Seattle Seahawks fans are simply going to have to ignore what a lot of the national pundits have to say about the team entering the 2025 season. Three of the more notable players left Seattle this offseason, and pundits don't like speaking well about a team where they don't know the players well.
Quarterback Geno Smith was traded to the Las Vegas Raiders, and wide receiver DK Metcalf was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Veteran receiver Tyler Lockett was released, and he eventually signed with the Tennessee Titans. There have been a lot of offensive changes.
But just because those players are gone does not mean that the Seahawks are worse than they were last year. That is not what ESPN's Ben Solak believes, though. He names Seattle one of the three "least improved teams."
ESPN NFL analyst has bad take on the Seattle Seahawks
That is another way of saying the three teams that got worse.
Solak calls Sam Darnold, Cooper Kupp, and Marquez Valdes-Scantling downgrades from Smith, Metcalf, and Lockett. While Darnold has to prove he can be good for two years in a row, he did have a better season than Smith in 2024. He is also a good fit in new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak's system.
MVS could be an upgrade over Lockett, simply because Lockett was making more business decisions last season and giving himself up a lot after catching the ball. He is a safe receiver, but Valdez-Scantling can be explosive and was good under Kubiak with the New Orleans Saints in 2024.
At this stage of his career, Kupp is not going to be as productive as Metcalf, but he will be a better blocker and more sure-handed. He also won't draw any of the unnecessary 15-yard penalties that Metcalf was so good at getting.
While Solak wouldn't agree, there is also an argument to be made that the Seahawks got much better this offseason. They drafted offensive lineman Grey Zabel in the first round, and that alone should make the line better. Veteran offensive line coach John Benton was hired, and he has a long history of improving the lines he works with.
The defense was a top-10 unit last year and should be better after adding defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence and drafting safety Nick Emmanwori. All of the key players from last season's defensive success are still with the team, too.
Again, though, Solak might assume Seattle is worse without looking into the details that truly matter to winning. The Seahawks offense should be more efficient with the changes, and the defense more aggressive with its changes. By the end of the season, saying the Seahawks were not improved this offseason will probably look foolish.
More Seahawks news and analysis: