Seahawks' offseason of change has been 'way better than expected'

Many analysts and experts predicted before the start of the 2025 NFL Season that the NFC West Division would be a strong two-horse race between the Los Angeles Rams and the San Francisco 49ers. Not many gave the Seattle Seahawks a thought after trading quarterback Geno Smith and wide receiver D.K. Metcalf, as well as releasing veteran wide receiver Tyler Lockett.

This offseason was a grind to get better, not just to replace starting players, for general manager John Schneider. As a result, the Seahawks head into the bye week in Week 8 with an overall record of 5-2 and tied for first in the division. ESPN’s Bill Barnwell has the Seahawks as one of the five teams as having the offseason that is considered ‘way ahead of expectations’ through seven weeks into the season.

Barnwell highlights six reasons why Seattle has been among the teams with the best offseason, with four coming from free agency, one via trade, and one through the 2025 NFL Draft.

Schneider made two big moves regarding the quarterback position this offseason. One is trading Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders for a third-round pick. The other is signing quarterback Sam Darnold to a team-friendly three-year; $100.5 million deal.

Smith wanted a more luxurious contract and would’ve hit the Seahawks’ salary cap significantly. Schneider opted to trade Smith to the Raiders, who are now one of the worst teams in the league, and trust in the free agent market. Seattle, meanwhile, put its faith in Darnold, who has thrown for 1,754 yards (seventh in the league), 12 touchdowns, a QBR of 72.6 (sixth highest in the league), and a quarterback rating of 72.6 (fifth in the league).

Seattle’s best defensive free agent signing is easily the three-year; $32.5 million signing of former Dallas Cowboys veteran edge rusher DeMarcus Lawrence. The Seahawks have the second-ranked rush defense in the league due to the stacked unit at the defensive line. Lawrence has accounted for a team-high six tackles for loss, three sacks, and seven quarterback hits.

The most underrated free agent signing this offseason is former Rams cornerback Derion Kendrick. He was signed to a one-year; $1 million deal to help back up third-year nickel Devon Witherspoon, but has played a majority of the snaps in the secondary due to Witherspoon’s knee injury. Through all seven games, including the five games as the main nickel, Kendrick has accounted for five pass breakups and a Pro Football Focus coverage grade of 72.2, 17th best among cornerbacks.

The Seahawks are also seeing great results from their rookie left guard Grey Zabel. While there is still work for Zabel to progress and develop, he has already shown promise over many of the interior offensive linemen the Seahawks have drafted over the last few seasons.

All five of these additions are a big reason why the Seahawks are a serious contender for not only a divisional title, but also for a potential deep playoff run at the end of the season.

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