Three bold predictions for the second half of the Seahawks 2024 season

There will be some bright spots in the second half of the season

Here’s the hope I promised you. Several young players will emerge in the second half. They almost have to. The acquisition of Ernest Jones IV was a good move. There is always concern when a promising young player is traded twice within a single season, but whatever issues Jones may have, he is a very good tackler. The Seahawks are in desperate need of that.

He is not Bobby Wagner, but returning from the bye he should be fully up to speed and I expect him to play very well in the second half. I also have this sneaking suspicion that by the end of the season, Tyrice Knight will get a few chances to show what he can do on defense and will make the most of it.

On offense, A.J. Barner almost has to become a bigger part of the offense. With poor offensive line play, tight ends become more important. Barner should see the field a lot more, even if Noah Fant stays healthy and productive. The Hawks should employ more multi-tight end sets to help the run game, and tight ends are a QB’s best friend when the offensive line is leaky.

Barner has already proven himself to be a reliable pass catcher who can make plays. I expect his role to increase as the season goes on. And as with Tyrice Knight, I just have this feeling that Jalen Sundell will get a shot on the line, at center or guard, and will play well enough to be a starter in 2025.

If you want specific predictions, I’ll go with these: by the end of the season, Jones will be the second leading tackler on the team, trailing only Tyrel Dodson, despite playing seven fewer games than most of the other defensive players. And Barner will pass Fant and catch more passes than any other tight end on the roster.

I hope I am dead wrong about the first two predictions – especially the second one. Firing a coach mid-season almost never fixes an issue. It is usually just a way to placate fans for a brief period. Still, it is a reality of the league. When teams or units underperform, changes are made.

And for the record, I think the Seahawks will beat the Jets, pull out a win against one of their NFC West opponents, and manage to find one additional win in the second half of the season, thus finishing at 7-10 for the year.

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