The Seattle Seahawks of 2024 will not resemble the team of recent years in the slightest. The atmosphere on the field will be different now that head coach Pete Carroll is no longer with the team. However, the front office and ownership have made it apparent that they want Carroll’s enthusiasm and demeanor to translate to the incoming employees.
Mike Macdonald, the former defensive coordinator of the Baltimore Ravens, will serve as the head of the new staff. Carroll was the most successful head coach in Seahawks history, so he has some large shoes to fill.
It will be Macdonald’s task to turn around a defense that has declined in performance over the past few seasons. The team has to make a change if they are to experience consistent success once more. They have finished in the bottom half of the league for five straight seasons.
The largest need on the squad is on the other side of the ball, even though the defense needs to get better overall. The Seahawks’ greatest need this offseason is along the interior of the offensive line, per PFF’s Mock Draft Simulator.
Given that the Seahawks’ offensive line concluded the 2023 season ranked No. 28 by PFF, it would be difficult to refute that.
Both injuries and the decline of second-year tackles Charles Cross and Abraham Lucas contributed to the team’s failure.
It is not surprising that the mock draft simulator selected an offensive lineman as the team’s selection in an effort to bolster that unit. Duke athlete Graham Barton is the one Seattle might want to sign.
“Barton is on the shorter side for an NFL offensive tackle in terms of length, yet he plays left tackle for the Blue Devils. His strength and skill are starting-caliber, but this could force him to move to an inside position in the pros, according to the PFF Big Board Analysis.
For the Seahawks, focusing on a versatile player like Barton would be great. Cross and Lucas might check if Barton can handle tackle at the next level if they can’t work things out on the outside.
Barton would, at the absolute least, provide the team a much-needed internal improvement. Due to Barton’s ability to slot in at several locations, Macdonald and his team will have more freedom with the unit and may look for the best improvements knowing he can cover any gaps.
