32 NFL Teams in 32 Days: Seahawks Need Geno Smith to Bounce Back

Seattle has drafted well in recent years, and new coach Mike Macdonald has inherited a roster with young players primed to break out.

Smith was a Pro Bowler in 2022, but his production slipped last season / Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Welcome to 32 teams in 32 days. To get us through the offseason, we’ll be taking a closer look at every team in the NFL, in order of projected 2024 win totals. Up next: the Seahawks.

A year after shocking the football world by making the playoffs after the Russell Wilson trade, the Seattle Seahawks fell back to reality.

Despite finishing 9–8 in 2023, Seattle missed the postseason and then replaced longtime coach Pete Carroll with former Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald.

Macdonald, 36, comes in after having overseen one of the league’s top defenses in Baltimore, helping the Ravens reach the AFC title game. Now in the Pacific Northwest, Macdonald is tasked with revitalizing a stale Seattle unit that finished 30th in yards against last season.

If Macdonald can get the defense right, the offense has a chance to be much-improved as well.

Geno Smith regressed from his Pro Bowl form of 2022, throwing only 20 touchdowns while amassing 3,624 yards (in 15 games). The Seahawks have a quality trio of receivers in DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett and Jaxon Smith-Njigba, but nothing will work if Smith doesn’t recapture his excellence. 

Biggest gamble this offseason: How they addressed the interior offensive line

Seattle had a glaring weakness last year on the interior wall, needing to shore up the blocking inside. 

This offseason, general manager John Schneider used a third-round pick on guard Christian Haynes to provide competition for second-year player Anthony Bradford. Meanwhile, Laken Tomlinson was signed as a late addition to replace Damien Lewis, who left for a four-year, $53 million contract with the Carolina Panthers. 

Then there’s center Olu Oluwatimi, a 2023 fifth-round pick who will compete for the starting job alongside Nick Harris. 

If Tomlinson has another good year left in him, and the youngsters provide quality play, the Seahawks will be all right. But there’s a world where the interior is a major problem all season long. 

Toughest stretch of the season: Weeks 6 to 11

The Seahawks should feel pretty good about their schedule. Outside of playing in the competitive NFC West, Seattle has a decent slate that includes only a pair of two-game road trips.

However, the middle of the season could be where Seattle’s season is defined. In Week 6, the Seahawks host the San Francisco 49ers for a Thursday-night affair. Then, it’s the Atlanta Falcons on a cross-country trip, followed by the Buffalo Bills at Lumen Field.

In Week 9, the Los Angeles Rams come to Seattle for an important divisional battle. Then, after a Week 10 bye, the Seahawks have to play the 49ers at Levi’s Stadium in the rematch.

Breakout player to watch: Smith-Njigba

As a third receiver last season, Smith-Njigba did the job. He caught 63 passes for 628 yards and four touchdowns, helping the Seahawks stay in the playoff race.

Now, entering his second year, he’ll potentially assume a bigger role as Lockett turns 32 years old in September. The Seahawks drafted Smith-Njigba in the first round with the idea of a long-term pairing of him and Metcalf. That picture could become clearer this season with more targets alongside an increasingly important role.

Still seeking the first 100-yard game of his career, look for Smith-Njigba to threaten the 1,000-yard mark.

Best-case scenario: The young players lead the way to a playoff berth

Seattle has drafted well the past few seasons, and this could help prop up a roster that has some holes on both sides of the ball.

Defensively, the Seahawks have young, talented pass rushers in Boye Mafe, Darrell Taylor and Dre’Mont Jones, a trio which combined for 19 sacks a year ago. Then there are the corners. Riq Woolen (2022) and Devon Witherspoon (’23) both made Pro Bowls in their rookie seasons. We could see ’24 as their moment to become one of the elite duos in football. 

Offensively, there’s the aforementioned Smith-Njigba on the outside with the backfield combo of running backs Zach Charbonnet and Kenneth Walker III, both of whom averaged more than 4.0 yards per carry last season. Factor in tackles Abe Lucas and Charles Cross, and there’s a reason to believe this group could come together and take a collective jump.

If Seattle gets even solid play from Smith in his third season as the starter, and the youth movement steps up, the Seahawks will be intriguing. 

Worst-case scenario: Smith continues to regress and the linebackers falter

After putting forth a stunning season in 2022 that included 30 touchdown passes and a league-leading completion percentage, Smith fell off somewhat last year. 

If the Seahawks continue to see Smith slide, it’ll be tough to overcome such a lacking amount of production at the sport’s paramount position. 

Then there’s the defense. While the front line and the secondary are teeming with talent, the inside linebacker spots are huge questions. Free agency saw Bobby Wagner and Jordyn Brooks leave, with Tyrel Dodson and Jerome Baker coming in to help replace their lost production. 

If they can’t make the second level passable, Seattle’s defense could struggle once again.

Head coach-quarterback tandem ranking

No. 27: Macdonald (26) and Smith (21)

Macdonald has a talented roster. As a defensive savant, he should be able to improve that side of the ball, and he has a quarterback in Smith who has shown the ability to win. In two seasons as Seattle’s starter, Smith has won 17 games while throwing for 50 touchdowns against 20 interceptions.

Sleeper fantasy pick: Smith-Njigba

Smith-Njigba had a modest rookie season, posting 628 yards and 8.8 fantasy points per game. That had much to do with the offense, plus he was behind Metcalf and Lockett. While all three remain, I expect JSN to surpass Lockett and push for fantasy starter value in the pass-laden offense of new OC Ryan Grubb. I’d grab Smith-Njigba in the middle rounds. —Michael Fabiano

Best bet: Geno Smith over 22.5 passing touchdowns (+100) at DraftKings

I like the even money here for Smith to get to 23 touchdowns. Under Grubb, this should be more of a drop-back passer’s offense, and with plenty of talent at wide receiver, Smith should be able to exceed the 20 touchdowns he tallied in 2023. Smith is just one season removed from throwing 30 touchdowns in ’22, so I’m comfortable betting on the outcome being somewhere in the  middle. — Jennifer Piacenti

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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