 pm. on Seattle Sports

Bump and Stacy

The Seattle Seahawks have an opportunity to go a different direction with their offense now that they’re looking for a new offensive coordinator.

Michael Bumpus has an idea of where the Seahawks should look for that new direction.

Seahawks OC Search: Brock’s two surprising names to watch

The Seahawks Radio Network analyst and former WSU and NFL wide receiver said there’s another NFC team that has a similar makeup on offense that the Seahawks should take a page from.

“I’m looking at offenses in the NFL and looking at personnel,” Bumpus said Tuesday during the Four Down Territory segment of Bump and Stacy, “and if they were to add maybe one piece to this offensive line, I’m looking at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and that’s what I think this team could be.”

The Buccaneers won the NFC South with a 10-7 record this season, and their offense was a big reason they made it into the playoffs. Tampa Bay was third in the NFL with 399.5 yards of total offense per game and 250.4 passing yards per game, and fourth with 149.2 rushing yards per game and 29.5 points per game.

By comparison, Seattle also went 10-7 but missed out on the playoffs after finishing 14th in total offense (332.2 per game), eighth in passing (236.5), 28th in rushing (95.7) and 18th in scoring (22.1).

The offensive personnel between the two teams have a lot in common, though, as Bumpus explained. Like Seattle’s Geno Smith, Tampa Bay has a “second-chance” quarterback in Baker Mayfield. The Buccaneers have a 1-2 combination at running back in Bucky Irving and Rachaad White, while the Seahawks have Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet. Like Seattle’s DK Metcalf, the Bucs have a big wide receiver leading the way in Mike Evans. And finally, Tampa Bay has a reliable pass-catching tight end in Tumwater native and former UW Huskies standout Cade Otton, while AJ Barner opened eyes in the passing game as a rookie tight end for the Hawks.

“I look at the style at which they play – they get under center, they do play-action, you have a 1-2 combo (at running back) over there,” Bumpus said of the Buccaneers. “I’m looking at Baker Mayfield’s charts and where he likes to throw the football, intermediate to long – the style just fits.

“… With this current roster, if (the Seahawks) could run what the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are running over there, I think personnel they’re close – Tampa does have like the No. 8 ranked offensive line per PFF – but I think it’s comparable. I think it’s something they should look at.”

Michael Bumpus answers four football questions daily at 11:15 a.m. and 1:15 p.m. during the Four Down Territory segment of Bump and Stacy. Catch the show live from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays on Seattle Sports.

More on the Seattle Seahawks

• With Seahawks’ 2025 opponents set, here’s what stands out
• Why LB Ernest Jones IV says Seahawks ‘have something special’
• Where Seahawks players, team finished on NFL leaderboards
• How much was Grubb handcuffed by Seahawks’ O-line woes?
• Seattle Seahawks OC Search: Four candidates to watch

Follow @BrentStecker

Brock and Salk

The list of names the Seattle Seahawks could talk to while they search for their new offensive coordinator continues to grow. And if you’re looking for some out-of-the-box yet still realistic options, Brock Huard has a couple.

Seattle Seahawks OC Search: Four candidates to watch

As Huard discussed potential replacements for Ryan Grubb, who the Seahawks let go Monday after just one season as the team’s OC, the longtime Seattle Sports host and former NFL quarterback leaned on his experience as a FOX college football analyst.

First was someone with a similar background to Grubb as a veteran offensive assistant at the college level, and second was a name from the same coaching tree as Seattle’s head coach. Let’s look at what Huard said about both during the Blue 88 segment of Tuesday’s edition of Brock and Salk.

Two potential Seattle Seahawks OC candidates

Penn State OC Andy Kotelnicki

Huard mentioned that Kotelnicki is known for his creativity in the run game, which would be a welcome change as Grubb’s Seahawks offense relied more on the passing game than head coach Mike Macdonald is looking for. Huard added that Kotelnicki’s creativity was apparent when he and his FOX broadcasting partner, Jason Benetti, talked to Kotelnicki in meetings when he was the OC at Kansas from 2021-23.

