Barnwell: Seattle Seahawks playmakers have upside, questions

ESPN writer Bill Barnwell ranked the Seattle Seahawks' collective group of offensive playmakers (wide receivers, running backs, and tight ends) at No. 19 out of 32 NFL teams in his annual rankings. This placement reflects significant uncertainty surrounding the Seahawks' overhauled offense.

During an appearance on Seattle Sports, Barnwell explained that the middle-of-the-pack ranking signifies a skill-position group featuring both upside and question marks. He characterized his view as "hopeful, but also skeptical," which aligns with the 19th-place finish.

A major source of the hope and skepticism is wide receiver Cooper Kupp, signed by Seattle after they traded DK Metcalf. While Kupp had an elite career with the Rams, including a historic 1,947-yard season in 2021 (second-most in NFL history), injuries have limited him to only 33 games over the past three seasons. His per-game receiving average has also dropped significantly, from 90.2 yards in 2022 to 61.4 in 2023 and 59.2 in 2024, among the lowest of his career. Barnwell noted Kupp was elite very recently but finds it hard to gauge his current level due to persistent injuries.