Seahawks Underrated in NFL Power Rankings Despite 10-Win Season
Despite finishing with a respectable 10-7 record last season, the Seattle Seahawks find themselves surprisingly low in preseason power rankings heading into the 2025 NFL season. Pro Football Focus analyst Thomas Valentine recently placed Seattle 20th in his rankings, sparking debate about whether the team is being unfairly underestimated. This positioning seems particularly questionable considering the Seahawks finished with the same record as the division champion Los Angeles Rams last year and made several notable roster improvements during the offseason.
The most significant change for Seattle this offseason was at quarterback, where they traded veteran Geno Smith to the Raiders and brought in Sam Darnold as his replacement. Valentine suggests this move “likely makes Seattle worse at quarterback,” but the statistics tell a different story. Smith threw for 4,320 yards with 21 touchdowns and 15 interceptions in 2024 – solid numbers, but nothing extraordinary. Darnold, meanwhile, posted remarkably similar yardage (4,319) with the Minnesota Vikings but significantly outperformed Smith with 35 touchdowns against just 12 interceptions. This statistical comparison raises serious questions about Valentine’s assessment that the Seahawks downgraded at the position. If anything, the numbers suggest Darnold might represent an improvement over Smith at this stage of their respective careers.
While the Seahawks did lose star wide receiver D.K. Metcalf this offseason, they’ve made strategic moves to maintain offensive firepower. The acquisition of Cooper Kupp through trade brings a proven, reliable target who already has chemistry with new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak from their time together in Los Angeles. Additionally, the selection of Tory Horton in the draft adds fresh talent to the receiving corps, and there’s significant optimism surrounding third-year receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who appears poised for a breakout season. The offensive line has also been strengthened, giving Darnold better protection than Smith enjoyed last season. Combined with Kubiak’s innovative play-calling, the Seahawks’ offense has the potential to be more dynamic and efficient than in 2024.
Perhaps the most compelling reason for optimism in Seattle is the defensive side of the ball. Valentine acknowledges this strength, noting that the defense “has the potential to be the best in the league in 2025” as head coach Mike Macdonald’s system takes full effect. The unit ranked 14th overall last season but showed significant improvement as players grew more comfortable with Macdonald’s schemes. Seattle’s secondary, in particular, stands out as one of the league’s elite groups. With another offseason to develop within Macdonald’s system and several young defenders expected to take developmental leaps, the defense could indeed reach elite status this season – providing a strong foundation even if the offense experiences growing pains with a new quarterback and coordinator.
The NFC West presents a competitive but navigable path for the Seahawks. Unlike some divisions with clear powerhouses, the West features four relatively evenly matched teams that finished within three games of each other last season. Valentine’s ranking places Seattle below the Arizona Cardinals (ranked 17th) despite the Cardinals finishing last in the division in 2024. This inconsistency further highlights the questionable nature of Seattle’s low ranking. While the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers present formidable challenges, the Seahawks demonstrated last year they can compete with both teams, and their offseason improvements suggest they should remain in contention for the division title.
While the Seahawks may not be among the elite Super Bowl contenders like the Kansas City Chiefs or San Francisco 49ers, placing them 20th in the league seems unnecessarily pessimistic given their roster composition and recent performance. The team maintained a winning record through a transitional season with a new head coach in 2024 and has since made strategic upgrades at several positions. The quarterback change from Smith to Darnold appears lateral at worst based on recent performance, and potentially an improvement if Darnold can maintain his touchdown efficiency from last season. Combined with an ascending defense and improved offensive supporting cast, Seattle appears positioned to compete for a playoff spot and potentially challenge for the NFC West crown. As they prepare for Week 1, the Seahawks have legitimate reason to believe they can prove the doubters wrong and exceed these modest expectations in the 2025 campaign.
