The Seahawks are the reigning NFL champions after their dominant performance and defensive masterclass over the Patriots in Super Bowl 60. They are currently celebrating their championship parade as they bask in the glory of their historic season. There are still questions about what their next season will look like and what to look for during the off-season, though.
Kubiak’s Departure
The now-former Seahawks’ offensive coordinator, Klint Kubiak, played a pivotal role in the success of Seattle this year. Kubiak has made a name for himself over the last couple of years with his unique play-calling and high-powered offenses. This culminated in him getting the Seahawks job as the OC and had Seattle averaging the second most points in the league behind their rivals, the Rams.
Kubiak has only been with the 12s for one season and capped off his short tenure with a Lombardi trophy. Just one day after the Super Bowl, Kubiak accepted the head coaching job for the Las Vegas Raiders. This now has a gap to fill at the OC spot for the Seahawks, who will be interviewing for the job in time. A question going into next season where the offense could look different, but hopes are still high for another successful season.
Up for Sale
The Seahawks are now up for sale as of the end of the season, as Jodie Allen has put the for sale sign on the organization. Potential new owners are making their way to the Emerald City. While the team is currently performing well, a new owner may bring in their own management structure, coaches, and front-office personnel, as seen with other NFL team sales. There could be a massive bidding war for the team coming soon, and the future of the ownership will remain in question.
Free Agency
There are some notable names that played huge roles in winning the Super Bowl for Seattle that will become free agents this offseason. The most impactful is the current Super Bowl MVP, Kenneth Walker III. He put up 135 yards on 27 carries in the Super Bowl and was the driving force of the offense for most of the game. In the postseason alone, he led all players with 313 rushing yards, 4 rushing touchdowns, and 417 total yards from scrimmage over three games. He is a massive player that the Seahawks will look to re-sign as soon as possible, and, with the cap space Seattle has, it is more likely than not that he will return.
Also going into free agency are Rashid Shaheed, Tariq Woolen, Josh Jobe, Boye Mafe, and Coby Bryant, to name a few. Shaheed was maybe the best mid-season trade in the organization’s history and maybe in recent NFL history. The immediate impact Shaheed had on the team made an already exceptional team into the favorites to win a Super Bowl. His skill, specifically as a kick returner, changed the team and made others fear giving him the ball in the open field. He even single-handedly kept Seattle in games with his punt return in the week 16 rivalry game against the Rams, for example. And of course, the “Shaheed Quake” in the opening kickoff against the 49ers in the divisional playoff game. He is a top priority signing for Seattle, who will be moving heavily to get a deal done.
Tariq Woolen, Coby Bryant, Josh Jobe, and Boye Mafe all have made a tremendous impact on the defense all year and played a big part in making the “Dark Side” what it is. These are also players that the Seahawks would love to have back, and some might and some might not. There is only so much money that can be given out, and although Seattle had a lot of cap space, some signings might fall through. The most likely one could be Tariq Woolen, as he is an elite defender who is at the end of his rookie contract, and a lot of teams will have their foot in the door to acquire him. It will be up to John Schneider and Mike MacDonald on who will remain with the Seahawks or who will leave the organization as a champion.
The Draft
Seahawks GM John Schneider has now built two champion-winning teams in the last decade from scratch, and he is renowned for how he drafts and develops players. Schneider, with Mike MacDonald’s influence, will likely continue to draft high-level talent and add to an already championship-level roster that doesn’t have too many holes to fill. Since 2022, he has drafted Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker, Tariq Woolen, Devin Witherspoon, Nick Emmanwori, Charles Cross, and the current offensive player of the year, Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
All of these players all have multiple Pro Bowls under their belt and have been in conversations for league awards ever since draft day. This comes after he built the legendary Legion of Boom starting in 2010 and winning the Seahawks their first Super Bowl in 2013. For the 12s, there should be no worry that Schneider will have another great draft performance. The future of the Seahawks is in good hands as they look to go back-to-back as Super Bowl champions.
