The Seattle Seahawks have made dramatic changes to their roster in just one offseason, shifting from an established playoff contender to a team in transition. Geno Smith, DK Metcalf, and franchise icon Tyler Lockett are all gone, and a new era led by Sam Darnold is beginning in Seattle.
However, losing three key pieces is never an easy transition. With Darnold already in place, the front office has been working hard to find the right supporting cast. One analyst believes the Seahawks’ work isn’t done yet, and that the 2025 NFL Draft will be crucial to Seattle’s rebuild.
Seattle Seahawks Find Their Third Wide Receiver
Losing both Lockett and Metcalf was a huge blow to an offense that finished the 2024 season ranked 20th in PFSN’s Offense+ metric. The ranking was despite Smith throwing for the fourth-most passing yards in the league (4,320) and having plenty of weapons to work with.
However, Seattle has been quick to reload in free agency. The emergence of Jaxon Smith-Njigba gives them a trusted starting option, and adding Cooper Kupp at receiver should help in the short term.
Still, Jacob Infante believes the Seahawks need a long-term answer at wide receiver to maximize Darnold’s success. In his latest mock draft for PFSN, he projects them taking a top receiver at No. 50 overall.
“After trading Metcalf and releasing Tyler Lockett, the Seahawks would be smart to use an early-round pick on another wide receiver to pair with Jaxon Smith-Njigba [and Cooper Kupp].”
Marquez Valdes-Scantling is an option, but he hasn’t been consistent enough to be considered a permanent solution. As a result, Infante sees Iowa State’s Jayden Higgins as the perfect fit.
“Taking a wide receiver early gives Sam Darnold another talented weapon,” Infante added. “Jayden Higgins is a coordinated, big-bodied receiver with impressive ball skills who rarely drops passes.”
In two seasons with the Cyclones, Higgins’ production jumped significantly, with a 200-yard increase in 2024, bringing his season total to 1,183 receiving yards. Additionally, he proved to be a dangerous red-zone target, finishing his collegiate career with 28 touchdowns.
Seattle’s top priority is building the right pieces around Darnold so that he can replicate the success he had with the Minnesota Vikings. A trio of Kupp, Higgins, and Smith-Njigba could make for a potent receiving corps.
However, a big concern remains the offensive line, which ranked among the two worst in the league, according to PFSN’s OL+ metric. That’s a stark contrast to Minnesota, which had the league’s best protection in 2024.
Infante has Seattle addressing this issue by selecting Alabama guard Tyler Booker in the first round, but only time will tell if that will be enough to give Darnold the support he needs.