Seahawks mailbag: John Schneider’s job security and assessing Mike Macdonald so far

I'd like to start with a big thank you to everyone who submitted a question for this Seattle Seahawks mailbag.

This is a pivotal point in the season for Seattle, which is 4-5 and in last place in the division ahead of a rematch with the rival San Francisco 49ers on Sunday. Many of the questions submitted reflected the short-term and long-term concerns facing the franchise at the moment. So, let's dig in.

Note: Questions have been lightly edited for clarity and brevity.

At what point does ownership look at John Schneider? Scarier question, are the Seahawks on track to looking like Jody Allen's other professional team, the Portland Trail Blazers? — Tyler A.

Ownership has never not been looking at Schneider, I'm sure. But he was basically given the benefit of the doubt in January when ownership decided major change was needed, and now there's no logical reason to offer the same grace if this season continues its current trajectory. This has always been Schneider's roster, but now it's his roster and his coaching staff, neither of which have proven good enough to achieve the stated mission.

It would likely require a massive meltdown like a 5-12 or 6-11 season, coupled with some poor attendance at the final few home games, to seriously consider moving on from Schneider. But however long of a leash he was given last offseason will probably be as short as a hiccup if they don't make the playoffs in 2024.

Once again, the OL is holding this team back. Do you see an offseason path where this line could be improved to at least league average? — James V.

Two things need to happen.

Failure to check both boxes would likely lead to more of the same up front.

(and their season)?

Is it time to give Olu Oluwatimi a chance at center given the recent issues with the Geno Smith / Connor Williams connection? — Freddie R.

I view snapping the ball cleanly the same way I view catching the ball when assessing punt and kickoff returners. If you can't do it consistently, there's zero reason to have you out there. If Williams doesn't bat 1.000 against the 49ers, then it's Oluwatimi time.

What's your opinion of Mike Macdonald's performance so far? Do you see Mike as part of the solution or the problem, or is it still too early to tell? — Nick P.

The core principles of what Macdonald has tried to build are solid: Accountability, adaptability, honest communication, process over results, always repping situational football, emphasizing physicality up front, prioritizing disrupting the quarterback and an overall meritocracy. Those are all good values and beliefs. His problem is that what he's emphasizing isn't coming to fruition, which is what ultimately doomed Pete Carroll. There's no secret sauce to fixing that problem, but I think that's where Macdonald has to be better to prove he was the right hire.

Also, Macdonald created an uphill battle for himself by compiling such an inexperienced, unfamiliar coaching staff. I don't think it's a coincidence that the success stories from the 2024 hiring cycle (Dan Quinn, Jim Harbaugh, Raheem Morris) are the experienced head coaches who have some familiarity on their staffs. Seattle's growing pains were expected, but they're also part of the problem.

If the scheme changed and coaching changed and some of the personnel changed and the Hawks are still mediocre, what else needs to change to see actual improvement? — Miguel M.

Were we better off with Pete Carroll? Why is the defense playing so badly? — James W.

Carroll's philosophy and the visions outlined by offensive and defensive coordinators were not inherently flawed. The issue was the inability to make those visions consistently translate to the games. Every team wants to be physical, fundamentally sound, control the line of scrimmage, win the turnover battle and be great situationally. Macdonald and his guys aren't reinventing the wheel.

It's too early to say whether Seattle would have been "better off" with Carroll, but the only way for Macdonald and his guys to succeed is to get the players to carry out what they're emphasizing during the week, because as far as I can tell, the schemes are fine. I have some minor gripes with Jaxon Smith-Njigba 's usage and the lack of play-action passing, but those things wouldn't feel like such big problems if they were doing everything else better and not committing so many operational mistakes.

If you had to describe the season for the Seahawks so far in one word, what would it be? What would need to happen for you to call this season a success? — Jon W.

Directionless.

In this post- Russell Wilson era, there's always been a disconnect between how Seattle views itself and how the team is viewed externally, but this year seems to be highlighting a disconnect between how Seattle views itself and how it should view itself. Schneider essentially said in January that Carroll was fired because the Seahawks underachieved in 2023, and they want to be a championship-caliber team. But he didn't necessarily do much to put Macdonald in position to achieve that goal. They've taken a roundabout path to being a version of Carroll's last few teams.

Success would be winning the division or at least having a chance to in Week 18. Anything short of that is a failure based on the team's own expectations.

They moved on from Jerome Baker and Tyrel Dodson , both free-agent signings of Schneider and Macdonald. Is this an indictment of Macdonald or Schneider or possibly both? — Rafi H.

