logo
Seahawks are being slept on, according to 49ers reporter

Seahawks are being slept on, according to 49ers reporter

USA Today02-06-2025
Seahawks are being slept on, according to 49ers reporter
The Seattle Seahawks have not won the NFC West since the 2020 season, as the title has been claimed by the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams over the last few seasons. In 2024, the Seahawks came the closest they have in in several years, narrowly losing out to the Rams based on a 5th tiebreaker in Week 17. Seattle is gunning for the NFC West crown, and only one reporter outside of the Emerald City seems to be taking notice.
49ers reporter Grant Cohen took to his personal Twitter account to mention he believes folks are sleeping on the Seahawks, and we cannot help but agree with him.
It remains to be seen if Seattle did enough to actually improve their offensive line. Drafting NDSU's Grey Zabel in the first round should be an immediate upgrade over Laken Tomlinson, and adding a more veteran offensive coaching staff could bring more out of the guys already with the team. But the jury is more than out on if that will be enough to raise the floor for this offensive unit as a whole.
Still, the Seahawks are a team that should be considered trending upwards. Of course, as we at Seahawks Wire have repeatedly said, this Seattle squad is rolling the dice on more than a few bets. The Seahawks are gambling their moves will be enough to help them get over the hump from good-to-great, but there is significant bust potential. The ceiling has been raised, but the lower got lower.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

The fatal flaw Seattle Seahawks must address in training camp
The fatal flaw Seattle Seahawks must address in training camp

Yahoo

time2 hours ago

  • Yahoo

The fatal flaw Seattle Seahawks must address in training camp

The post The fatal flaw Seattle Seahawks must address in training camp appeared first on ClutchPoints. For a decade, the Seattle Seahawks have been a good team but not a great one. They've made playoff appearances, delivered highlight-reel moments, and remained a tough out in the NFC. However, they haven't broken through to the conference championship since 2014. Now, as they open 2025 training camp, the franchise finds itself at an interesting spot. If Mike Macdonald's squad is going to play well into January, the defense will need to carry the flag. Even a top-10 defense can only do so much, though, if the other side of the ball doesn't hold up its end of the bargain. New Look, New Philosophy It's been a full decade since the Seahawks last made it beyond the divisional round. This offseason, they went all-in on change, starting with the offense. Out went coordinator Ryan Grubb, replaced by Klint Kubiak to usher in a more balanced, run-first identity. Then came the shockwaves. Geno Smith was dealt to the Raiders, and franchise cornerstone DK Metcalf was traded to the Steelers. In their place, Seattle is betting big on two proven names. Sam Darnold arrives fresh off a career year with the Minnesota Vikings. That's where he threw for 4,319 yards and 35 touchdowns, but also endured a nine-sack playoff meltdown. That underscored how badly he needs protection. To replace Metcalf, the Seahawks landed Super Bowl MVP Cooper Kupp. His precision and reliability could steady the passing game. On the other side of the ball, there's far less drama. The defense returns almost everyone and gets an added boost from second-round pick Nick Emmanwori at safety. That unit looks ready to contend. The real question: will this rebuilt offense rise to meet the moment or be the reason Seattle falls short yet again? Here we'll try to look at the fatal flaw that the Seattle Seahawks must address in their 2025 NFL training camp. The Fatal Flaw: Offensive Line Let's be clear about something: Seattle's fatal flaw heading into camp is its offensive line. Sure, there's more optimism than there was at this time a year ago. However, question marks still loom everywhere except left tackle. Charles Cross remains a bright spot and anchor, but beyond him, there's little certainty. The Seahawks used a first-round pick on Grey Zabel. They hope he can stabilize the left guard position as a rookie. The rest of the projected starting line, which includes center Olu Oluwatimi, right guard Anthony Bradford, and right tackle Abraham Lucas, struggled in 2024. They collectively posted below-average PFF grades and failed to hold up in both pass and run blocking. Lucas, in particular, is a major concern. He's played in just 13 of 34 possible games over the past two seasons due to injury. The best ability is availability, and so far, Lucas has struggled to provide it. Why This Matters for Darnold Darnold's 2024 success in Minnesota came with a significant caveat. He held on to the ball longer than almost anyone else in the league. According to NFL Pro, he averaged 3.08 seconds per throw, which was third longest. He also attempted 73.2 percent of his passes after 2.5 seconds. That was the highest rate in football. When given time, he shredded defenses. When pressured, his efficiency collapsed. That was shown by the Rams sacking him nine times in the playoffs. If the Seahawks can't protect him, this trade could backfire fast. For Darnold to thrive in Klint Kubiak's offense, Seattle's line must give him a clean pocket. Key Camp Battles to Watch Training camp will be defined by battles in the trenches. Oluwatimi will have to fend off Jalen Sundell for the starting center job. Meanwhile, right guard will be an open competition among Bradford, Christian Haynes, and maybe even sixth-round rookie Bryce Cabeldue. At right tackle, all eyes will be on Lucas's health; if he goes down again, Seattle will be scrambling. In that case, either Michael Jerrell or Amari Kight could step in. On the left side, Zabel's development will be critical. If he adapts quickly, he and Cross could solidify the blind side. If he struggles, the entire offense could unravel before it even gets going. The Path Forward The blueprint for Seattle is straightforward. They need to lean on the defense, play complementary football, and trust that Kubiak's offense can protect Darnold while pounding the ball on the ground. Of course, it all hinges on the line. In a division featuring fearsome pass rushers like Josh Sweat, Braden Fiske, and Nick Bosa, Seattle's ability to keep its quarterback upright may determine whether the Seahawks finally break through. Otherwise, they might endure yet another January disappointment. If the offensive line takes shape in camp, the ceiling for this team rises dramatically. If not, 2025 could be yet another chapter in a frustrating decade. Related: Seahawks' Jaxon Smith-Njigba makes somber admission about DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett Related: AJ Barner sends Sam Darnold warning ahead of QB's first Seahawks season

