The Seattle Seahawks' 2023 season was disappointing. The team finished 9-8 just as they did in 2022, but Seattle missed the playoffs after only having to win their final two games to clinch a postseason spot. The team made changes, such as letting Pete Carroll go from his head coaching gig, in hopes of making the future better.
And 2024 should be better. While the team might have a new coaching staff, there is still a lot of talent on the roster. Seattle will, of course, face some attrition, but key players such as DK Metcalf and Devon Witherspoon, will return. The Seahawks should be good enough to make a run at the postseason next year.
What follows is a list of five players who could have huge 2024 seasons. They could form the core to making the team very good for a few seasons. Here are five players 12s should be excited to watch next year.
Seahawks player to be excited about No. 1
Devon Witherspoon, cornerback
There are few Seahawks as exciting as Witherspoon. Many 12s might have thought that Seattle needed to go with a defensive tackle or quarterback with the fifth pick in the 2023 NFL draft, but instead, Seattle chose cornerback Devon Witherspoon. Witherspoon not only met the Seahawks expectations, but he even made the Pro Bowl in his rookie season.
Witherspoon only got one interception this year (though he did turn that into a 97-yard pick-six), but he did so much more than just create a turnover. He also had 3 sacks, 4 quarterback hits, 8 tackles for loss, and 16 passes defended. Teams stopped trying to test him deep down the field. While he allowed all 5 of his targets to be completed over the Seahawks final two games of the season, those receptions only picked up a total of 29 yards.
Witherspoon allowed 396 yards receiving this season as teams completed just 39 of 69 passes thrown his way. But receivers only got 174 yards after the catch meaning once the receiver had the ball in his hands, Witherspoon normally dropped him for a tackle. Plus, Seattle should have better defensive leadership beginning in 2024 and those coaches should know how to best use the great young corner.
Seahawks player to be excited about No. 2
Kenneth Walker III, running back
Just as with Devon Witherspoon, and probably even more so, a new offensive coaching direction in Seattle is probably going to get much better use out of Kenneth Walker. Offensive coordinator Shane Waldron was inconsistently creative and an inconsistent play-caller. There were stretches in games he seemed to forget the team could run the ball. Walker finished with nine fewer carries this season even though he started four fewer games. He averaged almost the same yards per touch (4.7 in 2023 compared to 4.8 in 2022) so his lack of productivity was not his fault.
Very likely, whoever is named the new head coach should also bring in a new offensive coordinator. That OC should use Walker more. Doing so helps set up Geno Smith and his receivers for more success. Walker should be a 1,300-yard a season rusher, but under Shane Waldron he was never going to be.
Seahawks player to be excited about No. 3
Uchenna Nwosu, edge rusher
The Seahawks missed Nwosu after he was lost for the season after he tore a pec muscle in Week 7. Seattle got worse in nearly every statistical category without Nwosu. Unlike Darrell Taylor and most of the other Seahawks edge rushers, Nwosu knows how to play the run as well as pressure the quarterback. Nwosu would have made Seattle's run defense better in 2023 than it turned out to be.
In Week 4, Nwosu had 5 run stuffs alone. He started the season with multiple stuffs through the first four games. In both seasons he has played with the Seahawks, Nwosu has received a good run defense grade from Pro Football Focus (subscription required). This is on top of good grades in pass rush. Getting Nwosu back next season is going to make Seattle's defense better.
Seahawks player to be excited about No. 4
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, wide receiver
Smith-Njigba should be set for a breakout season in 2024. This happens quite a bit for second-year receivers anyway, but specifically with JSN, the Seahawks seem to have had no clue how to use him early in the season. Throw out the targets and receptions as most of those were short passes to the flat or screens. OC Waldron just took his time knowing what to do with the rookie receiver.
Later in the season, Seattle seemed to have a real trio of potentially productive receivers. DK Metcalf had his second-best season in terms of receiving yards, though Tyler Lockett was a bit more inconsistent. Smith-Njigba appears to be the obvious heir to Lockett and should get a lot of Lockett's normal looks in 2024. For the next four years or more, Seattle's top duo should be JSN and Metcalf.
Seahawks player to be excited about No. 5
DK Metcalf, wide receiver
Speaking of Metcalf, his use was inconsistent as well. Maybe some blame Metcalf for that, but how does that explain why he suddenly comes alive late in many games and not early? That probably has little to do with the player and a lot more about which plays are being called. Metcalf wants to get the ball and Geno Smith wants to throw him the ball, but Metcalf's numbers should go up quite a bit higher with a new OC moving forward.
I would expect Metcalf to have his best season next year. His career high in receiving yards is 1,303, in catches it is 90, and in touchdowns it is 12. I can easily imagine Metcalf getting to 1,400 yards, 15 touchdowns, and 100 catches next year with better offensive direction and a different head coaching philosophy. Those numbers are going to be better for the player and help make the team better, too.