Seahawks 2024 opponents (refresh)

How much different do Seahawks 2024 opponents look after free agency and heading into the draft? Seaside Joe 1875

The Seattle Seahawks have known their 2024 opponents for a while now, but I had mostly forgotten who they would be and certainly haven’t had a refresher on how these teams have changed in free agency. Leading into next week’s draft—with these teams on Seattle’s schedule holding nine of the first 12 picks on Thursday—it seems like the perfect time for a refresher.

Few things in this league are as important as the schedule.

I’ll note some of the changes, but forgive me if I don’t a) list every single change, b) forget something, c) my “biggest change” isn’t necessarily the same as yours or even maybe the best answer, so let me know in the comments if you feel the team’s changes are different in your opinion.

*denotes away game

NFC West

49ers

Biggest change: Firing defensive coordinator Steve Wilks

Draft: 31st pick, 10 total picks

Regression and another Super Bowl loss (in which linebacker Dre Greenlaw tore his Achilles and may have cost him the 2024 season) don’t favor San Francisco’s odds of being better next season than they were last year. The Niners are expected to trade either Brandon Aiyuk or Deebo Samuel and the former could return a first round pick next Thursday that would then likely be used on another wide receiver. The team promoted Nick Sorensen to be the new defensive coordinator.

Free agent additions include DT Maliek Collins, EDGE Leonard Floyd, LB De’Vondre Campbell, QB Josh Dobbs

Better or Worse: Worse

Cardinals

Biggest change: Kyler Murray starts Week 1

Draft: 4th pick, 27th pick, 11 total picks

I don’t know if there’s a really big “change” in Arizona other than what they started last year by hiring head coach Jonathan Gannon and general manager Monti Ossenfort. So having Kyler Murray in Week 1 (allegedly) is significant as the Cardinals were par with Seattle last season after he returned. The Cardinals have as much power in the draft as any team other than the Bears, but they have even more capital than Chicago once we get outside of the top-10 and into the final six rounds.

Additions include QB Desmond Ridder, C Evan Brown, RB DeeJay Dallas, LT Jonah Williams, DL Justin Jones, DL Bilal Nichols, LB Mack Wilson, CB Sean Murphy-Bunting, DL Khyiris Tonga

Better or worse: Better

Rams

Biggest change: Beefed up interior OL

Draft: 19th overall, 11 total picks

Similar to Seattle, the Rams never prioritized the interior of the offensive line…at least not to this degree. In the past 12 months, the Rams have drafted G/C Steve Avila at the top of round two, traded for guard Kevin Dotson and then paid him $17 million/year, then signed guard Jonah Jackson to a $17m/year contract in free agency. And L.A. could still use their first pick of the draft on an offensive tackle.

The coaching staff is also a lot different after defensive coordinator Raheem Morris (also on Seattle’s schedule) was hired by the Atlanta Falcons as head coach. He took quite a few coaches with him and was replaced by internal promotion Chris Shula. No relation to Don Shula…Just kidding, of course he’s related to Don Shula.

Additions include G Jonah Jackson, TE Colby Parkinson, CB Darious Williams, CB Tre’Davious White, S Kamren Curl, QB Jimmy Garoppolo

The Rams also went ahead and stole Colby Parkinson from the Seahawks, could Brock Bowers end up on one of these NFC West teams?

Better or worse: Better

NFC North

Packers

Biggest change: Xavier McKinney, Josh Jacobs

Draft: 25th overall, 11 total picks

Green Bay replaced Aaron Jones with Josh Jacobs at running back; the Seahawks will instead face Jones when they play the Vikings. Safety Xavier McKinney was one of the most expensive free agent additions of the offseason despite being a safety. I strongly suspect that if the Seahawks do trade down that it will be with the Packers and John Schneider’s long-time friend Brian Gutekunst. They swapped first rounders in 2018 and 2019.

Additions include McKinney, Jacobs, OT Andre Dillard, K Greg Joseph

Better or worse: Better

Really not going off of much other than Jordan Love’s development here and thinking that Green Bay might be a problem for the Lions this season. Oh and like a lot of teams on this list, the Packers also have a new defensive coordinator.

