3 Storylines to Watch in Seattle Seahawks Preseason Finale vs. Cleveland Browns

The Seahawks will conclude their exhibition season on Saturday versus the Browns, and it will be the best look at Seattle's starting units we've had all preseason.

Oct 29, 2023; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) against the Cleveland Browns at Lumen Field. / Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

The Seattle Seahawks have one more opportunity to get right before the regular season when they face the Cleveland Browns at 7 p.m. PDT on Saturday.

Roster bubble players will have one more audition with the team, and starters will get their final chance to fine-tune their game operations in an exhibition setting. Seattle will play most or all of its starters against the Browns, at least to begin the game.

With the game just a few hours away, here are three storylines to watch in the Seahawks’ third and final preseason game.

1. Will the starting offense get out to a fast start with Geno Smith in the driver’s seat?

Seahawks starting quarterback Geno Smith is making his preseason debut against Cleveland. He will be joined by the un-injured offensive starters, but I wouldn’t expect that group to play more than two or three drives as head coach Mike Macdonald tries to avoid further ailments plaguing the team before the games start to count.

Macdonald and his staff have been extra careful to allow only the vanilla version of offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb’s scheme to be unveiled in the preseason, and even more so with the starters at the controls. This will be the first taste of game action for this group, and it needs to play well. At least one touchdown drive should be the expectation, and anything short of that may be a disappointment considering the buzz around Smith and his weapons in training camp.

Don’t expect anything far up Grubb’s sleeve to be called, but there should at least be some flare and indication that this offense will be more successful than the Seahawks’ offense was in 2023. Smith’s performance will certainly be under a microscope, as everybody has been waiting to see how his control of the scheme has developed through the preseason.

2. How will the starting defense’s performance compare to preseason Week 1?

Seattle’s starting defense did its best impression of a brick wall in the Seahawks’ Week 1 win over the Los Angeles Chargers. The unit gave up seven yards on six plays, and the second unit picked up where the starters left off afterward — not surrendering a first down for the Chargers’ first six drives. Los Angeles also converted just 2-of-13 third-down situations in the entire game.

Macdonald has since said the Week 2 performance versus the Tennessee Titans (16-15 loss) was a “step back” for the defense, even though most starters did not play in that game. Regardless, the second and third units regressed, and penalties played a large role in the defeat. With starters inserted back into the equation against the Browns, Seattle must show a bit more resiliency and competence versus Cleveland.

It’s unrealistic to expect a complete shutdown performance every week, but the defense should be closer to its effectiveness in Week 1 than in Week 2. The Browns will be without starting quarterback Deshaun Watson, which means Jameis Winston could be next in line for the start. Cleveland’s starting offensive tackles Jedrick Wills Jr. and Jack Conklin also remain out, so Seattle’s defense should have the early game in their favor.

3. Can PJ Walker save his job?

Aug 17, 2024; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback PJ Walker (15) gives instructions to his team in the fourth quarter against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium. / Casey Gower-USA TODAY Sports

Once Smith and Sam Howell are done on Saturday, I would expect quarterback PJ Walker to get a healthy number of snaps as Seattle’s coaching staff tries to decide whether he will stick around as the Seahawks’ third quarterback.

Walker’s preseason has been shaky. In two games, he is 8-of-18 passing for 98 yards and has taken two sacks. It hasn’t just been about Walker’s lack of production, but also how the offense has functioned as a whole with him under center. Walker appears to be struggling with making quick reads and finding the outlets that Grubb has baked into almost every play — something Howell has excelled at in his two appearances.

Walker has led two scoring drives on seven attempts, both of which ended in field goals. His most productive drive was in the fourth quarter of Seattle’s win over the Chargers when the offense put together a 14-play, 64-yard possession that saw Walker go 3-of-7 passing for 51 yards and account for most of his production in the two games.

He will have to string together some positives if he wants to stick around, or the Seahawks may try to find another emergency third quarterback. What better way is there for Walker to do so than against his former team?