How Does Seahawks Head Coach Opening Stack Up Against Competition?

Finding a quality replacement for Pete Carroll won't be an easy process, but John Schneider does have several key selling points working in his favor as he tries to land a top candidate to take over on the sideline for the Seattle Seahawks.

For the first time since way back in 2009, following the decision to slide Pete Carroll into an advisory position with the front office after 14 years on the sideline, the Seattle Seahawks have kickstarted the search for a new head coach.

Leading the search, general manager John Schneider will have his first crack at hiring his own coach, as Carroll ultimately led to his hiring back in 2010 as an executive tandem. On paper, after winning 18 games over the past two seasons and making the playoffs once, the Seahawks should have one of the more appealing jobs available in this coaching cycle, but where does it stand out in comparison to other open head coaching opportunities?

As Seattle and other teams begin to line of interviews in coming days, here's a glance at where Schneider should be able to sell the head coaching job and where candidates may have reservations about taking the position:

Pros

Established Star Talent

Aside from the Chargers, no other team seeking a head coach has the proven abundance of talent on both sides of the ball that the Seahawks can offer a candidate. Whoever takes the job will immediately benefit from having one of the top receiver trios in the league featuring DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba along with a pair of exciting running backs in Ken Walker III and Zach Charbonnet and a Pro Bowl caliber quarterback in Geno Smith. Meanwhile, the defense isn't barren either with defensive ends Uchenna Nwosu and Boye Mafe, cornerbacks Devon Witherspoon and Riq Woolen, and safeties Quandre Diggs, Jamal Adams, and Julian Love all under contract for at least 2024.

Headlined by talented cornerback Devon Witherspoon, the Seahawks may have the best young core out of any NFL team looking for a new coach / © Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

Exciting Young Core

Making the Seattle opening all the more appealing, two excellent draft hauls by Schneider and Carroll set the franchise up for long-term success. Assuming Abraham Lucas rebounds from an injury-plagued sophomore season, he and Charles Cross will serve as the building blocks for a promising offensive line, while Walker, Charbonnet, and Smith-Njigba each have two or more years remaining on their rookie deals as impact skill players on offense. Defensively, Mafe led the team with nine sacks in 2023 and hasn't reached his ceiling yet, Witherspoon could win Defensive Rookie of the Year honors and already looks like a budding superstar, and Woolen should be set up to bounce back from a somewhat disappointing second season.

Coaching Autonomy

Operating in similar fashion to her late brother Paul Allen, Jody Allen generally stays out of business affairs, allowing the front office and coaching staff to handle their jobs with minimal interference. This will be appealing for most candidates, as they will have coaching sovereignty found with few organizations in the NFL while being paired with a renowned general manager in Schneider who has a reputation as a quality communicator. As an added bonus, coaching in the Pacific Northwest comes with the perk of not being in a media hot stove like New York, Philadelphia, or Chicago among other big markets, making it a less stressful job in that sense.

Cons

Lack of Draft Capital

While Schneider has aced the previous two draft classes, having a boatload of extra picks in the first two rounds courtesy of the Russell Wilson trade played a major role in restocking the cupboard with talent, including using last year's No. 5 overall pick on Witherspoon. But the Seahawks won't have that luxury in April, as they will pick 16th overall after a 9-8 finish and don't currently have a second-round pick due to the Leonard Williams trade in October.

For coaching candidates who want to select their own quarterback to groom, that task will be far trickier with only one pick in the first 64 selections and not much ammunition to move up in the first round. A team such as the Commanders holding a top-five pick would be a far easier sell in that regard. If there's a silver lining, Schneider has consistently found gems in the third round or later and Seattle does have a pair of third-round picks in 2024.

Bloated Contracts/Cap Concerns

Along with having few high draft picks, Seattle also currently has one of the NFL's worst salary cap situations due to several massive contracts still on the books, making it tougher to improve the team through free agency or trades. According to OverTheCap.com, the team has an estimated negative $9 million in effective cap space, which accounts for rookie contracts and signing the first 51 players on the roster and ranks 24th out of 32 teams. On top of that bleak cap outlook, the Seahawks have several notable free agents set to hit the market who aren't included in that cap space number, including Williams, linebacker Jordyn Brooks, and tight end Noah Fant.

As is always the case, Schneider has plenty of options for quickly remedying their salary cap woes. He could restructure Lockett, Diggs, and/or Smith, opening up as much as $24 million in instant cap room, though those cap charges would be pushed to 2025 as a result. He also could make tough business choices by releasing a few high-priced veterans, including Adams, who would save $16.5 million in a post-June 1 designation. Tight end Will Dissly could also be a cap casualty candidate to create $7 million in cap room.

Seahawks Coach Search: 10 to Replace Pete

Instant Pressure

For coaches seeking a multi-year opportunity to rebuild a roster in their vision, the Seahawks likely won't fit the bill. Teams such as the Commanders and Panthers appear to be a long way from contention, potentially creating a bit more breathing room for a first-year coach to go through some early lumps. But after moving on from Carroll following a 9-8 season that nearly resulted in another playoff berth, Allen and the rest of the organization believe they have a ready-made roster to contend for championships right away, which will put a ton of burden on whoever signs the dotted line to replace a legend.