Here is your Seattle Seahawks Season Preview with everything you need to know ahead of the 2023 season
Win Forever
Another Seahawks season. And one again, the pacific North West team will be led by Pete Carroll who wrote the book on winning, literally. The New York Times bestseller “Win Forever: Live, Work and Play Like a Champion” was originally published in 2010 (and is still available on Amazon). He’s only had one losing season in his last 11 as Seahawks coach. Carroll won the Pac-10 seven times alongside two national collegiate championships and his Super Bowl ring, he knows all about success.
Since 2012 a team from the NFC West has featured in the Super Bowl no fewer than seven times. Fair to say competition is fierce. The Seahawks themselves have won the NFC West four times in the last ten seasons. In addition to that they’ve secured a Wildcard spot five times since 2012.
On and off the field
Carroll’s getting the band back together in Seattle. And Bobby Wagner will be conducting that band. Wagner re-signing was big news, but he’s not the only returnee. The return of two other former Seahawks, Dre’Mont Jones and Jarran Reed will help turn 2022’s group of young punks into a full symphony. In total Seattle signed seven free agents, 25 undrafted free agents and added 10 via the draft.
There’s changes to the coaching staff, former quarterbacks coach Dave Canales became Buccaneers offensive coordinator. Greg Olson arrives from the Rams as his replacement. Olson has previously worked with Drew Brees and was “senior offensive assistant” in L.A.
On the defensive side, 2022’s secondary coach Sean Desai is now in charge of the Eagles defense. His replacement is Roy Anderson, the former Vikings’ assistant defensive backs coach. Brandon Jordan arrives in Seattle from Michigan State where he coached the defensive line. He’ll be the new pass rush specialist. Jordan’s experience will bring more than just tips on footwork, he’ll bring some much-needed perspective.
2023 Seahawks season Schedule
September
10th 9:25 pm (BST) vs. Los Angeles Rams
17th 6:00 pm @ Detroit Lions
24th 9:05 pm vs. Carolina Panthers
October
3rd 1:15 am @ New York Giants
8th Bye Week
15th 6:00 pm @ Cincinatti Bengals
22nd 9:05 pm vs. Arizona Cardinals
29th 8:05 pm (GMT) vs. Cleveland Browns
November
5th 6:00 pm @ Baltimore Ravens
12th 9:25 pm vs. Washington Commanders
19th 9:25 pm @ Los Angeles Rams
24th 1:20 am vs. San Francisco 49ers
31st 1:15 am @ Dallas Cowboys
December
10th 9:05 pm @ San Francisco 49ers
17th 9:25 pm vs. Philadelphia Eagles
24th 6:00 pm @ Tennessee Titans
31st 6:05 pm vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
January 6th/7th TBC at Arizona Cardinals
Coaching Staff
General Manager: John Schneider
Head Coach: Pete Carroll
Offensive Coordinator: Shane Waldron
Defensive Coordinator: Clint Hurtt
Special Teams Coordinator: Larry Izzo
Players In
Via Trade
None
Free Agents
DE – Dre’Mont Jones
FS – Julian Love
ILB – Bobby Wagner
DE – Jarran Reed
QB – Drew Lock
ILB – Devin Bush
G – Evan Brown
DE – Mario Edwards
Draft Picks
- Round 1. Pick 5 – CB Devon Witherspoon
- Round 1. Pick 20 – WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba
- Round 2. Pick 37 – DE Derick Hall
- Round 2. Pick 52 – RB Zach Charbonnet
- Round 4. Pick 108 – G Anthony Bradford
- Round 4. Pick 123 – DT Cameron Young
- Round 5. Pick 152 – DE Mike Morris
- Round 5. Pick 154 – C Olusegun Oluwatimi
- Round 6. Pick 198 – S Jerrick Reed II
- Round 7. Pick 237 – RB Kenny McIntosh
Players Out
DE – L.J Collier
WR – Penny Hart
DE – Poona Ford
RB – Travis Homer
WR – Marquise Goodwin
C – Kyle Fuller
RB – Tony Jones
S – Jonathan Abram
DT – Quinton Jefferson
DT – Al Woods
RB – Rashaad Penny
OLB – Tanner Muse
DE – Daryl Johnson
SS – Ryan Neal
LB – Cody Barton
DT – Shelby Harris
G – Gabe Jackson
DB – Justin Coleman
LS – Tyler Ott
S – Josh Jones
LB – Cullen Gillaspia
DT – Forrest Merrill
LB – Ben Burr-Kirven
DT – Robert Cooper
Projected starters
Offence
QB: Geno Smith
RB: Kenneth Walker III
WR: DK Metcalf & Tyler Lockett & Jaxon Smith-Njigba
TE: Noah Fant
LT: Charles Cross
LG: Damien Lewis
C: Evan Brown
RG: Phil Haynes
RT: Abraham Lucas
Defense
DE: Dre’Mont Jones & Jarren Reed
NT: Bryan Mone
LB: Darrell Taylor & Jordyn Brooks & Bobby Wagner & Uchenna Nwosu
CB: Devon Witherspoon & Tariq Woolen
S: Jamal Adams & Quandre Diggs
Seattle Seahawks Season Preview Roster breakdown
2023 Star Player
D.K Metcalf – He’s never had a bad season, he’s just been different shades of good. In 2022 he racked up 1,048 yards from 90 catches but his six touchdowns was the lowest of his career. Tyler Lockett caught more scoring passes for the Seahawks. But with Jaxon Smith-Njigba replacing Marquise Goodwin in the slot it will be impossible for teams to double team Metcalf regularly. Smith-Njigba caught nine touchdowns in his only full season of college football, he could eventually draw more attention than Metcalf.
2023 Seahawks season Breakout player
Derick Hall – Last year the Seahawks fifth round pick Tariq Woolen led the NFL in interceptions and made the Pro bowl. If history repeats itself Mike Morris will be receiving all the plaudits this time out, but there are more exciting rookies in the Seahawk 2023 draft class. And it’s not just the first rounders.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba would be a superstar if he was drafted by a team that didn’t have Metcalf and Lockett. It’s tempting to pick Zach Charbonnet too, he looks like a very powerful runner. And when he gets his chance, he’ll be very difficult to stop, but in a “running back by committee” situation it’s difficult to know how much he will play.
Defensive end Derick Hall has an engine on him, he loves chasing down quarterbacks who think they have stepped up to avoid the rush. He’ll meet a few running backs at the mesh point too, his natural ability has to be exciting Brandon Jordan.
Seattle ended 2022 with 45 sacks, eighth in the league but 25 behind the league leading Eagles. Getting to work with Jarran Reed and Dre’Mont Jones and recent Seattle draft picks like Boye Mafe and Jordyn Brooks will fast track Hall’s progression.
Seahawks Season Preview full Season Expectations
Pete Carroll took 32 rookies out on Lake Washington in tribal canoes from the Muckleshoot Indian tribe on the 13th of June. Not only is that a really effective team bonding exercise (seriously, nothing’s funnier than a teammate falling out of a canoe) it’s also a great way to engage a local community. Especially a community that has been neglected in the past.
The NFC West is usually an absolute bun fight, and this season looks like it’ll continue the trend. Apart from the Cardinals (who are in such a deep hole even Boris Johnson would stop digging) anyone could win the division, and anyone who doesn’t will be in the Wildcard race. Pete Carroll is so good at navigating the tumultuous waters of the NFC West his name was suggested in a competition to name a Washington State ferry. The Seahawks season should see them make the playoffs again in 2023 (and you wouldn’t be surprised if they met the 49ers again, would you?)