No DK Metcalf, no problem: Seahawks' skill players earn modest NFL ranking

Recently, Bill Barnwell of ESPN ranked the 32 teams in terms of offensive playmakers at wide receiver, tight end, and running back. It’s hardly a surprise that the reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles rule Barnwell’s roost, while the Tennessee Titans are at the No. 32 spot.

This offseason, the Seattle Seahawks underwent an offensive makeover. So where does Mike Macdonald’s club rank when it comes to this area? Well…The new-look ‘Hawks are sitting at 19th.

“A significant overhaul means the Seahawks drop in these rankings,” explained Barnwell. “Even while acknowledging that DK Metcalf’s 2020 season looks like an outlier and Tyler Lockett’s decline has become apparent, Seattle might have downgraded at both spots (while getting cheaper) by replacing them with Cooper Kupp and Marquez Valdes-Scantling.

Jan 13, 2025; Glendale, AZ, USA; Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp (10) against the Minnesota Vikings during an NFC wild card game at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

“Like Metcalf, Kupp is several years removed from what looks like an outlier year-plus as an elite receiver. He was the league’s best receiver when helping push the Rams to a Super Bowl in the 2021 season, and he stayed at that level during the first half of 2022. He hasn’t been the same since suffering an ankle injury and missing the rest of 2022, however.”

“Valdes-Scantling was good in a small sample for the Saints last season,” added Barnwell, “but the 30-year-old was cut by the Bills and joined New Orleans for free. The passing game should run through Jaxon Smith-Njigba, whose 2024 breakout helped keep the Seahawks from falling further. He averaged nearly 83 receiving yards per game from Week 9 onward, a 1,402-yard pace over a full season.”

What about tight end and running back? “We’re still waiting for the breakout from other Seahawks,” said Barnwell. “Noah Fant continues to be a high-floor, low-ceiling tight end, combining catch rates north of 74 percent with a lack of consistent big-play ability or any sort of threat in the red zone. He has one score over the past two seasons.

"Kenneth Walker III has the fourth-worst success rate (37 percent) and is tied for third-last in first downs over expectation among running backs with at least 500 carries in the past three seasons. It’s one thing to combine that profile with spectacular big plays, as Walker did in 2022, but after breaking off three 60-plus yard runs as a rookie, he hasn’t posted one since.”

Last season’s Seahawks averaged 332.2 total yards per game and totaled a so-so 38 offensive touchdowns in 17 games. It will be interesting to see what new coordinator Klint Kubiak has in store.

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