An optimist's guide to the 2024 Seattle Seahawks

After going 25-26 the past three seasons with only one playoff appearance, the Seattle Seahawks made some significant organizational changes this offseason. Most importantly, they hired Mike Macdonald to replace longtime head coach Pete Carroll. 

That new voice and new approach, combined with some talented skill position players on offense, are just a couple of things that should give Seahawks fans some optimism for the 2024 NFL season.

1. Big-time playmakers for quarterback Geno Smith

Geno Smith might not be a true franchise quarterback, but he is good enough to win with. He might not be a long-term answer, but the Seahawks could certainly do worse. What helps is that the Seahawks have surrounded him with some sensational playmaking talent at both running back and wide receiver. 

Between D.K. Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and the running back duo of Zach Charbonnet and Kenneth Walker, there is the potential for the Seahawks to have an extremely potent offense in 2024. 

They were only 17th in the NFL in points per game in 2023, but Smith-Njigba and Charbonnet having a full year of experience, combined with improved offensive line play, could lead to a big jump this year. 

2. New head coach, new voice

After falling into consistent mediocrity the past couple of years under former head coach Pete Carroll, the Seahawks made a change and brought in former Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald to run the show. 

A new voice and new direction could be what is needed for the franchise as a whole, but especially so on defense where the Seahawks have been one of the worst teams in the league the past couple of years under Carroll. 

If the Seahawks can get their defense even to a league-average level, that could be enough to get them back into the playoffs considering the potential they have on offense. 

3. A potential new star on defense

The biggest issue for the Seahawks this past season on defense was their inability to stop the run. 

They may have addressed that in a big way in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft by selecting the top interior defensive lineman available in Texas' Byron Murphy II. His presence could be a significant game-changer for the Seahawks defense and help solidify an area of the field would get repeatedly gashed on the ground this past season. 

The Seahawks have invested a lot of prime assets into their defense the past couple of years, and Murphy could be another key piece.