Seahawks Have 'Limitless Upside' With Coach Mike Macdonald, Says ESPN Analyst

The Seattle Seahawks have hired Mike Macdonald as their new head coach, and one ESPN analyst loves the move.

The Seattle Seahawks head coaching search is over. Mike Macdonald, one of the best defensive minds in football, is heading to the NFC West to be the franchise's first head-coaching hire in 14 years.

Having done wonders with the Baltimore Ravens as their defensive coordinator, Macdonald now comes to the Seahawks as Pete Carroll's successor. After being one of the masterminds of the Ravens' historic defense this season, Macdonald is now tasked with improving a Seahawks defense that, despite its talent, seriously under-performed last season.

ESPN's Mike Tannenbaum thinks Macdonald is just the person to turn things around.

"Macdonald is innovative, poised and insightful beyond his years, and we've seen his defensive scheme work well both in the NFL and college," Tannenbaum wrote. "I see limitless upside here for Seattle."

After being the defensive coordinator for Baltimore in the last two seasons, Macdonald's resume lends itself to being a head coach, and he's now getting his chance.

With Macdonald likely to take the defensive duties, what he and general manager John Schneider do on the other side of the ball is an interesting watch.

The Seahawks defense has some nice young weapons in Riq Woolen, Devon Witherspoon, Boye Mafe, and Julian Love, but the offense has just as many potent weapons.

Running backs Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet, receivers D.K. Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Jake Bobo, and tight end Noah Fant are talented pieces that many non-playoff teams from this season would be dying to have on their roster.

Seahawks 'Way-Too-Early' Super Bowl Contenders After Hiring Macdonald?

Just which way Seattle goes is unknown, but in Macdonald, it has a quality defensive-minded head coach who now has a chance to start a new era in the Pacific Northwest.

How things shake out over the next 12 months will be intriguing, but the Seahawks have all the pieces to be a playoff team in Macdonald's first year at the wheel and that could add up to "limitless upside" going forward.