“Now, he’s Grubb-esque,” Huard said with the understanding that that’s not exactly a positive at this moment. “He’s a lifer in college football – Wisconsin-Whitewater to Buffalo to Kansas. And Penn State said, ‘You know what? We’re going to finally do this. We’re going to reboot and we’re going to find the most creative run doctor in all of college football.’ Of all of the coordinators I’ve sat with the last 18 years, he is by far the most creative. Jason Benetti’s curiosity meter goes off the charts. We had him three or four different times (for FOX broadcasts when Kotelnicki was at) Kansas over the last few years, and Benetti’s like, ‘I just love the way that guy’s mind works.'”

The 43-year-old Kotelnicki is known for running an option-heavy offense, which is rarely seen in the NFL, but he showed this season with Penn State that he has more up his sleeve.

“He just puts the chess pieces in creative ways that nobody else does,” Huard continued. “And I was curious how it would work at Penn State because he’s always been largely an option guy, that has been a component of it. He has (quarterback) Drew Allar out there, (who is) not an option guy – transitioned just fine. Obviously (Penn State is) playing in the national semifinal, I think they’ve got a great shot to play for the national title, and he would be one that I would at least interview who checks those boxes.”

Former Stanford coach David Shaw

Once again, Huard knows this name may not immediately instill confidence in Seattle-area fans. But he has good reason for thinking Shaw has something going for him as a Seahawks OC candidate, which is the fact that Shaw comes from the same Harbaugh coaching tree as Macdonald. For that reason, co-host Mike Salk said he was “very intrigued” when Huard mentioned Shaw.

Macdonald was defensive coordinator for both the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens under head coach John Harbaugh and in college at Michigan under Jim Harbaugh, while Shaw was Jim Harbaugh’s passing game coordinator at the University of San Diego (2006) and then his offensive coordinator at Stanford (2007-10). When Jim Harbaugh went to the San Francisco 49ers in 2011, Shaw succeeded him as Stanford’s head coach, and with a 96-54 record in 12 seasons, he eclipsed Pop Warner as the winningest coach in program history while winning four Pac-12 Coach of the Year awards.

Point being, if there’s any potential Seahawks OC candidates who understand the kind of offense that Macdonald wants to complement his defense, it’s probably Shaw.

“The end of the tenure at Stanford was really poor, but I think if you talked to him, he would say you stripped me of the opportunity to toughen the guys and strain the guys,” Huard said of Shaw. “Trying to find somebody with that Harbaugh root, a Harbaugh branch, a Harbaugh background – he’s been in college, been in the NFL, he’s now a consultant with the Broncos. He’s going to interview for some of these head jobs.”

Shaw began his coaching career in the mid-1990s at Western Washington in Bellingham, and he quickly ascended to the NFL where he held various offensive coaching roles from 1997 to 2005. Along the way in his career, Shaw has developed a strong reputation not just for his success on the field but his personality behind the scenes.

“I would (interview Shaw) because of just family background,” Huard said, “and looking at the body of work when he had a chance to really do it the way he wanted to do it – impose your will and run the ball unapologetically, yet also be just a pretty warm, friendly, likable (guy) respected by just about everybody.”

Hear the full segment in the podcast at this link or in the player near the top of this post. Brock Huard answers three football questions during Blue 88 at 7:45 a.m. during each edition of Brock and Salk, which airs from 6-10 a.m. weekdays on Seattle Sports.

More on the Seattle Seahawks

• With Seahawks’ 2025 opponents set, here’s what stands out
• Why LB Ernest Jones IV says Seahawks ‘have something special’
• Where Seahawks players, team finished on NFL leaderboards
• How much was OC Ryan Grubb handcuffed by Seahawks’ O-line woes?
• Brock: Two reasons Seattle Seahawks moved on from Grubb

Follow @BrentStecker

Weekdays at 2 p.m. on Seattle Sports

Wyman and Bob

The Seattle Seahawks’ season ended without a trip to the playoffs, but there were encouraging sings for the future that cropped up throughout the season.

One of those reasons for hope was the play of linebacker Ernest Jones IV, who the Seahawks acquired in an Oct. 23 trade with the Tennessee Titans.

Ernest Jones IV gives strong statement about his future with Seahawks

The acquisition of Jones marked the start of a shakeup to the linebacker room and the beginning of the turnaround experienced by a Seahawks defense that got off to a tough start under first-year head coach Mike Macdonald.

Jones reflected on his first year with the Seahawks and discussed what his transition was like following the midseason trade in a conversation Monday with Seattle Sports’ Wyman and Bob.

