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Seahawk Mailbag: Team MVP, JSN's Place Among The NFL's Elite & More

You had Seahawks questions; we have answers.

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The Seahawks improved to 4-2 with a Week 6 win in Jacksonville, their ninth consecutive road victory dating back to early last season. Next up, a Monday night showdown with the Houston Texans, who are coming off an early bye. But before we turn our attention to that game, it's time once again the open up the mailbag and answer some questions from you, the fans.

As always, thanks to everyone who asked questions this week, and apologies if I wasn't able to get to yours this time around. And remember, the mailbag is always open for submissions at Seahawks.com/mailbag.

@MrEd315 asks, "In your estimation, who is worthy of being team MVP at the one third mark of the season?"

A: I mean, it's got to be Sam Darnold, right? Not that there aren't a lot of players doing great things this season, but when you're playing at a high level at the game's most important position, it's hard to top that when you're making a case for MVP.

After six games, Darnold leads the NFL in yards per attempt (9.6) and yards per completion (13.5), ranks third in passer rating (116.0), third in passing yards (1,541), tied for fifth in touchdowns (11) and tied for sixth in completion percentage (70.8).

Pro Football Focus has Darnold as the league's highest-graded quarterback with a 93.7 grade, while ESPN has him third in their Total QBR metric, just behind Daniel Jones and Dak Prescott. NFL Next Gen Stats, meanwhile, has Darnold as the league leader in completion percentage over expected, and third in expected points added per drop back, barely trailing Jordan Love and Jones.

In other words, if Darnold keeps playing at this level and the Seahawks keep winning, he's going to be talked about as a possible league MVP, not just team MVP.

None of that is to say that Darnold is doing it on his own, by any means. The Seahawks have gotten great performance from so many players on both sides of the ball, including Jaxon Smith-Njigba, the league's leading receiver through six games (more on him below), an offensive line that has done a great job protecting Darnold, and receiver and tight end group that makes contributions in the passing and running game. On defense, the defensive front is one of the best in the NFL, and it's hard to say who is the MVP of that group because so many are playing well, but Leonard Williams, Byron Murphy II, DeMarcus Lawrence, Jarran Reed, Uchenna Nwosu, Boye Mafe, and when healthy, Derick Hall, have all made big contributions. Behind them, Ernest Jones IV has been a rock-solid presence at middle linebacker, and despite all the injuries in the secondary, players like Coby Bryant and Josh Jobe have held things down while the likes of Devon Witherspoon, Julian Love and Riq Woolen have all missed time due to injury.

@fabiangib asks, "The appreciate for JSN I'm seeing on social media is amazing, especially after so many doubted his ability to be a WR1. Is he now in the conversation for the best receiver in the league?

A: I mean, he has to be, right? Smith-Njigba currently leads the NFL in receiving yards with 696, and is tied for fifth in catches with 42.

And he's getting the job done on a consistent basis, having recoded at least 76 yards in every game, with four 100-yard games, while each game has featured a deep reception of 35 or more yards, including a 61-yard touchdown last week.

Perhaps most impressive is that, according to Nex Gen Stats, Smith-Njigba is leading the NFL in yards per route run at 4.6, nearly a full yard head of second-place Puka Nacua (3.7). That's not only the best yards-per-route-run average this season, it would be the best in the Nex Gen Era (2016) if he keeps it up for full season, besting Tyreek Hill's 2020 season in which he averaged 4.0 yards per route run.

So yeah, I'm not sure how Smith-Njigba isn't in the conversation as being one of the best, if not the best, receiver in the NFL.

@chuchitorv says, "Ask Nwosu what he thinks of the pic where he is dominating Trevor Lawrence?

A: Haha, I have not run into Nwosu since that photo started circulating, but he seems to like it enough that he shared it on Instagram with the caption: "You gone fall off many times, it's about how you bounce back."

For those who missed the outstanding picture captured by Associated Press photographer Phelan M. Ebenhack, here it is:

And while we're on the topic of Nwosu, it's worth pointing out how big his return has been for the Seahawks. After injuries limited Nwosu to 12 games over the past two seasons, his 2025 season got off to a delayed start as he made his way back from offseason knee surgery. But since making his return in Week 2, Nwosu has seen his playing time, and production, increase each week, and he's starting to look a heck of a lot like the player who was, as a free-agent addition in 2022, one Seattle's best defensive players.

Through five games, Nwosu is up to 4.0 sacks, second on the team behind Byron Murphy II, and the most he has had in a season since he had 9.5 in his last healthy season in 2022. Nwosu's seven quarterback hits are third on the team, and his presence has been even more important in recent weeks as the Seahawks have dealt with injuries at outside linebacker. All of that is to say that, yes, that's a really cool photo, but lets also remember to talk about how big Nwosu's return has been for Seattle's defense.

@marrsman.bsky.social asks, "Drake Thomas had nine tackles, including a sack, against the Jags. He has been an excellent special teams guys, but is he becoming a starter on defense?

A: Thomas has indeed been playing very well, which is how he has earned himself a starting job in recent weeks. We don't know yet if that change will be a permanent one, but there's no question he has taken over that role as of now. Thomas started for the first time in Week 4, splitting time with Tyrice Knight, but by Sunday, Thomas' third straight start, he was on the field for 70 of 76 defensive snaps. That could change depending on matchups, but there's no doubting that Thomas has carved out a big role on defense after already establishing himself on special teams.

And if you haven't seen it already, check out the end zone angle of Thomas' sack on Sunday. For a smaller linebacker better known for using his speed and athleticism to make play, he shows a lot of power in tossing a tackle aside to get a free run at Trevor Lawrence.

@JaxSM04 asks, "Would you expect any trades to happen before the deadline, or do you think they like what they have for this season?"

A: To me, those two things aren't mutually exclusive.

Will the Seahawks be working the phones to see what's out there? Of course, that's part of being a good front office. But if they don't make the trade, they'll still go into the rest of the season really excited about what is already on the roster.

History tells us the Seahawks very well could be active at the deadline. Some of general manager and president of football operations John Schneider's best trades have been deadline additions, including Marshawn Lynch, Quandre Diggs, Duane Brown and Leonard Williams, but as always, the right combination of fit and trade value have to be there. And again, there's a lot to like about the Seahawks' current roster and the way that they are playing, so if no move is out there that makes sense to Schneider or company, I hardly feel like they'll be disappointed by their situation moving forward.

@ThatWiiMaster asks, "Is it fair to think that the Seahawks could have an advantage playing at 7 p.m. pacific time vs. a team from the central time zone. In a way, is it the reverse of what West Coast teams have to deal with for 10 a.m. starts?"

A: That could definitely be a benefit for the Seahawks seeing as kickoff will be at 9 p.m. to the Texans players' body clocks, but then again, a perceived disadvantage doesn't always turn out to be an actual one once the game gets going. The Seahawks are a great example of this, having enjoyed so much success in games that kick off at 10 a.m. PT when they travel east. And we're talking about some of the best athletes in the world, most of whom are still in their 20s, so it's not like staying up until midnight is too extreme of an ask.

Go behind the scenes with team photographer Rod Mar as he shares moments from the Seahawks' Week 6 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.

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