The Seattle Seahawks’ 2024 season has come to an finish. Whereas we clearly would’ve liked to see the Seahawks play somewhat deeper into January, it wasn’t meant to be. They a minimum of gained their finale, squeaking previous the Los Angeles Rams’ combination of starters and backups in a reasonably entertaining 30-25 sport at SoFi Stadium. It took the power of victory tiebreaker to knock the Seahawks out for a second consecutive season, which tells you the way slender the margins have been for making and lacking the playoffs.
Right here’s the ultimate Winners and Losers of the season.
Winners
Geno Smith
It was an excellent sport from Geno Smith (20/27 for 223 yards and a career-high 4 landing passes). He added to his game-winning drive assortment even whereas enjoying by means of immense ache late within the fourth quarter. Financially, he hit $6 million value of contract escalators when it comes to completion proportion, passing yards, and wins.
I don’t know if Smith will probably be on the Seahawks subsequent season. I’m somewhat extra cautious now than I used to be a number of weeks in the past however I feel it makes most sense to maintain him on the workforce. Whether or not they lastly hassle to draft a quarterback who may very well be his successor is a unique story, particularly in an underwhelming trying draft class.
Kenny McIntosh
I’m positively bought on McIntosh getting extra concerned within the offense subsequent season. He runs exhausting and runs downhill and fights by means of contract higher than I’d anticipated. McIntosh had 49 yards on seven carries, though he’s lucky a misplaced fumble was overturned resulting from a penalty. I’d wish to see him extra concerned as a route runner subsequent 12 months.
Zach Charbonnet
Charbonnet had 59 yards on 14 carries and extra good pass-blocking reps however that’s not why he’s on right here. It’s extremely uncommon to have a 0-catch, 32-yard sport.
That lateral play from Jaxon Smith-Njigba to Charbonnet on third and 10 within the third quarter goes down as a reception for JSN, however Charbonnet will get credit score for all the receiving yards (as does Geno Smith for passing yards).
I’m going to dig somewhat deeper into the historical past books however that is likely to be among the many highest receiving yards totals ever for somebody who didn’t truly catch a go. Peak Seahawks weirdness.
AJ Barner
One other purple zone landing for Barner, who completed the sport with 5 catches for 34 yards and a few glorious blocking. I didn’t see Barner getting 30 targets this season, a lot much less 30 catches and 4 touchdowns. He has been my favourite shock out of this draft class and I feel he’s the TE1 heading into subsequent season.
Noah Fant
What a painful strategy to finish your landing drought. He led the Seahawks with 63 yards on 5 catches and had the profitable rating for his first TD since Christmas Eve in 2022. Given the rise of Barner and Fant’s wage, there’s a big likelihood the Seahawks transfer on from Noah this offseason, however this was a type of video games the place he confirmed the most effective of his talents as a pass-catching risk.
Tyler Lockett
His document for many receptions in a season is secure—sorry to Jaxon Smith-Njigba, however tying Lockett at 100 whereas enjoying yet another sport means Lockett will get the tiebreaker—and each of his catches in what may very well be his ultimate Seahawks look have been essential third down conversions. It might’ve been cool to see Geno and Lockett join on yet another deep shot but it surely was defended effectively.
Thanks for every little thing, Tyler. If that is the tip (in a Seahawks uniform), it’s been one hell of a experience.
Jake Bobo
MORE BOBO! Okay I don’t imply like make him WR2 or WR3, however I can’t imagine it took till Week 18 to lastly throw a back-shoulder fade his manner. Seattle has repeatedly struggled in contested catch conditions on the prime of its depth chart, and if nothing else, Bobo can do this fairly effectively. He went up towards beginning Rams cornerback Cobie Durant and gained his matchup for his first landing of the 12 months. Higher late than by no means, I suppose.
Jason Myers
One other make from 50+ yards to cap off a wonderful season for the veteran kicker.
Leonard Williams
“Massive Cat” took that Professional Bowl snub personally. Possibly the AP voters for the All-Professional groups will really feel in another way. His two sacks gave him 11 on the season, a half-sack shy of his career-high. He’s the primary Seahawks participant to achieve 10+ sacks since Frank Clark in 2018, and the primary to hit double digits from the inside defensive position since Jarran Reed (additionally in 2018).
He’s not slowing down at 30 years outdated. He’s solely getting higher.
Julian Love
Talking of Professional Bowl snubs, Love was top-of-the-line safeties within the NFL this season. He was a lot better (a minimum of to me) this 12 months than he was in his precise Professional Bowl 12 months. Love had an interception and three passes defensed, together with one which was almost a compelled fumble if not for an overturn on replay overview.
I’ve gotten on John Schneider for a few of his free agent whiffs. Love was a high quality FA signing and a deserved extension.
Ernest Jones IV
It wasn’t fairly the Ernest Jones IV tremendous revenge sport however he did document a sack (cut up with Tyrice Knight) and leveled Jimmy Garoppolo on one other blitz. Jones has been so instrumental within the turnaround of Seattle’s run protection and I’ve full confidence that he’ll be re-signed. I don’t want it to occur tomorrow; it simply has to occur.