“Most definitely,” Jones said on if he viewed his 10-game stint with the Seahawks as a success. “I came in (on) short notice… and had to learn a brand-new playbook and come in and perform. And I think I played well, definitely could have played better, and I’m looking forward to continuing to grow with this group because I believe we have something special.”

Jones’ first game with the team came just four days after he was traded. He was immediately thrust into the starting lineup since Jerome Baker, one of the team’s two starters at linebacker to start the season, was traded to Tennessee in the deal for Jones.

“Mike was just telling me to kind of come in and just be myself,” Jones said of the Seahawks’ coach. “We haven’t really ran across each other, but he’s heard of me. And he just wanted me to come in and just be myself and do the things that I do well and just continue to work with the guys. Mike’s a great head coach. Just love going to war with him, and I can see myself doing that for a while.”

Jones’ impact on the defense was almost immediate. The unit struggled in his first game against the Bills, but was much better as a whole moving forward. After allowing opponents to average 24.4 points and 148.4 rushing yards per game through its first eight games, the defense surrendered just 19.4 points and 92.3 rushing yards per game over the final nine.

Jones also took over signal-calling duties on defense after just two games with Seattle due to another season-opening starter, Tyrel Dodson, being cut midseason. He said he truly didn’t have the playbook down until his sixth game with the team and that he’s still learning.

“I think around the second Arizona game,” Jones said of when asked about when Macdonald’s scheme started to feel like second nature. “I still don’t have it all the way down. Like, there’s still a lot of stuff that I’m going to clean up this offseason and get fixed, but I think around the Arizona game I started to get a lot more comfortable.”

The first pick as a Seahawk for @ernestjones53. #ProBowlVote + @ernestjones53 #ProBowlVote + @ernestjones53 #ProBowlVote + @ernestjones53 pic.twitter.com/uK6W9aPOil

— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) December 10, 2024

The most of encouraging news of all surrounding Jones, whose final year of his rookie contract was this season, is that he is confident he’ll be wearing a Seahawks uniform again in 2025.

“Yes, I’m feeling pretty confident here. I think both sides want to get something done,” Jones said of working out a new deal with the team. “We just got to come to a mutual agreement and whatever that those numbers or whatever those situations or whatever that may be, that’s what that’s going to be. But I think both sides are working towards that, and I think it will (happen).”

‘He’s gonna continue to get better’

Jones spent much of his time in a Seahawks uniform playing alongside a rookie: Tyrice Knight, who took over as the team’s second starting linebacker after Dodson was cut.

Jones came away impressed with what the fourth-round pick out of UTEP showed during his first year in the league.

“For me, I think Tyrice already (had) like God-given talent and his ability is there. But of course when you’re young, you have to go through those growing pains,” Jones said. “So Tyrice is going to be a really good linebacker in this league, man. Just the way he goes at it, he works at it and you could tell he wants it. He’s hungry, and I think he had a great year. I think … he definitely had great games and he’s gonna continue to get better.”

A new favorite player

Jones told Wyman and Bob that he hasn’t had a favorite NFL player since he joined the league himself in 2021, but that changed once he came to Seattle.

“Devon Witherspoon is my favorite,” he said. “I’m amazed watching the stuff that he can do, the way his body does the things that he does.”

Listen to the full conversation with Seattle Seahawks linebacker Ernest Jones IV at this link or in the audio player in this story. Tune in to Wyman and Bob weekdays from 2-6 p.m. or find the podcast on the Seattle Sports app.

More on the Seattle Seahawks

• Seahawks sign 11 players to reserve/future contracts
• Seahawks Offensive Coordinator Search: Four candidates to watch
• Brock: Two reasons Seahawks moved on from OC Ryan Grubb
• Seahawks let offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb go after one season
• Why the 2024 Seattle Seahawks are an outlier in history books

Follow @ZacHereth

News from Seattle Sports, the home of the Seattle Seahawks

Seattle Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks wrapped up Year 1 of the Mike Macdonald era with a 10-7 record after beating the Los Angeles Rams in Sunday’s season finale.