Vikings

Biggest change: No Kirk Cousins

Draft: 11th and 23rd overall, 9 total picks

Was Kirk Cousins a good free agent signing in 2018? He gave the Vikings six good seasons and wasn’t necessarily a disappointment, but he made a lot of money for a quarterback who only experienced one playoff win with Minnesota.

The Vikings signed Sam Darnold as a bridge quarterback, hoping to get some Geno Smithness out of him, but it would appear that he’ll get replaced by some rookie in the near future. It was speculated that the Vikings traded for a second first round pick to get a quarterback, but more recent intel suggests that the Texans were the ones pushing to get out of the first round.

Additions include Darnold, Jones, EDGE Jonathan Greenard, LB Andrew Van Ginkel, K Jon Parker Romo, DL Jerry Tillery

Two of the four players I wrote would be “worth it” for the Seahawks in free agency were Greenard and Van Ginkel, both of whom went to the Vikings.

Better or worse: Worse

It will help to know the quarterback situation, but the Vikings were TERRIBLE without Kirk Cousins last season. Why should we expect them to be better without him?

Bears*

Biggest change: He’s coming in one week

Draft: 1st and 9th overall, 4 total picks

The Bears traded Justin Fields to the Steelers and will draft USC quarterback Caleb Williams on Thursday, all thanks to the Panthers’ desperation for a quarterback in last year’s draft. Seriously, should the NFL put a stop to Carolina owner David Tepper while they still can? This is like unintentional collusion.

Chicago also hired Shane Waldron to replace Luke Getsy as offensive coordinator and traded for receiver Keenan Allen. The Bears have two of the first nine picks, but then only two more picks for the rest of the draft so maybe Chicago will trade down from nine.

Additions include Allen, OT Jake Curhan, OLB Jacob Martin, C Ryan Bates, RB D’Andre Swift, S Kevin Byard, TE Gerald Everett, C Coleman Shelton

Better or worse: Better

It will not take a gargantuan rookie season from Caleb Williams to give the Bears a better shot to win than they ever got from Fields. Will the Bears bring in a veteran—maybe one familiar with Waldron—to bridge the gap?

Lions*

Biggest change: Revamping defense

Draft: 29th overall, 7 total picks

The Lions won’t look much different, especially after Ben Johnson was spurred/spurred any opportunities to become a head coach again. The offensive coordinator will give it a third go with Detroit and this may be the Lions best shot to get to the Super Bowl literally ever. The Lions will take the best player available in the draft and might even trade up for him as general manager Brad Holmes is an aggressive one.

Additions include G Kevin Zeitler, DE Marcus Davenport, DT D.J. Reader, CB Carlton Davis, CB AMik Robertson

Better or worse: Better, but maybe only slightly

AFC East

Bills

Biggest change: No Stefon Diggs

Draft: 28th overall, 10 total picks

Buffalo is on a short list of teams that might be looking to move up from 28 to get a wide receiver, but the Bills need a lot in this draft and may just trust Josh Allen to work with what he’s given similar to Patrick Mahomes in K.C.. The team traded Diggs to the Texans and maybe next season their number one receiver is tight end Dalton Kincaid.

Additions include WR Curtis Samuel, S Mike Edwards, QB Mitch Trubisky, OT La’El Collins, WR Mack Hollins

Better or worse: Worse

It’s not that Diggs was a huge loss actually. It’s just a team built on a house of cards.

Dolphins

Biggest change: New defense

Draft: 21st overall, 6 total picks

The one season fit with notable defensive coordinator Vic Fangio wasn’t working, so Miami let him go back to the Eagles and like Seattle they also went to the Ravens’ well by replacing him with Anthony Weaver. The team has signed a lot of defensive free agents, including THIRTEEN signings on defense. The Dolphins were at best average on that side of the ball in 2023, so if they become good then Miami will be a dangerous team.

