Tag Archives: Mike Macdonald

NFL draft

NFL draft: Top needs, best strategy and what Schneider might do

1 Comment

While the Seahawks continue to add role players to the bottom of their roster and still might sign a veteran guard later, they are pretty much done in free agency. So all eyes have turned to the draft, which is now a mere three weeks away.

We are not scouts, nor do we pretend to be draft experts. And we certainly have no idea what John Schneider is going to do in three weeks – who does?

But, after checking out consensus boards, seeing what top analysts think of this draft and running through a bunch of scenarios, we have thoughts on the strategy Schneider should/could use.

Continue reading NFL draft: Top needs, best strategy and what Schneider might do →
Free agency, The roster

After a week of free agency, a look at the roster

3 Comments

John Schneider’s Seahawks had a stunning first week of free agency, unexpectedly trading both Geno Smith and DK Metcalf and then quickly replacing Smith with Sam Darnold.

They also re-signed two big pieces of their defense, Ernest Jones IV and Jarran Reed. And they brought in Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Cooper Kupp to help replace Metcalf and the released Tyler Lockett. DeMarcus Lawrence was added to beef up their front seven (especially in the run game).

They bid big ($17 million a year) but missed out on the top free-agent guard, Will Fries. But they still might end up with one of the top guards; Teven Jenkins (Chicago) is due in for a visit to the VMAC on Monday.

After a week of free agency, the defense – already on schedule to be a top-five unit in 2025 — is a bit better, and the offense is still rebuilding after the surprising mini-teardown.

Let’s take a look at the roster.

Continue reading After a week of free agency, a look at the roster →
Coaches, Free agency, X's & O's

Macdonald, Kubiak are building an offense that can hit the ground running

3 Comments

Mike Macdonald intends to win playoff games in 2025 – and he has a pretty clever plan for making sure it happens.

It’s called familiarity. He is returning nearly his entire 10th-ranked defense from 2024 (and making it better), and he his putting together an offense that he expects to literally hit the ground running.

It started with bringing in a veteran offensive staff full of guys who had worked together before. Macdonald knew Klint Kubiak would bring run game coordinator Rick Dennison, offensive line coach John Benton and quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko. All have worked with him in the past.

Then, when free agency began this week, Kubiak was key in the Seahawks recruiting both Sam Darnold and Marquez Valdes-Scantling – who both know Kubiak and the offense.

Continue reading Macdonald, Kubiak are building an offense that can hit the ground running →
Coaches, Free agency, The roster

Kubiak ties to Darnold & MVS countered losses of Geno & Metcalf

Leave a comment

Relationships make the NFL go round – and that was never more obvious than in all of the Seahawks’ dealings over the past week.

The franchise’s relationship with DK Metcalf soured to the point that he simply wanted to go play elsewhere. John Schneider said he could not work it out with Metcalf, so he traded him to Pittsburgh.

Then Geno Smith forced a trade when he and his agent refused to respond to Seattle’s fair contract offer – $40 million in 2025, per Brady Henderson. Whether Smith intended it or not, he got a reunion with his favorite coach, Pete Carroll, back in the NFL with the Raiders.

That might have left the Seahawks in a bind if not for Mike Macdonald’s preemptive move to hire Klint Kubiak as offensive coordinator. Kubiak’s previous relationship with Sam Darnold made it easy for the Hawks to quickly replace Smith with Darnold.

Continue reading Kubiak ties to Darnold & MVS countered losses of Geno & Metcalf →
The roster, Trades

Geno traded: Why and how Hawks are suddenly changing quarterbacks

1 Comment

In a surprising move that seemed unlikely based on everything John Schneider and Mike Macdonald had said, the Seahawks traded Geno Smith to Pete Carroll’s Raiders on Friday.

They got a third-round pick (No. 92) in return – which all things considered was a solid payout. In fact, if Carroll had not returned to the NFL, we doubt there would have been a trade market for Smith. Carroll and the Raiders clearly coveted Smith enough to give up a Day 2 pick.