Brock: Two reasons Seahawks moved on from OC Ryan Grubb

It marked the Seahawks’ first-10 win season since 2020, but they fell just short of the playoffs after the Rams claimed the NFC West crown over Seattle by virtue of the strength-of-victory tiebreaker. As a result, the Seahawks are the first 10-win team to miss the postseason since the NFL went to a 17-game slate in 2021.

With the 2024 campaign in the books, here’s a look at where some of Seattle’s top players and the team as a whole finished on the league leaderboards.

OFFENSE

• 18th in points per game (22.1)

• 21st in points per drive (1.89)

• 14th in total yards per game (332.2)

• 8th in passing yards per game (236.5)

• 28th in rushing yards per game (95.7)

• T-29th in sacks allowed (54)

• T-24th in turnovers (24)

It was an up-and-down season for the Seahawks’ offense under first-time NFL offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb, who was relieved of his duties on Monday morning. Geno Smith & Co. put up big numbers through the air, but Seattle’s rushing attack was among the league’s worst. Many of the issues stemmed from the continued struggles and injuries along the offensive line, which led to frequent pressure and limited space for the run game to get untracked. Turnovers were also a major issue, especially in the red zone.

DEFENSE

• T-11th in points allowed per game (21.6)

• 5th in points allowed per drive (1.78)

• 14th in total yards allowed per game (332.7)

• 11th in passing yards allowed per game (211.9)

• 16th in rushing yards allowed per game (120.8)

• T-8th in sacks (45)

• T-16th in takeaways (18)

It was a tale of two halves for the Seahawks’ defense, which underwent a dramatic midseason turnaround after some early growing pains in Macdonald’s cutting-edge scheme. Through the first eight weeks of the season, Seattle ranked 19th in points allowed per game (24.4) and 29th in rushing yards allowed per game (148.4). But Macdonald’s defense hit its stride after that, ranking fifth in points allowed per game (19.2) and seventh in rushing yards allowed per game (96.2) over the final 10 weeks.

QB GENO SMITH

• 4th in passing yards (4,320)

• 5th in completion rate (70.4%)

• T-13th in touchdown passes (21)

• 3rd in interceptions (15)

• T-2nd in fourth-quarter comebacks (4)

• T-4th in game-winning drives (4)

Smith’s season was particularly difficult to evaluate, especially given the poor pass protection he dealt with. On one hand, the 34-year-old veteran set single-season franchise records in both passing yardage and completion rate, finishing top-five in the NFL in both categories. He also delivered four fourth-quarter comebacks, which give him an NFL-best eight fourth-quarterbacks over the past two seasons. But he also threw the third-most interceptions in the league, including a league-high four red-zone picks.

DL LEONARD WILLIAMS

• T-10th in sacks (11.0)

• T-9th in tackles for loss (16)

• T-3rd in quarterback hits (28)

Williams had a monster first full season with Seattle after being acquired from the New York Giants in an October 2023 trade. The 10th-year veteran became the first Seahawks player to reach double-digit sacks since Frank Clark and Jarran Reed both achieved the feat in 2018. He also tied for the second-most tackles for loss in a single season in franchise history, trailing only Michael Bennett’s 18 in 2015. He even had a 92-yard interception return for a touchdown, which was the longest pick-six by a player of 300-plus pounds in NFL history.

WR JAXON SMITH-NJIGBA

• T-9th in receptions (100)

• 12th in receiving yards (1,130)

Smith-Njigba exploded over the second half of the season for a breakout second-year campaign. The 2023 first-round draft pick tied Tyler Lockett for the single-season franchise receptions record and finished 12th on the Seahawks’ single-season receiving yardage list. Smith-Njigba totaled 742 receiving yards over the final nine games of the season, including a franchise-record seven straight games with at least 70 receiving yards.

WR DK METCALF

• T-25th in receiving yards (992)

Prior to an MCL sprain in Week 7, Metcalf was on pace for the best season of his six-year NFL career. The star wideout ranked third in the league with 568 yards through the first seven games, including a franchise-record three straight 100-yard receiving performances in Weeks 2-4. But after missing two games, Metcalf’s production dropped off over the second half of the year as Smith-Njigba took off. Yet despite the second-half dip, Metcalf joined Hall of Famer Randy Moss as the only two players in NFL history with at least 50 catches, 900 yards and five touchdowns in each of their first six seasons.

