Brock: Why Seahawks could exceed national expectations this year

Jun 25, 2024, 1:39 PM

Julian Love (No. 20) of the Seattle Seahawks celebrates with teammates after an interception against the Eagles in 2023. (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

(Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

BY CAMERON VAN TIL

Seattle Sports

Most win projections for the Seattle Seahawks have them finishing around 7-10 or 8-9 this season. With the franchise embarking on a new era under first-year head coach Mike Macdonald, prognosticators expect some growing pains this fall.

However, one NFL analyst has a more optimistic view.

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Pro Football Focus’ Gordon McGuinness wrote an article earlier this month that listed the Seahawks as one of five overlooked teams heading into the 2024 season. He even wrote that they “could shock everyone to contend for the divisional crown” – which would certainly be no small feat in a tough NFC West that includes the defending conference champion San Francisco 49ers and a talented Los Angeles Rams team.

During the Blue 88 segment of Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk on Monday, former NFL quarterback Brock Huard discussed why an expert could see the Seahawks in a more favorable light than the general national outlook.

“They look at all that tape and go, ‘Man, this dude can play, this dude can play, this dude can play.’ … And if these coaches can unlock these players to play at their ceiling? If they can maximize their ceiling?” Huard said.

“What is the ceiling of Darrell Taylor? What is the ceiling of Boye Mafe? What is the ceiling of Leonard Williams? What is the ceiling of Jarran Reed? What is the ceiling of Byron Murphy? What is the ceiling of (Devon Witherspoon)? You go through it and you’re like, ‘Dang, man.’ … There are a lot of (good players).”

As Huard mentioned, one of the biggest Seahawks storylines this fall will be whether the new coaching staff and their schemes can elevate the talent on Seattle’s roster.

New head coach Mike Macdonald has a cutting-edge defensive scheme that was on full display during the past two years in Baltimore, where he was the defensive coordinator for a Ravens defense that became the first in NFL history to lead the league in each of points allowed, sacks and takeaways in the same season. On the other side of the ball, new offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb comes across town after two massively successful seasons at UW, where he oversaw one of the most prolific offenses in the country as the Huskies’ OC.

Will those new schemes put players in better position for success? Were the Seahawks not maximizing their roster talent over the past few years? Huard thinks that played into the franchise’s decision to part ways with Pete Carroll this past January after a success-filled 14 seasons at the helm.

“I think ultimately that is why (they) made the decision they did,” Huard said. “(I think they said), ‘There is a lot of really good clay to mold and put in the kiln, and we can make a better product than what we’re seeing here.’ A couple years ago, I don’t know about that. … We were not talking about a 10- or 11-win team (back then).

“But this crew (has) athleticism and speed and even flashes of some great production. … That’s why I think (they) made the decision they did. Like, ‘We’ve gotta get new eyes, new teaching, a new system in here to get a little bit more from the talent on hand.'”

Listen to the full Blue 88 segment on Brock and Salk at this link or in the audio player near the middle 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.