What's the plan to replace Dodson? What happened to make him get waived? — Benja K

Dodson and Baker not even making it through the season is a bad look for Schneider. Macdonald had some input toward the end of that scouting process, I'd imagine, but ultimately, it's on Schneider and his staff to identify and sign playmakers. They failed. Baker was arguably a net negative, whereas Dodson was neither good nor bad, just not an impactful player, which is what you need at that position.

Dodson's situation feels similar to what happened with cornerback Tre Flowers in 2021. Flowers was replaced by Sidney Jones, but instead of handcuffing Flowers to the bench, they just waived him and gave him a shot to play elsewhere (he was claimed by the Bengals ). In that situation, they wanted to do right by Flowers. Now, they're trying to do right by Dodson, who was claimed by Miami .

-up means for the Seahawks

We keep hearing the Seahawks "have the talent." So what does "talent" mean to you? It's the NFL . Everyone has talent. — Eric W.

Love this question.

Simple version: How many game-wreckers do you have? During practice weeks, teams put specific jersey numbers on members of the scout team to reflect the opposing players who need to be accounted for on every play. How many of those guys do you have? The answer tells me a lot about how talented your team is. It's a subjective methodology that devalues offensive linemen (because you know where they are every play) and doesn't fully factor in the quarterback, but it's a good way to see how far the Seahawks might be from competing for a championship.

The other problem for Seattle is that the offensive line issues render most of their skill talent meaningless. Geno Smith, Ken Walker III and DK Metcalf can't wreck a game without adequate blocking. All the skill position and defensive talent in the world can't consistently overcome the O-line.

Any indications that Macdonald might be losing the team, or not? — Andrea B.

No. I sense the players genuinely appreciate how he runs the team and feel he knows football at a high level and will put them in position to succeed. On offense, I sense the players feel Ryan Grubb's play calling is adequate — Metcalf's meltdown against San Francisco notwithstanding — and the penalties and other operational issues are about them, not the coaches.

This team also has a lot of fight. Their problems are more about execution than energy, effort or togetherness. You can see elsewhere in Chicago, New York and Jacksonville where that doesn't appear to be the case. Macdonald has buy-in. He just doesn't have a consistently good product. There's reason to believe the former can eventually lead to the latter, even if it takes a season or two.

What are your thoughts on the offensive play calling and Grubb's future should the Seahawks finish the season with a losing record? Is it fair to suggest Grubb might be out of his depth as an NFL play caller? — John W.

What are the chances that the coordinators get fired? — Mitchell S.

Grubb's offense has looked about as I expected, honestly. I'm of the impression it takes time to be a great offensive play caller, which requires establishing an identity. I think time on task is why Darrell Bevell and Brian Schottenheimer were better at it in their first seasons in Seattle than Shane Waldron and Grubb. It's too early to say whether Grubb is out of his depth because I just never expected him to come in and kill it in Year 1, even with all the skill talent he inherited.

There's no magic fix for unreliable offensive line play, and there are a lot of good, experienced defensive minds in this league. Grubb should get another year unless his unit continues to be among the most undisciplined in the league, because the operational stuff is inexcusable.

Firing defensive coordinator Aden Durde wouldn't move the needle for me, since Macdonald calls the plays and runs the show. I don't know whether Durde would be fired, but I don't think that should happen.

Who should we enjoy down the stretch as they won't be a Seahawk next season? — Chris L.

Between price, age and the emergence of Smith-Njigba, it's hard to imagine Tyler Lockett is a Seahawk in 2025, unfortunately. He'll turn 33 in the first month of next season, and his 2025 cap hit is scheduled to be $30.8 million. There's a world where Schneider releases Lockett and re-signs him to a team-friendly deal, but that would require him feeling Lockett's presence and playing time wouldn't stunt the growth and development of other, younger players (which is what doomed Bobby Wagner and K.J. Wright , to a degree).

How would you grade Devon Witherspoon 's season so far? — Jesse L.

Witherspoon is playing well — it's just not resulting in many splash plays, in part because he's not seeing the same sort of targets he did as a rookie. Quarterbacks were sort of recklessly going after him last year, and they've been more calculated this season. Witherspoon's coverage numbers, tackling — Atlanta game notwithstanding — and assignment awareness are all on par with last season. The ball just isn't finding him the way it did last year.

I think that'll change soon, though. The game tends to reward guys like Witherspoon who play assignment-sound football and have a high motor.

Who is the best interview on the team? — Mark I.

Leonard Williams is great. He's not colorful like Griffin twins, comical like Quandre Diggs or introspective like Wagner, but Williams is brutally honest and direct in a way that feels genuine and authentic. And so far, he's been that way in good times and bad, without tearing anyone down in the latter scenario. I've really appreciated that.

(Photo of John Schneider: Steph Chambers / )