CB RIQ WOOLEN

• T-10th in pass breakups (14)

Woolen had an up-and-down third season, but still managed to come up with three interceptions and finished just two pass breakups shy of the career-best 16 pass breakups he racked up during his spectacular 2022 rookie campaign.

LB ERNEST JONES IV

• T-13th in tackles (138)

Jones was a revelation in the middle of Seattle’s defense after arriving in an October trade with the Tennessee Titans. The fourth-year linebacker played a major role in the midseason defensive turnaround, especially in the dramatic improvements the unit made against the run. His impact went far beyond the stat sheet, but he still put up big tackles numbers, ranking ninth in the league with 94 tackles since joining the Seahawks in Week 8.

P MICHAEL DICKSON

• 8th in yards per punt (49.4)

Dickson had another strong season, posting the third-highest yards-per-punt average of his seven-year career.

PFF RANKINGS

Here’s a look at where some of Seattle’s top players ranked at their respective positions in Pro Football Focus grading.

• Leonard Williams: 4th out of 132 interior defensive linemen

• Julian Love: 6th out of 98 safeties

• Kenneth Walker III: 7th out of 63 running backs

• Devon Witherspoon: 10th out of 116 cornerbacks

• Charles Cross: 10th out of 81 offensive tackles

• Geno Smith: 10th out of 44 quarterbacks

• Jaxon Smith-Njigba: 18th out of 132 wide receivers

• Jarran Reed: 21st out of 132 interior defensive linemen

More on the Seattle Seahawks

• Seattle Seahawks Offensive Coordinator Search: 4 candidates to watch
• Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald explains why OC Ryan Grubb was let go
• Seattle Seahawks let OC Ryan Grubb go after one season
• Ernest Jones IV gives strong statement about future with Seahawks
• Rost: Explaining the story of the 10-win, no-playoffs Seahawks

Follow @CameronVanTil

Weekdays from 10 a.m to 2 pm. on Seattle Sports

Bump and Stacy

Ryan Grubb’s tenure as the Seattle Seahawks’ offensive coordinator lasted only one season.

Brock: Two reasons Seahawks moved on from OC Ryan Grubb

The Seahawks relieved Grubb of his duties on Monday morning, less than 11 months after the former UW Huskies offensive coordinator was hired by Seattle for his first NFL job. The news was first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter and later confirmed by Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald during his weekly appearance on Seattle Sports.

The move comes after an up-and-down year for the Seahawks’ offense, which finished 18th in points per game (22.1) and 21st in points per drive (1.89). Seattle struggled all season to find run-pass balance, ranking eighth in passing yards per game (236.5) but just 28th in rushing yards per game (95.7) and 19th in yards per carry (4.2). The Seahawks ran the ball on just 37.2% of their plays, the fifth-lowest rate in the league.

Throughout the season, Grubb’s pass-heavy offense seemed at odds with the complementary style of football that the defensive-minded Macdonald has often stressed. Macdonald appeared to indicate as much on Monday morning to Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk.

“I felt like the direction our offense was going was different than the vision I had for our team, and felt like it was just a necessary decision at this point,” Macdonald said.

How much of the Seahawks’ rushing struggles were on Grubb’s scheme and play-calling? And how much were a product of a struggling offensive line that cycled through 10 different starters over the course of the season? That was a discussion point during Monday’s edition of Seattle Sports’ Bump and Stacy.

“The interior offensive linemen have been a struggle,” Seahawks Radio Network analyst and former NFL wide receiver Michael Bumpus said. “When you cannot protect in the middle, you’re less like to get under center and (use) play-action, and you’re less likely to try to run the football.

“And that’s the part where I feel for Grubb, because you’re handcuffed by your personnel,” he added. “You can have all the ideas in the world, but if you don’t have the players to execute that, you have to morph your play-calling. And essentially that’s what I think happened.”

‘I don’t think he had the personnel’

The Seahawks’ longstanding offensive line woes were again at the forefront this season, with a combination of subpar play and numerous injuries.

According to Pro Football Focus, Seattle ranked 24th in run block grading and 26th in pass block grading. ESPN’s metrics paint a similar picture, with the Seahawks ranking 21st in pass block win rate and 28th in run block win rate. Injuries certainly didn’t help, as the team rarely had continuity while cycling through four right tackles and three right guards.

