The Seattle Seahawks have consistently done a great job at drafting and developing players. The trend goes back several years, as there may not be another team that has done a better job of identifying late-round steals and developing them into stars.
The roster building has paid off as Seattle is off to a solid start this season. After squandering an opportunity to beat the San Francisco 49ers in their season opener, they have bounced back with consecutive blowout victories over the Pittsburgh Steelers and New Orleans Saints.
The Seahawks have the makings of a legitimate contender as they rank fifth in scoring offense and second in scoring defense -- the only team in the league to rank in the top-five in both categories through three weeks. A recent poll involving 29 general managers, head coaches, and high-ranking team executives voted Seattle's front office as a top-ten group.
Seahawks front office labeled as a top-ten group in the league
The Athletic recently conducted a poll where general managers, head coaches, and executives voted for the best front office in the league. The Seahawks earned one second-place vote, three third-place votes, and five fourth-place votes, finishing with 37 total points -- tied with the Detroit Lions for the eighth-most in the league.
A rival executive had strong praise for general manager John Schneider, stating, "John is a phenomenal human being and really cool person. That extends to the rest of his staff. They’ve got a bunch of really good dudes who work well together. They have freedom of thought. They’re really good evaluators."
Another executive added, "John’s (strengths have been) leadership, vision and his ability to delegate and let his staff do their job. He has had continuity and everyone knows their job. He has a great relationship with ownership and media across the NFL. Ownership is supportive and lets him do his job. He’s as plugged in around the NFL as anyone and everybody loves the guy. He’s a special person."
Jeff Howe noted that the Seahawks moved on from Pete Carroll at the right time while identifying the right successor in Mike Macdonald. He also praised Schneider for not reaching for a quarterback and instead building out the rest of their roster while allowing Geno Smith and Sam Darnold to play on mid-tier deals.
Smith revitalized his career in Seattle, while Darnold has proven that his lone season with the Minnesota Vikings was not a fluke. The Seahawks are built to contend in 2025 and for the foreseeable future due to Schneider's strong work in the front office.