5 thoughts and takeaways from the Seahawks’ 2024 draft

What the Seahawks’ draft told us (and didn’t tell us) about how they view the roster.

Another year, another eventful NFL Draft for the Seattle Seahawks. No, they didn’t trade down from No. 16. No, they didn’t find a way back into the second round. Yes, they traded with the Denver Broncos again. Yes, NFL Network and ESPN repeatedly went to commercial when Seattle was on the clock.

With a couple of days to digest what transpired in Detroit, here’s how I view the Seahawks’ first draft of the John Schneider/Mike Macdonald era.

It’s Geno Smith and Sam Howell at quarterback, whether you like it or not

There’s kind of been a sense of denial when it comes to the post-Russell Wilson quarterback situation. They surely weren’t going to just roll with Geno Smith and Drew Lock in 2022, right? Well, they did. Roll with Geno and Lock again instead of draft a QB in 2023? Yeah, that happened.

Keep Geno for 2024? Yes, that happened. His contract was restructured and now the only way he’s getting dealt in a way that saves the Seahawks money is if he’s traded after June 1, which also means spreading out $27 million in dead money over two seasons.

Even with the trade for Sam Howell, it wasn’t inconceivable for the Seahawks to draft a quarterback, and they still didn’t. So barring something unexpected, this year’s decisions have made it abundantly clear that these are your top two QBs. I’m not here to persuade you into liking it or hating it or having indifference, but that’s what is going to happen. And Pete Carroll isn’t around anymore to pin this decision on him over John Schneider.

Questions still remain at inside linebacker, safety

The Seahawks didn’t draft a safety and only added UTEP’s Tyrice Knight at inside linebacker. Neither position saw a player drafted in the first round, which gives you an idea of how teams felt about the quality of talent. Jerome Baker and Tyrel Dodson will be the starters (unless Knight really stars in camp/preseason), and Dodson is the key here given he wasn’t an every-down option in Buffalo. Everyone else below Knight on the depth chart is essentially special teams fodder.

Safety is virtually a lock to be manned by Julian Love (final year of his contract) and Rayshawn Jenkins (two-year deal structured similarly to Love’s, with no guaranteed money in Year 2). K’Von Wallace is another veteran option for depth, followed by younger players like cornerback convert Coby Bryant, Jerrick Reed II, and Jonathan Sutherland.

I’m not feeling warm and fuzzy about either linebacker or safety after the draft. Mike Macdonald just came from a team that took Kyle Hamilton and drastically improved after trading for Roquan Smith. The approach from the Seahawks may be a case of seeing what they can do at a reduced cost at positions that are seemingly being valued less in today’s NFL, with a bigger picture re-assessment in 2025. Otherwise I am not anticipating Macdonald just trying to C&P what he did in Baltimore but in Seattle.

Seattle is comfortable with its edge rushers…

Not that this was an exceptional class for edge rushers, but the Seahawks could’ve been justified in adding another player at the position given the minimal rookie productivity of Derick Hall, the repeated inability of Darrell Taylor to generate consistent pressure, and the recent serious injury to Uchenna Nwosu. They stood pat and focused on the defensive interior by drafting Byron Murphy II.

My theory is that the Seahawks are going to rebuild the pass rush from the inside out. We had someone in the comments section reference this “inside out” belief recently but I can’t remember who said it. I’m viewing Murphy from the standpoint of interior pressures, not “fixing” the run defense, which ought to be secondary. If the Seahawks can get consistent interior pressure from Murphy, Leonard Williams, Jarran Reed, and Dre’Mont Jones (who may just move to the outside anyway), then that can create opportunities for the outside linebackers to feast. Having DTs worth double-teaming could be extremely beneficial for Nwosu, Mafe, and others.

And a fearsome pass rush can do a hell of a lot to make life easier for the linebackers and safeties.

Cornerback? A different story.

Auburn duo Nehemiah Pritchett and D.J. James were taken in the fifth- and sixth-round respectively. Mike Macdonald said that Pritchett projects more as an outside press corner, whereas James has the ability to play outside and in the slot. Not one mention of either of them switching to safety.

I noted earlier this month that cornerback could be seen as a sneaky need given the only corners under contract after next season—I’m assuming Coby Bryant will be a full-time safety—are Devon Witherspoon and Riq Woolen. Tre Brown and Mike Jackson Sr have been solid but not “must re-sign to a multi-year deal” great. This is a position where John Schneider has only ever handed out lengthy extensions to Richard Sherman and Jeremy Lane, so it makes sense that the Seahawks keep looking at what they can do at cornerback. Pritchett and James should be regular special teams contributors, which is also of some significance given Seattle’s notable free agent departures.

Guard depth… with some versatility

Christian Haynes was the only true guard the Seahawks drafted out of the three offensive linemen taken. We’ll leave Haynes aside and focus on Day 3 picks Sataoa Laumea and Michael Jerrell. Laumea played both right guard and right tackle at Utah, whereas Jerrell has only been a tackle. Both men project as guards, so the Seahawks did load up on getting cheap, young guard depth this offseason.

Incidentally, the fact that both tackles project as guards has given me great confidence in Abe Lucas’ availability for next season.