There was a hidden factor that hurt the Seattle Seahawks last season.
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While much of the attention goes to the offensive and defensive performances, special teams play an important role in each and every game. And the Seahawks had their fare share of struggles on special teams in 2024, especially in the return game.
Struggles in that facet could be exacerbated even more during the upcoming season, as the NFL is considering a rule change to move touchbacks on kickoffs up to 35-yard line. Because of that, Seahawks Radio Network analyst and former NFL wide receiver Michael Bumpus feels that Seattle’s return game needs to have a great year in 2025.
“That’s going to encourage more kick returns,” Bumpus said of the potential rule change during his Four Down Territory segment Wednesday on Seattle Sports’ Bump and Stacy. “And we haven’t had an electric kick returner here in a long time.”
The Seahawks went into last season with undrafted rookie Dee Williams and veteran Laviska Shenault Jr. spearheading the return game, but they were both off the roster by the first week of December after struggles with holding on to the football. The pair combined for five lost fumbles, which was over half of team’s eight on the year.
Seattle ranked 29th in the league in yards per punt return (7.4) and 15th in yards per kick return (28.0) last season. It did have one of seven kickoff return TDs across the league (courtesy of Shenault), but it also allowed one of the other six. Additionally, the Seahawks were 31st in average starting field position despite being one of the top teams at forcing three-and-outs.
“This changes the game,” Bumpus said. “… These are hidden yardages and it shifts field position.”
The team took a step towards figuring out its return game for the upcoming season on Tuesday, signing Steve Sims Jr. to a one-year deal. The six-year pro has returned 74 punts and 62 kickoffs during his career. He returned a punt return for a TD in playoff game while facing the Baltimore Ravens in January of 2024, when Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald was the Ravens’ defensive coordinator.
STEVEN SIMS 67-YARD PUNT RETURN TD FOR THE TEXANS.
📺: #HOUvsBAL on ESPN/ABC
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/mOqD2jfu4M pic.twitter.com/y0miqMggP1
— NFL (@NFL) January 20, 2024
“They have their guy now,” Bumpus said of Seattle’s kick return unit. “… I just want to see this unit become one of the more explosive ones, because we’re going to see more footballs in play when it comes to the kickoff game.”
Listen to Bump and Stacy weekdays from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. or find the podcast on the Seattle Sports app.
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