AJ Barner sends Sam Darnold warning ahead of QB's first Seahawks season
AJ Barner sends Sam Darnold warning ahead of QB's first Seahawks season

Yahoo

time2 hours ago

  • Yahoo

AJ Barner sends Sam Darnold warning ahead of QB's first Seahawks season

The post AJ Barner sends Sam Darnold warning ahead of QB's first Seahawks season appeared first on ClutchPoints. Sam Darnold parlayed his career-best season with the Minnesota Vikings in 2024 into a three-year, $100.5 million contract with the Seattle Seahawks this offseason. Now Seattle is hoping Darnold can build on last season's success and lead the team back to the playoffs for the first time since 2022. Seahawks tight end AJ Barner is a believer. 'He's one of the best quarterbacks in the league, no doubt about it. We're going to show it this year,' Barner said of Darnold, per Michael-Shawn Dugar of The Athletic. 'Sam's been phenomenal… Really takes the time to get with the guys. He's open about communication back and forth about what you see. His timing is really something I've really taken notice of and think he's very, very good at. When he hits his drop and when he sees it, the ball is going to be out before you're out of your break. I'm really excited to work with him,' Barner added. Sam Darnold looks to continue career revival with Seahawks Darnold was selected third overall out of USC by the New York Jets in the 2018 draft. After three underwhelming seasons, the Jets moved on, using the second pick in the 2021 draft on Zach Wilson. Darnold was shipped to the Carolina Panthers where he started 17 games over two seasons, throwing for 3,670 yards with 16 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. In 2023, Darnold landed with the San Francisco 49ers where he backed up Brock Purdy. He then signed a one-year deal with the Vikings in 2024. However, after signing Darnold, Minnesota drafted J.J. McCarthy with the 10th overall pick in that year's draft. The eighth-year veteran hoped to beat out the rookie for the starting job in training camp. But Darnold became the Vikings' QB1 after McCarthy tore his meniscus in the preseason opener. He would go on to record career-highs in passing yards (4,319), touchdowns (35), attempts (545), completions (361) and completion percentage (66.2). Darnold was named to his first Pro Bowl as he led the Vikings to a 14-3 regular season record. However, the team was eliminated in the Wild Card round by the Rams as Darnold struggled in his first ever postseason start. Still, his time working with Kyle Shanahan in San Francisco and Kevin O'Connell in Minnesota seems to have triggered a turnaround. Now the Seahawks hope that trend continues. Seattle traded longtime starter Geno Smith to the Raiders this offseason, making room for Darnold. He'll take over a Seahawks offense featuring third-year wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba and newcomer Cooper Kupp. Related: DeMarcus Lawrence's drill work leaves Seahawks HC Mike Macdonald astounded Related: Seahawks' Mike Macdonald shuts down question about Noah Fant release

Seahawks sign GM John Schneider to 4-year contract extension
Seahawks sign GM John Schneider to 4-year contract extension

Yahoo

time2 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Seahawks sign GM John Schneider to 4-year contract extension

The post Seahawks sign GM John Schneider to 4-year contract extension appeared first on ClutchPoints. It's been an interesting offseason for the Seattle Seahawks, who signed free agent quarterback Sam Darnold to a huge contract in order to replace Geno Smith, who is now with the Las Vegas Raiders. The Seahawks are hoping that Darnold's 2024-25 performance with the Minnesota Vikings was something sustainable and not just a blip on the radar. Apparently, the team is not waiting to find out the answer to that question before deciding to keep the man responsible for that decision around long term. 'Scoopage: continuity in Seattle, the Seahawks have given John Schneider a four year extension keeping their President of Football Operations/GM through the 2030 draft. This will take him through at least his 20th draft with the organization,' reported Jay Glazer of the NFL on FOX on X, formerly Twitter. As Glazer mentioned, Glazer was one of the architects of the Seahawks' dominant defense in the early 2010s, which culminated in the team's Super Bowl victory in the 2013 season, and very nearly another one the following year. It's been a transitional period over the last few years for the Seahawks since the trade of Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos. The Seahawks were able to be the beneficiaries of a feel-good story in Geno Smith's late-career renaissance, but it wasn't enough to carry Seattle to a playoff win at any point over the last few seasons. Seattle now turns its attention to Darnold, who had a renaissance of his own during the 2024-25 season with the Vikings, helping Minnesota perform well above expectations throughout the regular season before coming up with a dud in the team's playoff loss to the Los Angeles Rams. Still, if Darnold can replicate his 2024-25 production this season with the Seahawks, Seattle could once again be in the playoff mix in the NFC, even as some of their NFC West counterparts appear primed to also take a step forward this year. The Seahawks are slated to kick off their 2025 season on September 7 at home against the San Francisco 49ers.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store