ESPN ranks Seahawks' remade roster below average going into 2025 NFL season

All the changes haven't done very much to help the Seahawks.

Dec 22, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) during warmups before the game against the Minnesota Vikings at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

Especially on offense, the Seattle Seahawks possess a very different roster going into 2025 than they had in 2024. They've made massive changes at QB and wide receiver, and their offensive line continues to undergo changes here and there. At tight end, they just moved on from Noah Fant.

Their defense remains stout and is expected to once again be among the best units in the NFL. How much can that help an offense that was lackluster in 2024 and might've gotten worse? Not much, according to a few ESPN analysts.

Seahawks don't have a good roster, insiders claim

The Seattle Seahawks ranked 20th in terms of their overall roster. What they're expected to roll out in Week 1 is worse than the Pittsburgh Steelers, Dallas Cowboys, and Arizona Cardinals, among other NFL teams.

The biggest strength, i.e. the one thing keeping the Seahawks out of the bottom tier, is the defensive line, according to Mike Clay. "The Seahawks remain stacked up front, with Leonard Williams leading the way. Williams is still playing at a superstar level at age 31," Clay said. "He led all interior linemen with 11 sacks and ranked fourth with 35 pass rush wins last season. Jarran Reed (4.5 sacks in 2024) and Johnathan Hankins are back. Byron Murphy II, a 2024 first-round pick, is a candidate for a second-year leap after a solid rookie showing."

Jan 5, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Seattle Seahawks Defensive End Leonard Williams (99), Free Safety Devon Witherspoon (21) and Nose Tackle Jarred Reed (90) celebrate a 4th down stop at SoFi Stadium, as the Seattle Seahawks face off versus the Los Angeles Rams Week 18 matchup. Mandatory Credit: William Navarro-Imagn Images | William Navarro-Imagn Images

Ironically, the biggest weakness, which is the thing dragging them down and could be what derails their season, is the opposite line. On offense, the line is a huge hole. "Seattle's offensive line outlook is better than it was a year ago, but this unit still has plenty of uncertainty outside of star LT Charles Cross. Left guard could be solid if first-round rookie Grey Zabel works out, but the rest of the projected starting line (C Olu Oluwatimi, RG Anthony Bradford, RT Abraham Lucas) posted shaky/poor PFF grades and run block win rates a year ago," Clay noted.

The interior is usually where games are won and lost, so the defense could win, but the offense might lose, and that's not a recipe for team success in the NFL. Cooper Kupp was named their X-factor, since he's a newcomer who could revitalize what was once a very promising career that's been derailed by injuries.

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