Mike Vorel: After Seahawks roster cuts, path to NFL playoffs appears realistic

SEATTLE — The Seahawks made cuts.

I’ve got questions.

I’ve also got optimism, as Seattle enters coach Mike Macdonald’s second season with fresh faces at offensive coordinator, quarterback and more. Despite a lack of star power, the Seahawks appear primed to build on Macdonald’s 10-7 debut, with the bedrock being an experienced and increasingly confident defense. In an outwardly winnable NFC West, there’s also a realistic path to Seattle’s first playoff appearance since 2022.

If, that is, the Seahawks convincingly answer the following 12 questions.

First, which version of quarterback Sam Darnold will the Seahawks see? (1) There’s the version who was declared a draft dud, with a 21-35 record as a starter in seven seasons and three separate cities. There’s the version who reclaimed his career last season in Minnesota, exploding for 4,153 passing yards with 35 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in his first 16 games. There’s the version who disintegrated down the stretch, throwing a single touchdown pass while taking 11 sacks in back-to-back losses to abruptly end his Vikings tenure.

And, of course, there’s the version Darnold has yet to unveil — the decisive decision-maker and playmaker who manages pressure and minimizes mistakes. That’s the ideal version of the 28-year-old former No. 3 overall pick.

Of course, every quarterback needs a capable supporting cast. Can Kenneth Walker III become the dependable feature back the Seahawks thought they drafted in 2022? (2) Or is steady third-year rusher Zach Charbonnet better suited to become Seattle’s starter? (3)

Also, is it possible a wide receiver corps that lost DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett last offseason has actually improved? (4) That likely depends on Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s continued ascent, rookie Tory Horton’s health and readiness … and how much 32-year-old homecoming king Cooper Kupp has left in the tank.

Considering Horton’s ankle issue, Jake Bobo’s concussion and the Seahawks’ decision to release veteran Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Seattle is somewhat unsettled at receiver to open the season.

But speaking of addition by subtraction (and addition): Can AJ Barner and Elijah Arroyo form one of the NFL’s most intriguing tight-end tandems? (5)

The Seahawks’ release of starter Noah Fant doubled as a vote of confidence for both Barner and Arroyo, who will be featured plenty in offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak’s scheme. But what Barner (who contributed 245 receiving yards and four touchdowns as a rookie in 2024) and Arroyo (whose college career at Miami was mired by injuries) offer in potential, they lack in sustained NFL production.

Perhaps the most pressing question: Is the Seahawks offensive line as good as it looked in the preseason? (6)

The answer depends, in part, on the continued health of tackles Charles Cross and Abraham Lucas, the seasoning of first-round rookie left guard Grey Zabel, the reclamation of right guard Anthony Bradford and the solidification of Jalen Sundell (or Olu Oluwatimi, if Sundell stumbles) as the starting center.

It also depends on how much coaching and scheme actually matters. We’ll see soon enough.

Of course, Seahawks fans aren’t expecting an oft-embarrassing offensive line to magically rediscover its dominance from two decades ago. Just be a little better. Baby steps would suffice.

Plus, given Seattle’s defense, baby steps might be enough.

But is this the defense that allowed 139.4 rushing yards per game before the bye last fall, or 95.1 yards per game after? (7) That hinges on the health and availability of inside linebackers Ernest Jones IV and Tyrice Knight, given the Seahawks’ concerning shortage of other options. It’s also affected by the presence of renowned run-stuffer DeMarcus Lawrence, who must prove he’s still productive at age 33.

On the subject of aging standouts: Can 31-year-old defensive tackle Leonard Williams be the terror he was in 2024? (8) After corralling a career-high 16 tackles for loss, along with 11 sacks and a 92-yard pick-six, “Big Cat” will be counted on to be a dominant disrupter once again.

Of course, an interior lineman alone can’t carry an entire pass rush. So, can second-year defensive tackle Byron Murphy II (two tackles for loss and 0.5 sacks in 2024) and edges Boye Mafe (six sacks) and Derick Hall (eight sacks) reach another level? (9) Though the Seahawks tied for eighth in the NFL with 45 sacks last season, it’s unclear if that core is capable of more.

Likewise, the Seahawks secondary has an opportunity to excel, headed by cornerback Devon Witherspoon and safety Julian Love. But after nabbing six interceptions and a Pro Bowl berth as a blazing rookie, then being maddeningly inconsistent in the two seasons since, is cornerback Riq Woolen a building block or a weak link? (10)

And, as for the current rookie class, can quarterback Jalen Milroe and defensive back Nick Emmanwori be X-factors on both sides of the ball? (11) On Monday, Macdonald teased that “we’re going to have plays for Jalen [Milroe] in the game plans, and he’s going to rep those with the ones.”

It’s possible Macdonald is simply misdirecting Seattle’s future foes, and the electric Milroe is little more than a developmental third-string quarterback. But it’s also tantalizing to consider the 6-foot-2, 216-pound rookie’s potential impact as a short-yardage and red-zone trump card for Kubiak.

Will the answers to these questions lead to postseason play? (12)

I’m optimistic. Soon enough, the Seahawks will have their say.

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