The individual metrics further illustrate the issues up front. Out of 77 guards, second-year right guard Anthony Bradford ranked 73rd in PFF grading and rookie right guard Sataoa Laumea ranked 77th. Right tackle Stone Forsythe, who started five games, ranked 80th out of 81 tackles. Rookie right tackle Michael Jerrell didn’t hit the minimum-snap threshold for PFF, but finished with only a slightly better grade than Forsythe over his three starts.

And at tight end, veteran Noah Fant was ranked 73rd out of 78 players at his position in PFF run block grading.

“Mike Macdonald has been in the playoffs. He’s been in conference championships,” Bumpus said, referring to Macdonald’s extensive coaching background on John Harbaugh’s Baltimore Ravens staff. “And I think he understands that once you get into these (playoff) situations, there’s a style of football that is conducive to winning tight games.

“But on Grubb’s side, I don’t think he had the personnel to do it,” Bumpus added. “… So when you add the lack of strength and blocking at the tight end spot with the interior offensive linemen not being able to execute, what the heck do you expect Grubb to do?”

Co-host Stacy Rost shared a similar sentiment.

“I would have liked to see them be a bit more stubborn (with the run) to just kind of see what they could do,” Rost said. “That being said, I don’t even know that Mike Macdonald’s philosophy… matches up with their personnel.

“It all comes back to what you said – you need to fix that offensive line. It doesn’t matter if you want to play like Grubb did or play like Macdonald wants, or whether there are philosophical differences between these two men offensively – you don’t get anywhere until you fix your offensive personnel.”

‘It’s deeper than what we’re seeing’

While Bumpus thinks the O-line struggles put Grubb in a tough spot, he also thinks the decision to move on from Grubb goes beyond what transpired on the field.

“It’s deeper than just personnel,” Bumpus said. “There’s no way Mike Macdonald is looking at that offensive line and saying, ‘You should be able to win with this.’ I’m watching the film. I’m seeing them get beat. I’m seeing them not be consistent. So it has to be just a philosophy type of thing. It has to be the presentation. It has to be taking advantage of what a defense is giving you.

“It’s deeper than what we’re seeing, because when you (let go of) a guy after one year, it’s not just what you’re seeing on Sundays,” he added. “It’s throughout the week, too.”

That said, Bumpus doesn’t think a new offensive coordinator is nearly enough to fix Seattle’s offense.

“Whoever you bring in here, equip them with an offensive line, or you’re gonna have some of these same issues that you’re having,” Bumpus said.

Listen to the full conversation at this link or in the audio player near the top of this story. Hear Bump and Stacy live from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays on Seattle Sports. Click here for podcasts of every show.

More on the Seattle Seahawks

• Seahawks Offensive Coordinator Search: 4 candidates to watch
• Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald explains why OC Ryan Grubb was let go
• Seattle Seahawks let OC Ryan Grubb go after one season
• Rost: Explaining the story of the 10-win, no-playoffs Seahawks
• Why the 2024 Seattle Seahawks are an outlier in the history books

Follow @CameronVanTil

Weekdays from 10 a.m to 2 pm. on Seattle Sports

Bump and Stacy

Offensive coordinator just rose to the top of the Seattle Seahawks’ list of needs this offseason.

The Seahawks on Monday moved on from offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb after only one season as the play caller.

Brock: Two reasons Seattle Seahawks moved on from OC Ryan Grubb

With the offensive coordinator position now open, Seattle Sports’ Bump and Stacy delved into four potential candidates the Seahawks could pursue to be the next leader of their offense.

Seattle Seahawks OC candidates

Jake Peetz

The conversation started with the Seahawks’ top in-house candidate to fill the position in passing game coordinator Jake Peetz. Peetz joined the Seahawks’ staff in February after two seasons as an assistant under offensive guru Sean McVay with the Los Angeles Rams.

Seattle head coach Mike Macdonald spoke highly of Peetz in a recent interview.

“He adds a lot of experience. I’ve known Jake for a long time, and he’s been around the block. He’s seen a lot of things,” Macdonald said. “People that offer their opinions and it’s well thought out and detailed and built around the principles that we want to do, that’s a lot of stuff that Jake does. Both as a program and with our offense, definitely respect his opinion.”

