GOODNEWS: Seahawks Excited About “Young Talented coach that have just sign in…….

The Seahawks will appoint a new head coach this summer for the first time in fourteen years, and general manager John Schneider views the position as “a very attractive job” for several reasons.

To begin with, there’s one of the most ardent fan bases in the NFL, encouraging ownership, a front staff that has demonstrated its ability to identify talent, and first-rate facilities.

But the particular aspect of the club Schneider was highlighting when he praised the job’s desirability is its youthful talent, which should help the Seahawks advance and thrive into 2024 and beyond.

The Seahawks parted ways with a franchise icon when they traded quarterback Russell Wilson in 2022, but they also helped the team start over by acquiring three players and multiple first and second round picks that Schneider and company could use to add young talent to the roster.

The starting left tackle Charles Cross, the team’s leading sack leader Boye Mafe (9.0), Pro-Bowl cornerback and Defensive Rookie of the Year candidate Devon Witherspoon, and outside linebacker Derick Hall—who didn’t play much on defense this season but showed flashes and is a vital member of the special teams unit—were all products of Seattle’s first and second-round selections.

Beyond those four early-round selections, the Seahawks have added a plethora of other outstanding players in the last two drafts, including starting running back Kenneth Walker III, cornerback Riq Woolen (a Pro-Bowler as a rookie), starting right tackle Abraham Lucas, versatile defensive back Coby Bryant, rookie receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (whose 63 receptions were the second-most in franchise history), and running back Zach Charbonnet. Two exceptional special teams players were also selected by the Seahawks in the final rounds of the previousTwo draft selections in Dareke Young and Jerrick Reed, along with the addition of four players this year—center Olu Oluwatimi, guard Anthony Bradford (who started ten games at guard), defensive end Mike Morris (who missed his rookie season due to injury), and nose tackle Cameron Young—are players they hope will contribute in the trenches moving forward.

“I think it’s a young, talented team that feels like they’re right on the cusp,” Schneider stated. “I think there’s a lot of guys who have a ton of confidence in their abilities.”

With 22 players in their first or second year, the Seahawks had the second-highest number of rookies in the league at the end of the season—16—among their 53-man roster. There are 29 players who are 25 years of age or younger and 36 who are 26 years of age or younger, including notable players like safety Julian Love and receiver DK Metcalf. That’s a lot of youth even beyond those first and second-year guys.

Even with all that youthful talent, the Seahawks’ 9-8 season in 2023—their fourth postseason absence in 14 seasons—still hurts. Schneider and Pete Carroll will never be able to fully recover from that setback. All that youthfulness does, however, indicate that the Seahawks are primed for success and should present a desirable employment opportunity to the applicants Schneider will be interviewing over the next few weeks.

“They’re all highly disappointed in what just happened, and I think, to a man, they would all tell you—and I know this from the exit interviews that I had—that we still should be playing,” Schneider stated. “Everyone felt really let down. However, I believe it’s a fantastic core, and I think it makes us a really appealing employer. Young talent can be found everywhere.