Here is how it all went down, based on various reliable national NFL reporters:

Continue reading Geno traded: Why and how Hawks are suddenly changing quarterbacks →
Contracts, The roster, Trades

Will Schneider trade Metcalf this time?

3 Comments

Three years ago, John Schneider had a decision to make: Extend DK Metcalf with a top-of-the-market deal or trade him.

Even though the Seattle general manager admitted to being shocked at the skyrocketing numbers for receivers back then (they were just hitting $20 million per year), Pete Carroll really wanted to keep Metcalf, so Schneider paid the talented receiver $24 million per year.

Now Metcalf is again approaching the end of his contract and it’s deja vu all over again for Schneider.

Continue reading Will Schneider trade Metcalf this time? →
Coaches, Contracts, State of the team, X's & O's

Hawks will extend Geno; Kubiak has ‘best vision’ for using DK

1 Comment

While the Seahawks are certainly likely to move on from a few highly paid players, one thing has become very clear over the last couple of days: Geno Smith and DK Metcalf will be back in 2025.

Mike Macdonald and new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak both emphasized Smith is Seattle’s quarterback and said they have big plans for Metcalf.

In an interview with FOX 13, Macdonald said Kubiak will “utilize the entire roster,” Smith can help the Seahawks win the Super Bowl and Metcalf will be the “main focal point” of the passing game.

Macdonald seemed to put all of the scuttlebutt about Smith and Metcalf to rest with his strong words about both. And NFL Network also reported on Super Bowl Sunday that the Hawks plan to give Smith a raise while keeping themselves “flexible” to acquiring a long-term quarterback.

Continue reading Hawks will extend Geno; Kubiak has ‘best vision’ for using DK →
State of the team

Despite poor 2024, Schneider has built a solid core

3 Comments

The Seahawks have missed the playoffs in three of the past four years and now have the fourth-longest drought from the NFC title game (12 teams have made it since they did in 2014), so fans and media have started to point the finger at John Schneider.

After a particularly bad 2024 in which the general manager missed on most of his free agents and put together the Seahawks’ worst offensive line since 2016, many are calling for his job.

But let’s be very clear: Jody Allen is not going to fire Schneider. Not when Mike Macdonald, the coach he just hired, led the Hawks to 10 wins in his first season by turning around a defense that had wallowed in the NFL’s depths in Pete Carroll’s last few seasons.

Continue reading Despite poor 2024, Schneider has built a solid core →
Coaches, Contracts

Macdonald wants Geno as his QB, but ‘it’s a Seahawks decision’

2 Comments

If Mike Macdonald has his way, Geno Smith will be back in 2025, playing under a new offensive coordinator and possibly an extension.

In his final presser of the season, Macdonald told reporters, “I want Geno to be here. … I feel like Geno is the best (quarterback) for the team right now.”

But Macdonald also indicated nothing is set in stone, which explains his cryptic answer the previous day on Seattle Sports 710 AM when asked if Smith would be back: “I guess yeah.”

Smith’s cap hit will be $44.5 million, which means the team could look at lowering it with an extension or perhaps even moving on if a deal cannot be reached. The latter seems very unlikely though — Smith is a top-15 QB (No. 13 by EPA over the past three years), and there are no better options for Seattle in 2025.

“Ultimately, it’s not my decision,” Macdonald said. “It’s a Seahawks decision. But Geno knows how we feel about him — and we love him as our starting quarterback, for sure.”

Continue reading Macdonald wants Geno as his QB, but ‘it’s a Seahawks decision’ →
Coaches

Firing Grubb showed Macdonald means business — and that’s good for Seattle

2 Comments

Mike Macdonald just showed he is serious about taking the Seahawks back to the Super Bowl.

For over a month, it had become far too clear that he had to fire offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb, so doing so the day after the season ended verified what we had learned about Macdonald over the course of the season: He is a coach who will not tolerate underperformance and will always “chase edges.”

Macdonald clearly is disappointed the Hawks are not in the playoffs. They won 10 games even with a malfunctioning offense. He knows the offense was capable of doing more, if only it had been guided by a more experienced hand.

Now he is going to find it.

Continue reading Firing Grubb showed Macdonald means business — and that’s good for Seattle →