Not many teams have seen as much change and turnover this offseason as the Seattle Seahawks. Their head coach, Pete Carroll, left his post to join the front office. Shane Waldron, who served as offensive coordinator for the last couple of seasons, was hired by the Chicago Bears in the same capacity.
Seattle hired Mike MacDonald to be their new head coach and just wrapped up his first draft in charge. The Seahawks made plenty of moves before and during the 2024 NFL Draft. Three, in particular, stood out as moves that should help Seattle get back into the postseason.
Drafting Byron Murphy II
The Seahawks used their first-round pick on Texas interior lineman Byron Murphy II. It was a curious move considering that Seattle traded a second-round pick to the New York Giants for Leonard Williams at the trade deadline. But he can play on the edge and Murphy can man the middle of the defensive line.
Murphy really came on for the Texas Longhorns during the 2023 season. Not only is he a run-stuffing cog up the middle, but he is an outstanding pass rusher for an interior defensive lineman. That much was evident in Texas' College Football Playoff game against the Washington Huskies.
Murphy led interior defensive linemen in pass rush win rate last season with a mark of 19.6%. That will be music to the ears of the Seahawks' brass. They ranked 16th in that department a year ago and 19th in run block win rate according to ESPN.com. Murphy will help on both fronts.
The Seahawks finished last season 30th in EPA allowed per play. They were 31st in EPA allowed per rush. Seattle had to address their run defense and add to their pass rush. They accomplished both with their selection of Murphy. It's hard to ask for much more than that.
Drafting Christian Haynes
The Seahawks hit two home runs on their offensive line during the 2022 draft with Charles Cross and Abraham Lucas. While those two have been massive success stories for Seattle, the interior of their offensive line has needed some work. Improving that position was a big priority this offseason for the Seahawks. They hope their signing of Laken Tomlinson and selection of UConn's Christian Haynes accomplishes that.
Haynes was one of the best guards in the entire draft. Not only do his athletic testing results suggest as such but so does his play on the field. He graded out as the tenth-best guard in all of college football last season by PFF.
Tomlinson will likely start at one of the guard spots for the Seahawks this season, but Haynes will compete with Anthony Bradford for the other spot. Haynes starting as a rookie should not be out of the question. He is someone to monitor before the start of the season.
Drafting AJ Barner
Blocking tight ends are not exactly the most glamorous players in the NFL, but they are mighty handy to have. That is precisely what former Michigan Wolverine AJ Barner is. Barner registered just 64 receptions for 610 yards and five touchdowns during his three-year college career in the Big Ten with Michigan and the Indiana Hoosiers. He isn't targeted often, but he can make good on those looks when he is in addition to his prowess as a blocker.
Former Seahawk Colby Parkinson signed a three-year $22.5 million deal with the Los Angeles Rams this offseason. Barner has a similar skillset to Parkinson and will be making pennies on the dollar on his rookie contract. Seattle found depth behind Noah Fant without paying the premium the Rams did. That's good business on their front.
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