Which Coordinators Should Seahawks Monitor in Saturday's Wild Card Games?

As the playoffs begin with two fun AFC matchups, the Seattle Seahawks will be keeping a close eye on potential head coaching candidates, including two up-and-coming young offensive coordinators and an established defensive guru.

Though the Seattle Seahawks won't be playing in this weekend's wild card round, chair Jody Allen and general manager John Schneider will be playing closer attention than usual with the team looking to replace long-time coach Pete Carroll, who will be transitioning to an advisory role after 14 seasons on the sideline.

To kick off the postseason on Saturday, the Browns will take their vicious defense on the road against the upstart Texans, while the Dolphins will head north to deal with sub-zero temperatures against the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium. The Seahawks have yet to be linked to any assistants from those four teams, but that could easily change if a specific coordinator orchestrates a strong game plan to help lead his team to the divisional round.

Which coaching candidates should Schneider, Allen, and the rest of the decision making brass be watching most closely? Here are three coordinators who should be on Seattle's radar in Saturday's wild card contests:

Bobby Slowik, Texans Offensive Coordinator

Though he's still just 36 years old, Slowik has been in the NFL for 10 seasons with three different organizations, learning as a disciple under current 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan as an assistant with Washington and San Francisco in separate stints. Offering a unique background as a former defensive assistant and passing game specialist at the highest level, he has thrived in his first opportunity as a coordinator in Houston, helping rookie C.J. Stroud throw 23 touchdowns and only five interceptions while guiding the team to an AFC South title.

An understudy to Kyle Shanahan with two different teams, Slowik has become one of the hottest names in this year's coaching carousel / © Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Most remarkably, Houston's offense has stayed afloat despite losing standout rookie receiver Tank Dell to a season-ending ankle injury late in the season and having a limited rushing attack that ranked 22nd in yardage. Going against a stingy Cleveland defense in the wild card round, Slowik could dramatically bolster his odds at a head coaching job if he can scheme up a quality game plan to attack Myles Garrett and company to pull an early postseason upset.

Jim Schwartz, Browns Defensive Coordinator

Now 57 years old, Schwartz last served as a head coach in the NFL in 2013, finishing a rough five-year tenure with the Lions by winning just seven games. However, since that time, he has remained one of the league's sharpest defensive minds and found great success with multiple teams as a coordinator, including guiding the Bills to a fourth-ranked defense in 2014 and the eventual Super Bowl champion Eagles to a fourth place ranking in 2017.

Turning in one of his finest coaching jobs in Cleveland, Schwartz has built an aggressive, swarming defense built around Garrett and a dominant defensive line. Aside from a couple rough outings in losses to the Rams and Bengals, which happened in Week 18 with few starters in action, they shut down the majority of their opponents and yielded the fewest total yards in the NFL. He has yet to be linked to any openings, but he has earned a second shot to be a head coach and helping the Browns advance deep in the postseason behind strong defensive play should draw suitors.

Frank Smith, Dolphins Offensive Coordinator

Another young offensive coach who has become a hot target for head coaching openings, Smith has an intriguing background as a former offensive line assistant with the Saints, who gave up the third-fewest sacks in the NFL in his five seasons on the staff. After serving as a tight end coach for the Bears and Raiders in separate stints, he took over as the Chargers run game coordinator and offensive line coach in 2021, overseeing a unit that gave up the sixth-fewest sacks in the league that year.

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Joining the Dolphins in 2022 alongside new head coach Mike McDaniel, Smith has had a key hand in the team's ascendance as the one of the most potent offenses in the sport. Capitalizing on his run game and offensive line background, his presence helped Miami vault to sixth in rushing yards and first in rushing touchdowns in 2023, a trait that should travel well going on the road in icy cold Kansas City in the wild card round. If his team advances and lights up the scoreboard despite the elements, Carolina won't be the only interested suitor in his services.