Seahawks Ace Roster Strategy Ignored by Packers

Green Bay had receiver Romeo Doubs as its primary punt returner because he could reliably catch the ball. He was excellent at that but provided next to nothing in terms of flipping field position. In 14 games in that role, he returned 15 punts for 94 yards. In eight games for Seattle, Shaheed returned 13 punts for 210 yards.

“We all know that any chance that we touch the ball, we know that we can score, and that's our mindset,” Shaheed said. “And I feel like, as long as we have that mindset, we could continue to produce, make big plays.”

On kickoffs, the Packers were one of three teams without a 40-yard return this season. Moreover, they are one of 11 teams without a special-teams touchdown the past three seasons. Shaheed has three touchdowns in 11 games in a Seattle uniform.

“He's the fastest kid alive,” Seahawks fullback Brady Russell said.

With Williams, Seattle finished first in the NFL in points allowed and yards allowed per rushing attempt.

With Jones, Seattle finished fifth in interceptions and sixth in takeaways.

With Shaheed, Seattle finished third in our NFL special teams rankings.

Chasing Edges

“Egos are going to get in the way of success, and we can't have all these walls up and be heading in different directions,” Schneider said. “Everybody has to be headed in the same direction with the same goal in mind every single day. What are we doing to get better and improve?

“We used to call it, ‘What’s next?’ Mike calls it ‘chasing edges,’ but literally ever since Pete (Carroll) and I came through the door in 2010, it was constantly harping on, ‘What are you doing to get better every day?’”

Egos aren’t necessarily getting in the way of success in Green Bay, but the Seahawks have mastered the chasing of edges and the quest to get better every day.

Like Gutekunst and coach Matt LaFleur, the focus isn’t on the 53-man roster but the 70-man roster that includes the practice squad. So, it’s not just the big moves. It’s the little ones, too. Since taking over as general manager in 2010 through the start of the 2025 season, Schneider had made more than 3,900 transactions. Most of them don’t move the dial, but enough have to get the Seahawks back to the Super Bowl, where they are 4.5-point favorites.

“We’re relentless,” Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said after the playoff win over the 49ers. “I mean, what do you want to call it? You want to call it chasing edges? That’s the language that we use.

“Our philosophy is we’re just constantly chasing it. What are the things that we can do to make our team better all the time? Whether it’s through acquisition or a period in practice or maybe it’s something pregame, scheme, personnel. All those things, it’s a relentless attitude to try to always make the team better.”

Thanks to this year’s trade for Shaheed, who has the 10th-shortest odds to score a touchdown on Sunday, according to FanDuel Sportsbook, Schneider was named the NFL’s executive of the year by the Pro Football Writers of America. Schneider called it an organizational award, but he’s front and center of it.

As he said in thinking back to training camp, “I was like where are we deficient, so I always think like that. What are we missing? My brain is always revving like that.”