Additions include LB Jordyn Brooks, S Jordan Poyer, CB Kendall Fuller, NT Benito Jones, EDGE Shaq Barrett, DT Neville Gallimore, LB Anthony Walker, TE Jonnu Smith

Better or worse: Better

Patriots*

Biggest change: No Bill Belichick

Draft: 3rd overall, 8 total picks

Bill Belichick will be doing something with Pat McAfee to cover the NFL Draft this year instead of running it for the New England Patriots. The new head coach is Jerod Mayo, a former linebacker for Belichick, and the new ‘GM’ is Eliot Wolf, someone who John Schneider used to “babysit” with the Packers in the 1990s. If New England makes a dramatic trade down in the 2024 draft, Schneider is a close friend of his who has allegedly always wanted to make a big move.

Additions include QB Jacoby Brissett, WR KJ Osborn, TE Austin Hooper, RB Antonio Gibson, LB Sione Takitaki

Better or worse: Worse?

It’s tough to be worse than the 2023 Patriots, but it’s a first-time head coach and a roster that on paper is as bad as any in the league and probably not going to get immediately better if their top pick is a QB.

Jets*

Biggest change: Aaron Rodgers is back

Draft: 10th overall, 7 total picks

Second verse, same as the curse: The biggest change on the Jets is the same as last year, attempting to add Aaron Rodgers to the offense. Now the Jets hope they’ve done enough to solidify the offensive line by signing Tyron Smith, John Smipson, and Morgan Moses, as well as receiver Mike Williams.

Additions include QB Tyrod Taylor, LT Smith, LG Simpson, RT Moses, WR Mike Williams, DT Javon Kinlaw, EDGE Haason Reddick, DT Leki Fotu, CB Isaiah Oliver

Better or worse: Better

Others

Giants

Biggest change: The Drew Lock hour is upon us

Draft: 6th overall, 6 total picks

Okay, Drew Lock isn’t their “biggest” change but he could be if Daniel Jones isn’t starting. Despite not having the worst record, I still think the Giants were the worst team last season so almost anything would be an improvement. Nobody knows waht the Giants will do with the sixth pick, but their interest in Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy is “real” from everyone who says they’re hearing things from the organization.

Additions include EDGE Brian Burns, Lock, RB Devin Singletary, G Aaron Stinnie, G Jon Runyan, OT Jermaine Eluemunor, S Jalen Mills, DT Jordan Phillips

Better or worse: Better

Broncos

Biggest change: I think we know

Draft: 12th overall, 8 total picks

With Russell Wilson in Pittsburgh, Denver’s top quarterback on the roster is Jarrett Stidham. That feels like one of those classic, “We’re comfortable with Stidham starting” scenarios that ultimately leads back to drafting a quarterback in the first round. Which won’t be an easy decision for Sean Payton because the Broncos still have a really bad roster all-around, therefore drafting a quarterback will likely cost them a great prospect at a position of great weakness; the receivers room is pretty terrible, for instance.

If the Seahawks are not a bad team in 2024, then hosting the Broncos “should be” a win.

Additions include LB Cody Barton, WR Josh Reynolds, S Brandon Jones, DE Malcolm Roach

Better or worse: Worse

They were already bad, but I’m going to go out on a limb and say the Broncos will be worse. That’s another reason that Denver should probably just pick a really good prospect and target a quarterback in 2025.

Falcons

Biggest change: Kirk Cousins, Raheem Morris

Draft: 8th overall, 8 total picks

The Seahawks avoid Cousins on the Vikings, but not Cousins. I know that Atlanta is now perceived as the favorite in the NFC South—maybe they are—but I’m not sure what it would be about Raheem’s history as a coach or Cousins history as a quarterback that would signify “dangerous” in the NFC. The Falcons were an okay team already, they still seem like just an okay team to me, but they hold a top-10 pick. I saw former GM Thomas Dimitroff say on a mock draft podcast that if he were still running the team, he’d probably trade up for a quarterback.

Additions include Cousins, WR Darnell Mooney, WR Rondale Moore

Better or worse: Better

I’ll go ‘better’ than 7-10, but not much better.