3 Seahawks who need to get off to a fast start in Week 1

The Seahawks were a fixture in the playoffs during the Pete Carroll era but there's plenty of uncertainty in Seattle with new head coach Mike Macdonald at the helm. If the former Ravens defensive coordinator is going to reach the postseason in his first season as a head coach he'll need his team to get off to a fast start.

The good news for Macdonald is that he's taking over a roster that did manage to win nine games in 2023. That means the Seahawks aren't that far away from returning to the playoffs. The big problem facing the Seahawks is that they plan in the same division with the 49ers who enter the year as Super Bowl favorites in the NFC.

The Seahawks roster has plenty of star power capable of helping Macdonald and his staff enjoy early success. It does need some of the lesser-known stars to step up and prove they can be relied on. The following three players need to get off to fast starts if Seattle is going to emerge as a legitimate playoff contender.

3. Tyrice Knight

The Seahawks' decision to ship Darrell Taylor out of town puts a lot of pressure on the rest of the defense's edge rushers to replace his pass-rush production. Taylor didn't contribute much outside of sacking the opposing quarterback but that's still a valuable skill that Seattle must replace.

Knight is another undersized edge rusher who will need to use quickness instead of size and power to become a quality player at the pro level. the fourth-round pick slipped in the draft due to concern about his lack of instincts at the linebacker position. The defensive coaching staff hopes that simplifying his duties as a rookie can lead to better-than-expected production for a Day 3 pick.

Knight will start the year behind Jerome Baker at the weakside linebacker spot. Baker was an average starter, at best, last year as evidenced by his 66.6 PFF grade on the season. Knight needs to find a way to cut into the veteran's snap count if the Seahawks' defense is going to take a step forward.

Relying on a fourth-round rookie to solve a team's edge-rushing woes is a risky proposition. Knight doesn't need to be the complete solution in 2024, but he needs to become a positive contributor in his limited role. Special teams work won't be enough. Knight needs to become a situational edge-rusher if he's going to give Seattle enough value to justify his place on the depth chart.

2. Byron Murphy

The Seahawks spent their first-round pick on Byron Murphy because he's an ideal fit for their 3-4 system. He lacks the size to play as a nose tackle but profiles as a solid run stuffer from the defensive end position. Murphy's upside is that he has the ability to knife into the opposing backfield and wreak havoc whether he's going against offensive guards or tackles.

It's difficult for a defensive end in a three-man line to ever blossom into a prolific sack producer but Murphy has an outside chance to do just that. He didn't play a ton during his first two years as Texas but burst onto the scene in his third campaign in Austin. The combination of his burst and low center of gravity made him a nightmare for collegiate offensive linemen.

The Seahawks have the luxury of not being forced to insert Murphy into the starting lineup right away. Jarran Reed is still a decent starter who can be trusted to man the position early in the year. It would still be a major plus for the upside of Seattle's defense if Murphy could find a way to play meaningful snaps as soon as the regular season commences.

The measure of Murphy's impact as a defender will not just be the number of sacks he manages to secure. He's got the upside to being a disruptive force against the opposing run game as well. It's even possible that Murphy will slide inside to play nose or defensive tackle on passing downs. The more snaps Murphy can secure when the regular season begins the better for Macdonald and his new defensive scheme. They need more dynamism from their defensive line and Murphy has a chance to create negative plays.

1. Charles Cross

Left tackle is a crucial position for every NFL offense and that's why the Seahawks spent a first-round pick on Charles Cross in 2022. He was a decent starter for Seattle a season ago but they need him to blossom into the sort of plus-player he was projected to become as he entered the NFL.

The Seahawks are blessed with one of the most dynamic receiving groups in the league. Geno Smith needs time to let those routes develop in front of him to take advantage of all that talent. If Cross can keep protecting his quarterback's blind side it's easy to envision a bevy of big plays coming from Seattle's passing game.

Cross also has the requisite athleticism to be a quality run blocker from his left tackle spot. He doesn't need to be dominant in that regard to give Kenneth Walker a chance to knife into the opposing secondary. Cross just needs to give his star running back a small crease to open up the chance for a big play on the ground.

The Seahawks don't need Cross to turn into an All-Pro overnight. They do need him to establish himself as a star on the rise at one of the NFL's most important positions. His upping his game would allow the rest of his teammates up front to get more support. That's a big key for the Seahawks offense being able to take advantage of their embarrassment of riches at the skill positions.