The 39-year-old Peetz began his career in the NFL as a scout before becoming an assistant quarterbacks coach for the Jaguars in 2012. He’s also spent time as an offensive assistant for the Washington Commanders, Las Vegas Raiders and Carolina Panthers, and he was LSU’s offensive coordinator and quarterback coach in 2021. However, Peetz has never been a play-caller in the NFL.

“Jake Peetz is a guy that he trusts obviously (when) you hear the way he talked about him, right? It’s familiar. There’s respect there,” Seahawks Radio Network analyst and former NFL wide receiver Michael Bumpus said. “He spent some time in LA, and I would assume that the challenges that the Rams present a defense (are things) Mike Macdonald respects, because it’s difficult trying to slow these guys down. Even though you slowed it down at times, their concepts are tough. They expand you, condense you. They still run the football. They have one of the better running games in the NFL. Peetz has been around that and he’s been around (Macdonald).

“So I completely understand it, and that’s what you do as a head coach is that you develop these relationships. You develop relationships, you gain depth in that Rolodex and you rock with people that are like you, that work as hard as you, that sees the game the way that you do. So if he were to hire in-house, I’d be completely fine with that, and Jake Peetz is a name that we’ve heard.”

Wes Phillips

Wes Phillips is another candidate who hasn’t been a play-caller in the NFL, but he brings about as solid of a pedigree to the table as any candidate as a third-generation coach in the league. Phillips is the grandson of former Houston Oilers and New Orleans Saints head coach Bum Phillips, and the son of longtime NFL defensive coordinator and head coach Wade Phillips. Wes Phillips is currently serving in his third season as Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator under head coach Kevin O’Connell, who calls the plays for the Vikings’ offense.

Phillips, who turns 46 years old next month, served under McVay in Los Angeles as the Rams’ tight ends coach from 2019-2021, adding the role of passing game coordinator in his final season. He’s also made stops with the Commanders and Dallas Cowboys.

“(He has) 18 years of experience. He’s been a passing coordinator and a tight ends coach, as well. He understands the box,” Bumpus said. “The reason why I like that name is obviously what they’re doing in Minnesota, but he’s also been a tight ends coach. When you’re a tight ends coach, you understand the box, you understand leverage, you understand how to make plays.”

Mark Brunell

A former UW Huskies quarterback and three-time Pro Bowler, Mark Brunell is in his fourth season as the Detroit Lions’ quarterbacks coach. The 54-year-old Brunell doesn’t have any prior NFL coaching experience beyond his four years in Detroit, but he’s spent the past three of those working under offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, one of the hottest head coaching candidates in the league. Brunell also spent 19 seasons in the NFL and led the league in passing yards in 1996.

“You got to look for guys who are going to take a step up,” Bumpus said. “Mark Brunell has been over there for three years. He’s been part of the development of that culture over there with (Lions head coach) Dan Campbell. He understands what it looks like for a team to have a whole bunch of young guys, no one’s counting on them, develop them and lets go. And quarterbacks got to understand the box.”

Kevin Patullo

Kevin Patullo is in his fourth season as Philadelphia Eagles passing game coordinator and second as the team’s associated head coach. Patullo works under former Prosser (Wash.) High School standout Kellen Moore, who serves as the Eagles’ play-caller on offense. Patullo, 43, began his coaching career in the NFL at just 26 years old and has serve in various offensive roles during stints with the Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, Tennessee Titans, New York Jets and Indianapolis Colts. He was also Geno Smith’s quarterbacks coach with the Jets during the 2015 and 2016 seasons.

“That would be another move for him. Again, (he comes from) a team that knows how to run the football – clearly with Saquan Barkley that’s going to help you – but also understands how to get receivers the ball on the outside,” Bumpus said. “And then you have yourself a quarterback in Jalen Hurts that he’s helped develop.”

More on the Seattle Seahawks

• Seahawks coach Macdonald explains why OC Ryan Grubb was let go
• Ernest Jones IV gives strong statement about future with Seahawks
• Why the 2024 Seahawks are an outlier in the history books
• Rost: Explaining the story of the 10-win, no-playoffs Seahawks
• Big Ray: Why 2024 was a ‘discovery mode’ season for Seattle Seahawks

Follow @ZacHereth

Brock and Salk

Ryan Grubb’s tenure as Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator is over after only one season.

