Seattle Seahawks torch an NFC West rival with recent coaching hire

The Seattle Seahawks are still overhauling their coaching staff this offseason. Only one coach has so far remained from 2023 and that is defensive passing game coordinator Karl Scott. Otherwise, Seattle has hired Mike Macdonald as head coach, Ryan Grubb as offensive coordinator, and Aden Durde as defensive coordinator. But this week Seattle made a great hire and doubled down on the excellent move by taking the coach from an NFC West rival.

The coach in question is Jake Peetz. Peetz was the Los Angeles Rams' passing game specialist in 2023. He helped keep the Rams from plummeting offensively while losing free agent talent. Moreover, Peetz helped make receiver Puka Nacua the most productive rookie receiver in the history of the NFL.

Imagine what Peetz can help OC Grubb do with receivers such as DK Metcalf and Jaxon Smith-Njigba. The list potentially includes Tyler Lockett as well, though there is a decent chance Lockett either retires or is released by Seattle to create cap room. The Rams were also good at getting their tight ends and running backs involved in the passing game, something former offensive coordinator Shane Waldron failed to do with the Seahawks.

Seattle Seahawks steal a coach from the Los Angeles Rams

Sure, Rams coach Sean McVay is a great offensive coach. He will find a way to make his offense productive. Los Angeles will likely continue to give Seattle problems simply because the Rams always do so.

But stealing Peetz from the Rams means adding a bit of what McVay does to the Seattle offense. Grubb has proven capable of making sure his players are put in the correct situations to succeed, but Peetz will maximize the situations Grubb creates.

Peetz is so highly thought of that he was a candidate for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator position this offseason. He is also another young coach for the much younger Seattle coaching staff in 2024. Peetz is only 38 years old and he has experience as an NFL quarterback coach with both the Raiders (2017) and Carolina Panthers (2020). He was the offensive coordinator for LSU in 2021.

Besides the head coach and coordinators, the Seahawks have hired a new offensive line coach (Scott Huff), a new wide receivers coach (Frisman Jackson), and a new inside linebackers coach (Kirk Olivadotti. Jackson recently worked with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the same role. Olivadotti was the inside linebackers coach for the Green Bay Packers from 2019 through 2023.

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