Seahawks Offense Gets Rough Reality Check Ahead Of New Season

Adam SchultzSun, Jul 12, 2026·2 min read

You can argue that the Seattle Seahawks' one-wood is Mike Macdonald's "Dark Side" defense that helped power them to a Super Bowl win last season.

But the Seahawks' offense was a little underrated, with Sam Darnold, Kenneth Walker (now a Chief), and Jaxon Smith-Njigba being the main destroyers for then-coordinator Klint Kubiak.

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As we turn for training camp, the offense looks a little different with Brian Fleury taking over from Kubiak, Walker no longer with the team, and the running back and receiver positions having question marks hanging over them.

The offensive line is the most settled part of the unit, with all five starters returning, so continuity there is perhaps a little underrated. But Darnold's protectors are back.

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So, as a whole, the offense you could say right now is fine, but where should it rank?

For CBS Sports' Jared Dubin, ranking the "offensive infrastructure" of each NFL team, Seattle is 20th.

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"The offensive line is solidly above-average and the pass catchers are good (Jaxon Smith-Njigba is great and there is some depth there even if there is no clear No. 2 option), but the running backs have to be considered average at best until we see what we get from rookie Jadarian Price," Dubin wrote.

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The new coordinator part, Dubin stated, is a big reason for Seattle's lowly ranking, so too the lack of a clear No. 2 receiver behind JSN, along with the uncertainty at running back.

Of course, those questions could all be answered within the first month of the season, but until then, it is what many hold on to as a reason the Super Bowl repeat won't happen.

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Can Rashid Shaheed develop into Darnold's No. 2 weapon behind JSN? He's shown he can do it before in his career.

Then there is the running back group, with rookie Jadarian Price likely tasked with leading it in the absence of Zach Charbonnet, who tore his ACL in the playoffs.

Still, the Seahawks have the look of a team that can go on a deep playoff run. A Super Bowl win? I'm not there yet, but do the NFC West champs have the 20th-ranked offensive infrastructure in football?

It does seem a little low, right?