Seahawks 2024 NFL Schedule Released for Macdonald's 1st Year After Pete Carroll Exit

After missing the playoffs last year, the Seattle Seahawks are looking to improve as they enter a new era under head coach Mike Macdonald.

Quarterback Geno Smith, who had an outstanding year in 2022 but took steps back in 2023, will be back under center for the Seahawks this season and is looking to lead his team back to the postseason.

Seattle also re-signed key players like defensive tackle Leonard Williams, tight end Noah Fant and a few other names. Without any major trades or signing, the Seahawks will be running it back with a familiar group, but that same group proved playoff-capable in 2022.

Macdonald, who took over for Pete Carroll after he spent 14 years at the helm, has big shoes to fill, but a playoff appearance in his first season would be an outstanding start.

Here's a look at who Seattle will face as it looks to improve its record and get back to the postseason in 2024.

2024 Seattle Seahawks Schedule

Full schedule information available on the team's official website.

Analysis

With few major offseason moves, Seattle will count on better play from its returners in 2024 for improvement and a playoff run.

Smith had 3,624 passing yards, 20 touchdowns and nine interceptions in 2023, a year after a career-best season that saw him notch 4,282 passing yards, 30 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. If Smith can return to his 2022 form, that's an immediate improvement for the Seahawks.

Wide receiver DK Metcalf saw slight improvement in 2023 with 1,114 receiving yards and eight touchdowns, and if he continues on a positive trajectory this year it will give Smith and the offense a boost.

Seattle will also be looking for a big year from veteran receiver Tyler Lockett, who had 894 receiving yards in 2023, which was his lowest mark since 2017.

Running back Kenneth Walker III is still gaining his footing in the league, and if he can make a third-year leap in 2024, he could be a vital contributor to a playoff run.

The biggest area of improvement for Seattle needs to be its defense, which gave up the third-most yards per game and the eighth-most total touchdowns in 2023. Adding a linebacker pairing of Tyrel Dodson and Jerome Baker along with safety Rayshawn Jenkins in free agency helps, but the Seahawks also lost a handful of key defenders in free agency.

It's hard to imagine the Seahawks will be able to compete for a division title this season, and they very well could finish last in the NFC West given the caliber in the division. The San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams should have similar success in 2024, and the Arizona Cardinals could make a leap and become a playoff contender.

Pivotal Matchups

All of the Seahawks' divisional matchups will be important in 2024 as they look to compete for a potential NFC West crown.

The most winnable of those divisional games will be against Arizona. If Seattle can handle both of its matchups with the Cardinals, it could lose games to the 49ers and Rams while still staying in the race for a divisional title.

The Seahawks won both of their matchups with the Cardinals a year ago, but lost both matchups against the 49ers and the Rams. Those four losses last year could serve as motivation as Seattle looks to steal a game or two against the divisional leaders from last season.

But a divisional title is a bit of a stretch for the Seahawks, so a more realistic goal is just reaching the playoffs. To reach the postseason, games against fringe playoff teams need to be won and the Seahawks will need to pull off a few upsets.

Seattle should handle its matchups with the New York Giants, Chicago Bears, Denver Broncos and Cardinals, but from there it has a handful of challenging matchups.

The Green Bay Packers will be a pivotal matchup for the Seahawks this season. Last year, the Packers beat out Seattle for the final playoff spot in the NFC, and it could come down to those two teams again this year. The matchup with the Packers could be the difference between a playoff appearance and an early ending to the season.

The Minnesota Vikings and Atlanta Falcons will likely be in a similar position as the Seahawks as a borderline playoff team, so winning those games could be huge for Seattle's playoff chances.

The Seahawks' schedule is by no means easy, but it is certainly manageable. If Seattle can handle some manageable opponents while stealing some big wins over contenders, it could reach the 10-win mark for the first time since 2020.