NFL analysts' crystal balls do not show Seahawks happiness in 2024

The Seattle Seahawks will kick off their 2024 season in Week 1 against the Denver Broncos for the second time in three seasons. Two years ago, Seattle defeated former Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson and his new team in Geno Smith's first start as the assumed QB1. There was much rejoicing, but since then, much has changed.

Wilson is no longer with the Broncos after having washed out and released. Head coach Pete Carroll is no longer with the team either. Sure, he was supposed to stay on in an advisory role with the franchise after being relieved of his head coaching duties after the 2023 season, but that does not seem to have happened, at least not in any meaningful way.

Seattle is into a different era with new head coach Mike Macdonald and the team should be a lot more disciplined and a bit more focused. Whether Macdonald's defensive acumen translates well from the Baltimore Ravens to the Seahawks will not be known until midway through 2024. By then, the season could be sunk.

NFL analysts generally do not have much faith in the Seahawks in 2024

Many national pundits, don't see Seattle having a lot of success this season. It is a good thing that the games will be played out instead of won or lost on assumptions. Seattle could end up in the playoffs which would surprise a lot of NFL analysts. Some of those are as follows.

FOX Sports: Predicted Seahawks record 7-10

If FOX Sports is correct, Seattle will finish last in the NFC West even with a 7-10 record. The site has the Arizona Cardinals going 8-9 while the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers both will have winning records. Almost half of Seattle's part of the site's write-up focuses on how many miles Seattle will travel, which is odd.

Of Seattle, FOX Sports says, in part, "The Seahawks have an improved roster and should be better defensively, but with new head coach Mike Macdonald and his staff at the beginning stages of creating a new culture, there will be growing pains."

Bleacher Report: Predicted Seahawks record 7-10

"Growing pains" must be the phrase of choice for pundits discussing Seattle in 2024 as Maurice Moton of Bleacher Report used it too. He writes, "The Seahawks' decision to reboot the coaching staff may lead to growing pains on offense and close losses early in the season before Smith and Co. find their groove."

That is interesting because the offense should not really be the issue. The biggest area of transition is the defense with Macdonald's new direction and several new starters.

NFL.com: Predicted Seahawks record 9-8

Finally! Some positivity! Sort of. Cynthia Frelund of NFL.com ran a lot of simulations - 150,000 to be exact - and came up with an average number of wins for each team. Seattle's number was 8.8. Rounding up, that would give Seattle 9 and have them finish with their third-straight 9-8 record. Frelund writes, "I think the Seahawks are being a bit undervalued, both generally speaking and within my model...If this team is to exceed expectations, though, it will need vast improvement in run defense."

More Seattle Seahawks news and analysis