Mike Macdonald
Absolutely cognizant that these weren’t the A-listers on the Rams, profitable 10 video games in your first season whereas implementing a really totally different protection than your predecessor is a optimistic for Coach Mac. First-time head coach, first-time father, and almost a first-time division champion. Any considerations I’ve concerning the Seahawks within the long-term are fully separate from my optimistic view of Macdonald.
Losers
The protection outdoors of Leonard Williams, Ernest Jones, and Julian Love
That was tough. I’ll title some people afterward however that was a reasonably poor go protection displaying. Zero punts compelled after halftime, solely two punts whole for the sport. The Rams didn’t get a lot of a run sport going and Blake Corum was harm, so stopping RB3 and RB4 doesn’t imply a ton to me.
Jimmy Garoppolo cleared over 300 yards passing and had manner too many straightforward throws off play-action and on screens. One thing was simply manner off with this protection even earlier than Riq Woolen and Tre Brown left with accidents.
Sloppy tackles, dangerous eye self-discipline, and never a very efficient go rush off the sides towards backups.
Jay Harbaugh
I don’t suppose Harbaugh will get fired and perhaps he shouldn’t get fired contemplating what number of departed gamers this previous offseason (e.g. Will Dissly, Nick Bellore) who have been vital particular groups contributors. Harbaugh may be very a lot on skinny ice coming into subsequent season, as a result of the woes within the return sport and in kick protection have been a season-long problem.
Jason Myers and Michael Dickson have been the one excessive factors for a unit that needed to lower each of its return specialists for fumbles and has in any other case struggled to return punts, cowl kicks, and shield towards blocked discipline purpose/further level makes an attempt. The Rams sport featured Jaelon Darden truthful catching a punt at his 5 regardless of ample room, Tyrice Knight someway not downing a punt that was dying to be pinned contained in the 5, two huge kick returns given up, and a punt return that ought to’ve been stopped inside the ten and was introduced again to the 25.
Nehemiah Pritchett
He was pressed into responsibility after accidents at nook thinned out the Seahawks’ depth chart. Pritchett couldn’t have been much less prepared for the highlight and acquired torched on a few huge performs to Damarcus Robinson and Jordan Whittington.
I’ve not seen loads out of Pritchett to imagine he’s a roster lock subsequent season. The Seahawks need to take a critical have a look at nook depth in 2025.
Tre Brown
I feel his destiny is sealed as a “don’t re-sign” simply on one drive. He had a few brutal missed open-field tackles after which dedicated a face masks penalty on a play through which he suffered his knee harm.
Brown performed his manner out of the beginning lineup after a horrible efficiency towards the New York Giants. When tasked with some sudden snaps towards the Minnesota Vikings, he had a essential mistake and acquired crushed for a landing one play later.
Rayshawn Jenkins
Jenkins was repeatedly out of place and taking poor tackling angles within the second half. He’s an affordable two-year signing however the rise of Coby Bryant has me greater than keen to take a look at different choices as a giant nickel.
Closing Notes
I thought of making Ryan Grubb a winner however I’ll cease wanting calling him that. He lastly broke season-long tendencies concerning play-action to the weakside and even some easy purple zone ideas just like the seam go to Fant and the fade to Bobo. If Grubb is to be retained, he wants veteran NFL offensive minds round him for a complete offseason. If he’s not retained, that doesn’t imply he gained’t ever turn into a great NFL offensive coordinator, however I feel a firing can be justified. I feel it’s too straightforward to pin the blame the offensive line for the failings of this offense when Grubb has additionally been his personal worst enemy when it comes to playcalling, sequencing, route spacing, and pre-snap tells. We’ll see how this goes later within the week; don’t low cost Grubb probably returning to the school sport.
DK Metcalf was shut out within the 2nd half for the second time in three weeks, and he didn’t hit the 1,000-yard receiving mark consequently. He did get into the tip zone for the fifth time this season. It’s loopy that every one of his touchdowns have been outdoors the purple zone.
Up and down day for Devon Witherspoon, who entered the sport with just one landing allowed all 12 months. Garoppolo caught him out on each landing passes, though Witherspoon was in a position to break up two passes and affect the failed tying two-point conversion. He nonetheless had a powerful season and I can’t wait to see what he brings in 12 months two beneath Mike Macdonald’s system.
That’s a wrap for our sport protection for the 12 months. Because of everybody for studying our work all through the season, and we hope we’re your go-to place for what must be a really fascinating offseason. I’ll be splitting my time between Discipline Gulls and essential SBNation.com over the subsequent month serving to them out on playoff protection, however after the Tremendous Bowl it’s going to be full concentrate on what lies forward for subsequent season. I’ve been working Discipline Gulls for 5 seasons and haven’t skilled a playoff win but. I’d certain love for that drought to finish come January 2026.
