2 Seahawks first-stringers in danger of losing starting jobs ahead of 2024 NFL season

The Seattle Seahawks are in a transitionary period as a franchise. Seattle had many good years with Pete Carroll as head coach and Russell Wilson as the team’s starting QB. Wilson has been gone for a few seasons now, but Carroll was finally replaced as head coach earlier this offseason. For the first time in a while, the Seahawks are trying to find a new identity and rebuild their roster.

That said, they aren’t starting from scratch. The Seahawks acquired some good players after the Russell Wilson trade and still have some veterans on the squad who are still capable of contributing.

Seattle also added a ton of talent during this past offseason, including an impressive rookie draft class.

However, nobody is guaranteed a roster spot let alone a place in the starting lineup.

Below, we will discuss two Seahawks starters who could easily lose their place in the starting lineup by early in the regular season. These could even happen by Week 1 or before the end of the preseason.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba is primed to overtake Tyler Lockett on the depth chart in 2024

This may finally be the year for JSN.

The Seahawks made a splash when they drafted WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba with the 20th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. JSN had an incredible collegiate career at Ohio State, logging 1,698 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns in only 23 career games as a Buckeye. Most of those stats came in the 2021 season, where JSN played in 13 games and hauled in 95 catches.

Many thought that JSN would overtake Tyler Locket and immediately become the team’s second best wide receiver in his rookie season. Expectations were high for JSN as a first-round pick and Tyler Lockett’s best years are behind him.

However, that did not come to pass in 2023. There are a number of reasons why.

First, JSN’s early-season injury did not help matters. He underwent surgery for a wrist fracture on August 22nd. He was able to return to play in Week 1, but it was clear that JSN wasn’t himself early on in the season. This is understandable for a rookie who is coming off an injury.

It also didn’t help that Pete Carroll’s offense did not feature JSN in a prominent role. One could argue that is because he didn’t earn that right in his rookie season. Others may say that Carroll was simply sticking with his guys in Metcalf and Lockett. Regardless, it resulted in JSN only putting up 628 yards and four touchdowns in his rookie campaign.

The X-factor in this equation is new head coach Mike Macdonald. He brings a fresh new system to Seattle, which puts him on even ground with the rest of the wide receiver room. It is easy to imagine that Macdonald will want to feature JSN as one of the foundational building blocks of the Seahawks offense.

That doesn’t mean that JSN is a guaranteed superstar. It simply means that it seems likely for him to climb into the WR2 role sooner rather than later.

The question is when, not if, Byron Murphy II supplants Jarran Reed in the Seahawks starting lineup

Seattle is confident that Byron Murphy II is an absolute beast of a defensive lineman. They were so confident that they selected him in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft.

Murphy II had a huge breakout season in 2023 with Texas. He played up and down the defensive line for the Longhorns, from nose tackle to EDGE rusher. He has shown potential as an all-around great player. Murphy II has the frame you need to become a stout run defender in the NFL and he has the motor to succeed as a pass rusher. For a player of his size, it is surprising to hear that quickness is one of his best attributes. That is dangerous for opposing offensive players to deal with, considering Murphy II is 308lbs.

The argument for Murphy II isn’t that complicated at all. Not only is he a hugely talented player, he is Mike Macdonald’s first draft pick as Seahawks head coach. This makes it pretty clear that Macdonald and friends want Murphy II to succeed as quickly as possible.

This is where Jarran Reed comes in. Reed is a solid player who returned to the Seahawks in the twilight years of his professional career. Reed is 31 years old and most of his best football is behind him. He is what some might call a “progress stopper” for a team — someone who is good enough, but not dynamic. He is also clearly not the future.

Jarran Reed might still manage to start the 2024 season as a starter for the Seahawks. However, it is practically guaranteed that he will be overtaken by Byron Murphy II at some point this year.