3 Best Coaching Options to Maximize Seahawks' Geno Smith in 2024

The Seattle Seahawks have reportedly moved on to the second stage of their head-coaching hiring process.

NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported on Sunday that five candidates are known to have second interviews with the NFC West team.

Four of those candidates, including former Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, are defensive-minded coaches.

New York Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka was the only offensive-minded name mentioned by Pelissero.

Of course, the Seahawks can expand their field of candidates to more offense-first coaches, but some of the best ones available are coveted by every team with an opening and have conference championship games to play for.

Seattle needs to dig deep into the list of offensive candidates so that it can get the best out of Geno Smith and his long list of offensive weapons in 2024 and beyond to get back to contending for the NFC West crown alongside the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers.

Ben Johnson

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CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - DECEMBER 10: Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and head coach Dan Campbell of the Detroit Lions look on prior to the game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on December 10, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

Ben Johnson appears to be the No. 1 offensive coordinator on the head coaching market.

Johnson interviewed with a handful of teams so far and he seems likely to land a job once the Lions finish their postseason run.

Johnson is a wanted candidate because of how he transformed the Jared Goff-led offense into one of the best in the NFL.

The Lions started from scratch with Goff when he was included in the Matthew Stafford, but since then, he has turned into one of the league's top passers with help from Johnson.

Teams with young quarterbacks, or ones about to draft a new signal-caller, may be at the front of Johnson's list because he might get to choose who he can work with.

However, Seattle's offense could be fascinating for him as well. Smith has three star wide outs to work with in DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett and Jaxon Smith-Njigba and a solid running back tandem in Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet.

Seattle is more equipped to contend for a playoff spot than most teams with a head coach opening, and if Johnson could unlock Smith's qualities a bit more, the Seahawks could have an offense that mirrors the Lions and get back into the playoffs in 2024.

Bobby Slowik

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ATLANTA, GA OCTOBER 08: Houston quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) talks with offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik during the NFL game between the Houston Texans and the Atlanta Falcons on October 8th, 2023 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Bobby Slowik's quick transformation of the Houston Texans offense with C.J. Stroud at the helm made him one of the top head coaching candidates.

The Seahawks should be more familiar with how Slowik runs an offense because is a descendent of the San Francisco 49ers coaching tree.

Mike McDaniel and DeMeco Ryans earned head coach jobs from the 49ers tree in the last two cycles and immediately turned their teams into contenders in the AFC.

Slowik has the potential to do the same with a playoff-ready roster in Seattle.

Smith is not at the level of Stroud or Tua Tagovailoa in Miami, who McDaniel was paired with, but he does have an abundance of dynamic playmakers around him.

Slowik's offense helped turn Nico Collins into a star No. 1 wide out. He does not have to put in that extra effort to make Metcalf, Lockett and Smith-Njigba top players at their position.

A ready-made offense could make for the ideal fit for Slowik since he was a first-time offensive coordinator in 2023 and would have to build a veteran staff around him.

Eric Bieniemy

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LANDOVER, MARYLAND - DECEMBER 31: Offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy of the Washington Commanders looks on prior to a game against the San Francisco 49ers FedExField on December 31, 2023 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)

Eric Bieniemy has not been mentioned at the front of the coaching cycle, like he has been in previous seasons.

Bieniemy's Washington Commanders offense was not great in 2023, but that does not take away from what he achieved with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Bieniemy helped develop Patrick Mahomes into a Super Bowl-winning quarterback and he comes with a ton of experience at the coordinator level.

The time spent under Andy Reid and Ron Rivera helped Bieniemy learn what it takes to be a head coach and he could be a better fit with a playoff-ready team than a young upstart coordinator who would want to build from scratch.

Seattle could be intriguing by the younger coordinators because of their recent successes, but it might be better off with a veteran coordinator who will experience fewer growing pains in his first season.