RENTON, Wash. – After No. 1 Georgia had laid waste to Florida in a 34-7 win, Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart offered a truism that transcends college football.
“Guys, if you don’t recruit, there’s no coach out there who can out-coach recruiting,” Smart said on Oct. 30, 2021, before notching his first of two consecutive national championships. “I don’t care who you are. The best coach to ever play the game better be a good recruiter, because no coaching is going to out-coach (having superior) players.”
Translation: Coaching matters. Scheme matters. Development matters. Culture matters.
But when the margins are microscopic? When all else is equal? When a play must be made?
Elite talent trumps everything else.
Like the DVD screen saver logo, that quote’s been bouncing off the walls of my brain. I believe the Seahawks are well-coached under Mike Macdonald. I believe their scheme, particularly on defense, puts players in position to succeed. I believe there’s a positive, professional culture in the Virginia Mason Athletic Center and a genuine togetherness propelling this team.
But are the Seahawks talented enough to make it matter?
The season-opening, 17-13 loss to San Francisco left legitimate concerns. It’s not just that the Seahawks were outgained by 154 yards vs. a team mostly without tight end George Kittle or any relevant wide receiver. It’s not just that they went 3 for 10 on third down. It’s not just that an outside zone running team ran perplexingly little outside zone. It’s not just that Seattle dialed up play-action pass on a mere two of 26 drop-backs, even though quarterback Sam Darnold excels in that area.
It’s that the Seahawks didn’t look dynamic doing it. Who in blue and green can break a game plan? Who strikes fear in even the most capable coordinator? Who do other teams absolutely have to take away? Who’s a problem, plain and simple?
DK Metcalf was an obvious answer when he was with the Seahawks. While Metcalf – whose 1-0 Steelers host the 0-1 Seahawks on Sunday – is an imperfect player, his innate talent is undeniable. He can truck a tackler and go the distance; he can excel outside of scheme. To swap sports metaphors, he can create his own shot.
When Darnold signed with the Seahawks in March, he attributed last season’s resurgence to a stylistic shift learned from backing up Brock Purdy in 2023.
“How he described his style was, ‘We have a ton of great playmakers on offense. My job is just to play point guard and get the ball in their hands and let them go do great things with the rock,’ ” Darnold said of San Francisco’s quarterback. “When I started to change my thought process as a quarterback to just getting the ball in my guys’ hands, that’s kind of where it unlocked for me a little bit.”
It’s easier to play point guard when you’re passing to Kittle, Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk – as Purdy did in San Francisco in 2023. Or Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, T.J. Hockenson and Aaron Jones – as Darnold did in Minnesota last season.
On Sunday, Darnold passed to Jaxon Smith-Njigba. That’s essentially it.
Smith-Njigba – who posted nine catches for 124 yards and two fumbles – was targeted on 13 of Darnold’s 23 passes (56.5%), an astronomical number. His 0.57 targets per routes run was by far the most in the NFL, according to SumerSports.com.
As for the teammates tasked with attracting Metcalf’s targets? Cooper Kupp’s homecoming proved unproductive, as the 32-year-old managed two catches (on three targets) for 15 yards. Tight ends AJ Barner (one catch, zero yards) and Elijah Arroyo (one catch, 7 yards) made inconsequential cameos. Tailbacks Zach Charbonnet (47 rushing yards, 3.9 yards per carry, 1 TD) and Kenneth Walker III (20 rushing yards, three catches for 4 yards) struggled behind a purportedly improved offensive line.
Fifth-round rookie wide receiver Tory Horton failed to register a reception in his Seahawks debut. Veteran Marquez Valdes-Scantling – whom Seattle signed to a one-year, $4 million deal this offseason – stood on the opposite sideline, after being released by the Seahawks and signing with San Francisco. Defensively, rangy rookie safety Nick Emmanwori was injured on the 49ers’ fifth play.
After going 10-7 and narrowly missing the playoffs in 2024, Seattle lost the likes of Metcalf, quarterback Geno Smith and wide receiver Tyler Lockett, and gained Darnold, Kupp, defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence and an encouraging draft class. But while the rookies offer intrigue, in the short term, it’s hard to argue the Seahawks have more impact talent than this time a year ago.
(They also have more than $25 million in salary cap space, according to spotrac.com, seventh-most in the NFL).
It was one game– an insignificant sample size. It may take time for the Seahawks to hit their stride. Conclusions shouldn’t come from first impressions.
But what if, to repeat Purdy, the Seahawks don’t have “a ton of great playmakers” on both sides of the ball? What if this roster is loaded with capable football players but lacks elite talent? What if coaching and scheme and culture are ultimately not enough?
“It’s easy to say, ‘Catch the ball’ or ‘Make the throw’ or ‘Hit the gap.’ But there’s a lot of coaching that’s going to happen. I’m excited to make those adjustments,” Kupp said Sunday. “Because everyone in that locker room is capable of making the adjustments we need to go out there and win games and be a really good football team.”
Frankly, that remains to be seen.
This thorny subject is also nothing new. The Seahawks have had just one first-team All-Pro, linebacker Bobby Wagner (2020), in their past five seasons. The 49ers have had 13 first-team All-Pro selections across the same span.
You can add paint, change the tires and upgrade the interior. But a race car with an average engine isn’t lapping a loaded field.
To quote Kirby Smart, football philosopher: “If you don’t recruit, guys, you got no chance. Look at the best teams out there. They got good football players.”
In the NFL, the best teams have elite talent.
Do the Seahawks? Time will tell.