Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider is constantly chasing edges.
At least that’s how Schneider explains the numerous changes the Seahawks have made in the last few years as he’s helped build them back into a playoff contender with second-year head coach Mike Macdonald.
“Whether it’s centered around sports science or AI, whatever we can do to get better and wrap our minds around it and not get stuck in our old ways,” Schneider told me of the Seahawks’ evolution. “And we’ve done that for years. Back when Pete [Carroll] was here, we always talked about ‘what’s next,’ and that’s what chasing edges means for him.
“[Macdonald] has just been really impressive in that regard – let’s do whatever we can to get better and develop these guys. And we’re not fixing everything through acquisitions. It’s acquisitions and development.”
In the second year of the duo’s partnership, Schneider and Macdonald have the Seahawks at 2-1 after finishing 10-7 last year. The Seahawks are traveling to the desert for an important NFC West matchup against the 2-1 Arizona Cardinals in a nationally televised contest on Thursday.
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Mike Macdonald is 12-8 through his first 20 games as the Seahawks’ head coach. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
In an exclusive interview, Schneider talked about the evolving partnership with Macdonald, along with putting together a playoff-contending roster that can compete in one of the toughest divisions in the NFL.
“Mike’s great,” Schneider said of his relationship with Macdonald. “When Pete and I first got together, you learn somebody and it’s like a marriage. You try and figure each other out. So, we’re still in that phase. We’re trying to learn each other. But the cool thing is there’s like a real cool clarity with him.”
After moving on from pass-happy offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb, Macdonald sought a proven offensive scheme that worked in Seattle before, when offensive line guru Alex Gibbs and his protégé Tom Cable, first served as offensive line coaches in the early days when Carroll took over as head coach.
New offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak and offensive line coach John Benton fit that mold. Both are disciples of the zone blocking scheme established by Gibbs during the Denver Broncos‘ dominant running games under Mike Shanahan in the 1990s. That means coaching the offensive line to play to the echo of the whistle.
“Sam [Darnold] had a play where he threw the ball to [Eric] Saubert last week, and guys really finished in a strong manner, pushing the pile,” Schneider said. “That’s an effort thing that we haven’t had in a little while. That’s pretty cool to see the emphasis of it. That’s a mentality thing. Mike’s done a good job of that, emphasizing it with his assistant coaches.”
Schneider and Macdonald then brought in a quarterback familiar with that offensive scheme in Darnold, who worked in that offense both in San Francisco with Kubiak and in Minnesota with head coach Kevin O’Connell. After trading Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders to reunite with Carroll, Schneider signed Darnold on a three-year, $100.5 million deal.
“I just believe a quarterback has to play and get those reps,” Schneider said when asked about his reasoning in leaning on more experienced quarterbacks. “So, however they get them, it used to be NFL Europe, but those guys need to play. Nobody comes into the league has their s— totally lit. They need reps. Sam was coached to run the Peyton Manning offense (with the New York Jets) with Adam Gase, but nobody can run that offense but Peyton. Then he goes to Carolina for a year and it’s a s— show, running somewhat of a pro-style system with Frank Reich.
“And he got through that year and then was in San Francisco, and that’s the first time he was in system – meaning the system is we’re going to run the ball. This is how we play-action off it. These are our keys to certain reads.”
Schneider went on to say that Darnold’s preparation and leadership have stood out so far during his time in Seattle.
As far as Macdonald goes, Schneider said the coach has an intensity, clarity but a fun-loving side that makes him able to relate with players. Macdonald is one of the youngest head coaches in the league at 38 years old. And Seattle has one of the youngest rosters in the league, with an average age of 25.8 years old and only eight players 29 or older.
Sam Darnold has statistically been one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks through the first three weeks, ranking eighth in passer rating entering Week 4. (Photo by Jane Gershovich/Getty Images)
The youth movement is by design. That was important to Schneider as Seattle moves forward, having a young roster that can compete long-term for a Super Bowl and managing financially how guys are compensated within the structure of the team’s cap over the next few years.
The Seahawks have always emphasized drafting and developing foundational talent with Schneider as the team’s head personnel man. During the team’s back-to-back Super Bowl appearances, those foundational players were guys like Russell Wilson, Bobby Wagner, Earl Thomas and Russell Okung.
Over the past four drafts, Schneider has drafted 20 starters or solid contributors currently on the team’s roster in the last four years. Players like Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Devon Witherspoon, Kenneth Walker III, Byron Murphy II, Charles Cross and Gray Zabel emerged as the franchise’s new core of players.
And as he did in the past with players like Richard Sherman and Kam Chancellor, Schneider has found some diamonds in the rough like safety Coby Bryant, cornerback Riq Wollen, receiver Jake Bobo and this year’s fifth-round pick Tory Horton, who Kubiak compared to All-Pro receiver Justin Jefferson.
Although Schneider wouldn’t go that far with the electric Horton, who has three total touchdowns in three games this season.
“I don’t see that. It’s not close,” Schneider said, when asked about the comparison. “We were concerned about durability, because he’s a lean-built guy. So, in the offseason, we had to put some meat on him. Durability has always been a concern a little bit, but he’s a savvy route runner, got great hands and is a great kid.
“He’s probably more buttoned up from a route-running ability than Justin in terms of football savviness, but Justin’s a freak.”
The Seahawks selected a quarterback project in the first round this year in Alabama product Jalen Milroe, just the third quarterback selected during Schneider’s 16-year tenure with the team. For now, the plan for Milroe is to serve as the third-string quarterback behind Darnold and backup Drew Lock – with an eye toward developing him for the future.
“He’s a great kid and he works his ass off,” Schneider told me. “He wants to be much better, so we have to work on getting him extra reps in practice. We need to keep doing that. But we want to keep giving him learning opportunities, so he can get in and influence the game. And that will keep giving him confidence and the whole offense as well. Because he can get in the game and freaking rip off a 60-yard run.
“We want to accentuate his skill set, while developing him as a passer – understanding coverages and different defensive schemes.
Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for more than a decade, covering the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him on X at @eric_d_williams.
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