The Seahawks have a new-look coaching staff on defense, but they return many of the same coaches on offense for 2022, including Shane Waldron.

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Waldron enters his second year as Seahawks offensive coordinator and he’ll have a different offense with star quarterback Russell Wilson now in Denver.

So what’s going to be the toughest part of Waldron’s job this upcoming season? Former NFL wide receiver Michael Bumpus broke it down during Thursday’s Bump and Stacy on Seattle Sports 710 AM.

“The hardest part for Shane Waldron is going to be creating explosive plays again,” Bumpus said.

Explosive plays are a major point of emphasis for a Seahawks team coached by head coach Pete Carroll.

On defense, Carroll’s defense emphasize limiting long pass plays over the top of the defense as well as big run plays. Offensively, the Seahawks have been very good in recent years in creating long plays in both the run and pass games.

It may not be as easy in 2022, however.

“When you had Russell Wilson, you knew that he was gonna throw the football down the field,” Bumpus said. “When it came to explosive pass plays, the Hawks were seventh in the league. In explosive run plays, they were fourth.”

A big reason for the Seahawks’ high ranking in explosive run plays was due to the late-season surge of running back Rashaad Penny, who averaged over 130 yards per game over Seattle’s final five contests.

Penny is back on a one-year deal, but Bumpus thinks getting explosive passing plays is going to be especially important for the Seahawks in 2022.

“You’ve got to be able to throw the ball down the field to keep teams honest,” he said. “That’s why you need (receiver) DK Metcalf and actually that’s why you pay that man $26 to $27 million a year because he is a big factor in creating those explosive plays. When you can throw the ball down the field, you keep the defense honest.”

Bumpus is looking forward to what Waldron comes up with in the passing game, especially as it pertains to whoever the Seahawks’ next quarterback is.

“He’s got to wait and see what type of quarterback he has and what that quarterback is good at and keep defenses honest,” Bumpus said. “Throw that ball down the field but then run the rock and hopefully Rashaad and Ken Walker and those (running backs) can recreate some explosive plays from last year.”

Listen to the full second hour of Thursday’s Bump and Stacy at this link or in the player below.

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