How Coordinator Candidates Could Impact Seahawks' Personnel Decisions

Finding a replacement for Ryan Grubb will be the Seahawks first order of business, but that choice will likely have ripple effects on the roster.
Detroit Lions offensive line coach Hank Fraley watches action from sideline against the Buffalo Bills during the first half of the preseason game at Ford Field in Detroit on Friday, Aug. 13, 2021.
Detroit Lions offensive line coach Hank Fraley watches action from sideline against the Buffalo Bills during the first half of the preseason game at Ford Field in Detroit on Friday, Aug. 13, 2021. / Junfu Han via Imagn Content Services, LLC
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Now with three known interviews conducted to replace fired play caller Ryan Grubb, the Seattle Seahawks are well on their way towards hiring a new offensive coordinator, which will be the first domino to fall in what will be a crucial offseason for the franchise.

As pointed out by coach Mike Macdonald two days after Seattle finished a 10-7 season that ended without a playoff berth, the team hopes to take advantage of a "head start" to land a top-tier offensive coordinator, and that decision could have a major bearing on how the team proceeds with a number of upcoming personnel decisions.

Among those choices, the Seahawks will need to figure out what they plan to do at the quarterback position. Veteran starter Geno Smith has one year remaining on his current contract and tried to start negotiations for an extension last summer, but nothing came to fruition on that front and depending on who the team hires as Grubb's successor, his status could potentially be in limbo.

Of the four candidates who have been linked to Seattle's vacancy thus far, Detroit offensive line coach Hank Fraley and New Orleans offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak likely would be the best fits to pair with Smith in 2025 and potentially beyond.

Fraley has watched Jared Goff emerge as a top-five quarterback in an offense suited to his strengths behind an outstanding offensive line and Smith has many of the same strengths as a pocket passer with excellent accuracy who thrives on play action concepts. As for Kubiak, he previously oversaw Kirk Cousins throwing for a career-high 35 touchdown passes in 2020 and helped Brock Purdy throw for 31 touchdowns as a pass game coordinator for the 49ers in 2023, making Smith a prime candidate to succeed in his system.

On the flip side, however, former Bears interim head coach Thomas Brown gained valuable experience working with a rookie quarterback in Caleb Williams this season and hiring him could be a sign the Seahawks intend to bring in a younger signal caller to develop with or without Smith on the roster. The reported interest in Vikings assistant offensive coordinator Grant Udinski also has already spawned speculation the team could have interest in pending free agent Sam Darnold, who enjoyed a breakout Pro Bowl season in Minnesota in 2024.

Away from the quarterback spot, whoever lands the offensive coordinator gig could have a strong influence on decisions made at other key positions on offense. Given his line background, Fraley likely would want to do some significant overhauling of the unit up front, while Kubiak may be more inclined to stick with status quo at receiver by extending DK Metcalf and potentially bringing back Tyler Lockett if he's willing to return on a more team-friendly deal.

What will the offensive coordinator hire mean for Seattle's personnel decisions later in free agency? On a new episode of Locked On Seahawks, hosts Corbin Smith and Rob Rang take a close look at four candidates linked to Seattle and how hiring each coach could have a ripple effect on upcoming roster construction moves, dish out their grades for Smith and the quarterback group, and investigate potential "wild card" moves that could happen this offseason under the watch of John Schneider and Macdonald.

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Corbin K. Smith
CORBIN K. SMITH

Graduating from Manchester College in 2012, Smith began his professional career as a high school Economics teacher in Indianapolis and launched his own NFL website covering the Seahawks as a hobby. After teaching and coaching high school football for five years, he transitioned to a full-time sports reporter in 2017, writing for USA Today's Seahawks Wire while continuing to produce the Legion of 12 podcast. He joined the Arena Group in August 2018 and also currently hosts the daily Locked On Seahawks podcast with Rob Rang and Nick Lee. Away from his coverage of the Seahawks and the NFL, Smith dabbles in standup comedy, is a heavy metal enthusiast and previously performed as lead vocalist for a metal band, and enjoys distance running and weight lifting. A habitual commuter, he resides with his wife Natalia in Colorado and spends extensive time reporting from his second residence in the Pacific Northwest.