No NFL team has shaken up the core of their roster this offseason more than the Seattle Seahawks. At quarterback they've gone from 34-year old vet Geno Smith to 27-year old breakout All-Star Sam Darnold. At wide receiver they've dumped Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf in exchange for JSN, Cooper Kupp and a host of new scrubs. However, along the offensive line practically nothing has changed - with the exception that left guard Laken Tomlinson is now out of the picture.
So, are the Seahawks better today than they were at the beginning of the month? We believe they are but most analysts seem to strongly disagree. The latest ding comes from the post-free agencypower rankings at Pro Football Network, where the Baltimore Ravens and Detroit Lions are on top and you won't find the Seahawks until all the way down at number 18.
PFN on ranking Seahawks 18th
"The Settle Seahawks are betting big on Sam Darnold, hoping his 2024 season wasn’t just a fluke. Seattle didn’t do much to improve Darnold’s situation, as Marquez-Valdez Scantling was the only notable receiving addition after DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett departed. That could put even more pressure on a defense that quietly impressed last season, ranking sixth overall in PFSN’s grading metrics."
Apparently in this scenario Cooper Kupp does not exist and therefore didn't lead the NFL in catches, yards and touchdowns just four years ago. Even diminished over the last three seasons due to injuries, Cupp has still managed around 750 yards and six touchdowns a year. A fully healthy Cupp could produce a lot more than that, as Seattle fans should be well aware of. The Seahawks are getting him at less than half the price of Metcalf's new deal with Pittsburgh, as well.
Even with Kupp they probably wouldn't rank much higher here than 18th, which is one spot below the San Francisco 49ers, who have seen their roster decimated by free agency. While the big pieces are still in place, including Kyle Shanahan, Christian McCaffrey, Trent Williams and George Kittle, they've lost almost all of their key role players and have almost certainly taken a significant step back.
Nevertheless, the Niners remain a tough out for the Seahawks - but it's Sean McVay, Matt Stafford and the Rams that are the real threat now. While they finally got a win in Geno Smith's last start against San Francisco, the Seahawks have still yet to beat the Rams with Stafford in the lineup.
Overall we think the media is underrating this team quite a bit. Darnold is a modest upgrade over Geno Smith and the two extra top-100 picks they added in the Geno and DK trades should set them up to compete better in the long run.
The best way they can improve their standing - both on the field and with the media - is to use their remaining cap space and a ton of draft capital on the offensive line.
