While the Seahawks fell short of the ultimate goal last season, barely missing the postseason after a 10-7 finish, there was a lot to like about their first season under head coach Mike Macdonald.
And one of the biggest positives was the play of Macdonald's defense which, in helping the Seahawks finish with six wins in their final eight games, developed into one of the league's top defenses in the second half of the season.
Now, the goal is to sustain, if not exceed, that level of play for an entire season, something the Seahawks believe is possible for a defense that showed a lot of promise last year, then retained almost all of its top players, while also adding talent, this offseason.
"My personal goal, my opinion, which I think everybody will back me on this, is that we want to be number one," veteran defensive tackle Jarran Reed said after Monday's session of organized team activities. "We want to be number one in every category. That's what we're striving for. We're hungry. Every game may not be perfect, but that's what we're striving for, that's what we're working hard to get to."
Cornerback Devon Witherspoon, who has made two Pro Bowls in as many seasons in the NFL, also is expecting big things on his side of the ball.
"Us being together, we set the standard for ourselves, then we hold everybody to it," he said. "I believe every one of those guys in the locker room knows what we're trying to do and knows what we're trying to build, and I think everyone is buying in.
"We've definitely got to build on it. We're chasing to be the number one defense in the league, so that's where we're going."
The fact that veteran starters like Reed, who is heading into his 10th season, and Leonard Williams, who is beginning his 11th season, are in uniform and on the field for a voluntary workout in June is just part of why Seattle expects this defense to be a force in 2025.
"It says a lot about the people that we have in the building," said defensive coordinator Aden Durde. "They're people that want to improve, they want to grow, no matter what type of situation they are at in their career. I talked to J-Reed about little things we can do, he teaches me stuff that he sees. Leo, the same thing, Law (DeMarcus Lawrence), the same thing. Guys want to do it the right way here, and if we can keep doing that, we can make those jumps, especially with everyone here."