Five things to watch as Seahawks open their 49th season
Rookie Byron Murphy II
Murphy, the first-round draft pick from Texas, has been touted as a front-runner for honors as the league’s top rookie honors. After seeing his strength and capacity to penetrate and fend off blockers, the view here is that Murphy is the best rookie defensive tackle prospect the Seahawks have had since Pro Football Hall of Famer Cortez Kennedy.
Will he adapt to the pro game, as well as to the demands of being a pro? If he can, he will go a long way to shoring up a defensive front that contributed to the Seahawks’ weakness at stopping the run last season.
Wide receivers
The Seahawks never have had three receivers finish a season with 60 catches. Tyler Lockett (79), DK Metcalf (66) and rookie Jaxson Smith-Njigba (63) accomplished that. JSN’s rookie season was slowed by recovery from a preseason wrist injury, and the hamstring injury he suffered his last season at Ohio State.
Lockett has been an ageless marvel. Metcalf is entering his prime as a physical beast and deep threat.
The continued maturation of Smith-Njigma, in addition, will give the new Ryan Grubb offense a set of receiving threats difficult to contain.
Kenneth Walker III
While the Grubb-designed offense was credited for some of the massive success of Washington quarterback Michael Penix, Jr. last season, Grubb has stressed that running the ball is a foundation for his offensive strategy.
Walker has rushed for nearly 2,000 yards and 17 touchdowns in his first two seasons. He’s also had 56 catches over that span. Grubb cited him as a “three-tool” back, strong rushing, receiving and protecting.
Walker could be the greatest beneficiary of the newly retooled offense.
Offensive line
Pro Football Focus ranked the Seahawks the No. 29th offensive line in the NFL heading into the 2024 season.
Certain shortcomings can be mitigated by scheme.
But if the Hawks live down to these expectations, no amount of strategic wizardry will make them contenders.
Changes have been made, but with four new starters out of the five line positions, even upgraded personnel will need time to mesh and gel.
Status of the progress will be worth watching, if perhaps painful at times.
Macdonald and staff
Some players have called 37-year-old head coach Mike Macdonald a “mastermind.” His handling of the Baltimore Ravens’ defense was exceptional. There is much more to being a head coach, though. Only time will reveal how well he adapts and masters the varied demands of his new position – serving as an administrator as well as a coach.
The same goes for his coordinators, Grubb on offense and Aden Durde on defense, neither of whom has NFL experience as coordinator.