The end of the Pete Carroll era.

I don’t know what the dynamics were behind the scenes, but I can’t believe Pete Carroll was fired for the results on the field. Yes this team has been mediocre as far as the win/loss column. But this roster has been in a soft reboot since jettisoning Russell Wilson to Denver. Where most teams would drop to the bottom of the standings, Seattle managed to stay competitive.

Maybe the problem was sticking to Geno Smith for too long. His first season was a great statement for the club to show that they could win without Wilson. But Geno was not/is not the long term solution at the position.

So in comes the new coaching staff, and the biggest question I have, “Is this an improvement over what was already there?”

Unfortunately for Mike MacDonald, who seems to be a great coach, he’s following Carroll who will be revered as a legend in Seattle. MacDonald is inheriting a talented offensive roster that has underachieved in the past couple of seasons. I think there’s some hope that MacDonald can juice up the defense and get it on par with what he had in Baltimore.

Is this a playoff team? Probably not. They are still looking up at the 49ers and Rams in the division. The offense has playmakers, but the QB position is holding this team back. The worst case scenario for these Seahawks is also the most likely outcome, another season hovering around .500. With a new staff in place, this would be the perfect time to readjust the offense, trade off a few pieces and be able to load up with young defensive talent and a new quarterback next year.

Instead, this has all the looks of a team that thinks they can win now, and they will fight all season. With a solid home field advantage, and a schedule with some winnable games, these Seahawks are destined to land right in the middle of next year’s draft.

2024 Prediction: 8-9 3rd NFC West.