The Seahawks let go of their first-year offensive coordinator Monday following an up-and-down year for an offense filled with playmakers but also holes on the offensive line.

Seahawks coach Macdonald explains why OC Ryan Grubb was let go

ESPN’s Adam Schefter first reported the news. Head coach Mike Macdonald confirmed it during The Mike Macdonald Show on Seattle Sports.

Why did the Seahawks move on from their offensive coordinator after only one season? Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk shared their thoughts moments after the report broke Monday morning.

“Why? I think the biggest word that comes to my mind is identity,” co-host and former NFL quarterback Brock Huard said.

Huard noted the precarious nature of offensive coordinator jobs in the NFL. Detroit’s Ben Johnson, who is in his third season with the Lions, is currently the league’s longest-tenured offensive coordinator on a team whose head coach is not the offensive play-caller.

“When you’re an OC, you either get elevated to the head coaching job, or this happens – you get fired,” Huard said. “And it happens all over the league. It happened in-season in a bunch of different spots this year. It’s really hard to do, and if you don’t cultivate an identity to hang your hat on, then you run the risk of this happening.”

“I can’t say after 17 games what was the identity that Ryan Grubb wanted with his NFL Seahawk offense. I can’t say that,” Huard added. “I think it was a mixed bag and I think he loves to throw the football, and that’s probably the subtext to identity.”

Grubb called the plays for one of college football’s best offenses during his two seasons with the UW Huskies before being hired by the Seahawks. During his time on Montlake, Grubb’s offense was known for its potent passing game. The Seahawks had one of the league’s better passing offenses this season in terms of yardage, but establishing a consistent run game was a struggle throughout the year. Seattle finished the season 28th in the league with an average of 95.7 rushing yards per game.

“Wasn’t that always the conversation and the debate and the fear that we had heading into this season: Can this guy be the type of balanced offensive coordinator that fits with Mike Macdonald’s vision of the way a team should be run and that complementary ball that seems really important to a defensive coach?” co-host Mike Salk said. “It always felt like a bit of an awkward fit. It felt like they had run out of time, there was nobody left really on the board for them to go get (when they hired Grubb) and this is who they ended up with.”

The jump to the NFL

Huard pointed to Grubb’s struggles to adjust from the college game to the NFL as another factor in the firing. This was his first season coaching in the NFL in any capacity.

“A lifer in the college game dealing with grown professional men is a big step, a bigger step than Mike Macdonald had to take (going from defensive coordinator to first-time head coach),” Huard said. “Mike Macdonald has been in this business, he’s been on the NFL. He stepped away for a year and did the college side, but he knows how to relate, how to communicate personality-wise, how to love and get the most out of these dudes. Ryan Grubb can be a gruff guy. He can be a hard personality. He can be a tough sucker because he is self-made by the bootstraps (rising) from the very bottom of the profession all the way up to nearly the very top of it.

“But personality-wise, I think (he) at times can be a little bit challenging, and it was a work in progress to work with the guys, I think, personality and relationship-wise to cultivate those connective tissues, too.”

During his final press conference of the season last week, Grubb mentioned what he had learned in his first season coaching at the NFL. He highlighted how in the NFL it’s much more about attacking schemes than specific players on the defense.

Huard shared his take on that.

“Yeah, it’s the difference in the NFL and college game. (In the) college game, you got a lot of weak species that you can go attack. There are gonna be just personnel issues and weaknesses on a bunch of teams that you can go exploit,” Huard said. “(In the) NFL, you don’t have much of that. Everybody is pretty darn good at this level. So it becomes much more about the matchup game of attacking that schematic matchup, versus in college you can go attack the people, the personnel, a whole lot more. I just think there was a big learning curve to grow in that way this season for Grubb.”

Listen to the full conversation at this link or in the audio player near the top of this story. Tune in to Brock and Salk weekdays from 6-10 a.m. or find the podcast on the Seattle Sports app.

More on the Seattle Seahawks

• Ernest Jones IV gives strong statement about future with Seahawks
• Why the 2024 Seahawks are an outlier in the history books
• Wyman & Bob’s Instant Reaction: Seahawks end season with 10th win
• Rost: Explaining the story of the 10-win, no-playoffs Seahawks
• Big Ray: Why 2024 was a ‘discovery mode’ season for Seattle Seahawks

Follow @ZacHereth