Seahawks 2024 Season Awards: Second-Year EDGE Wins Most Improved Player

It’s been just over two weeks since the Seattle Seahawks concluded their 2024 season. Even though it missed the playoffs, Seattle had multiple players worthy of recognition on a franchise level.

The Seahawks had just one Pro Bowler (cornerback Devon Witherspoon) and were absent from the Associated Press All-Pro teams despite a few players being worthy of recognition.

Our writing staff voted on season awards for the Seahawks on a team level via a ranked-choice system. A first-place vote is worth 10 points, a second-place vote is worth five points and a third-place vote is worth three points.

The awards mirror that of the NFL’s leaguewide awards, with the addition of a Most Improved Player honor. The other awards are: Most Valuable Player, Offensive Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Offensive Rookie of the Year, Defensive Rookie of the Year and Comeback Player of the Year.

First on the list of awards is the Seahawks’ Most Improved Player from the 2024 season. On the final voting tally, the number listed before a player’s name is their total points received and the number in parenthesis is the first-place votes received, if any.

Final voting: 1. 40, EDGE Derick Hall (3); 2. 31, S Coby Bryant (2); T-3. 8, CB Josh Jobe; T-3. 8, WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba; 5. 3, LT Charles Cross

This was one of just two award races where multiple players received two or more first-place votes. Hall and Bryant both had strong cases, as each went from being backups last season to primary contributors or full-time starters by the end of the season.

Hall, a 2023 second-round pick, embarked on a rapid rise in 2024. After having zero sacks as a rookie last season, the former Auburn prospect tallied eight sacks this season in addition to 37 tackles, six tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and a 36-yard scoop-and-score against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 7.

Even when he wasn’t bringing the quarterback down, Hall was consistently pressuring opposing passers, finishing tied for 10th among all edge rushers with 13 quarterback hits. His 45 total pressures tied for fourth among Seattle defenders.

Hall was expected to make at least somewhat of a leap this season, with a fellow Seahawks edge rusher praising the second-year player after recording his first career sack in Week 1.

“He’s hungry. He’s ready to go out there and prove what he can do,” veteran Uchenna Nwosu said of Hall during training camp in late July. “From the offseason training that he’s put in until now, you can see it out there. He’s committed more than ever.”

Perhaps nobody could have anticipated how good he would be in year two, with Boye Mafe and Nwosu expected to lead the edge rusher group. But Nwosu missed 11 games, opening the door for Hall to start 14.

Hall more than doubled his defensive snap count from 2023, finishing with 673 in his second season (308 as a rookie). His pressure rate jumped from just over 8 percent last season to 12.2 percent.

Bryant in second feels fitting considering his evolution as a starting safety. That transition began last season, but Bryant played in just nine games.

Once former starter Rayshawn Jenkins was placed on injured reserve, Bryant started Seattle’s final 11 games en route to by far the best season of his three-year career. Jenkins became the third safety once he returned to the lineup.

In 17 appearances, Bryant finished with 73 tackles, six pass deflections and three interceptions — one of which he returned 69 yards for a touchdown in Week 12. He did have 70 tackles, four forced fumbles and two sacks as a rookie in 2022, but he didn’t display the every-down talent that warranted making him a full-time starter.

Cornerback Josh Jobe and wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba tied for third.

Jobe went undrafted in 2022 and played two seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles before being waived ahead of the 2024 season. Seattle signed Jobe to its practice squad in late August and he ended up playing in 10 games (six starts), totaling 37 tackles, seven pass deflections and an interception. He evolved into the starting outside cornerback opposite Riq Woolen in the latter part of the season.

Smith-Njigba led all Seahawks receivers with 100 catches, 1,130 receiving yards and six touchdowns. His reception total tied Tyler Lockett’s single-season record, set in 2020. Smith-Njigba is firmly in contention for other awards in this series.

Seahawks former first-round left tackle Charles Cross also received one third-place vote.

Hall’s production may jump even further in 2025 if edge rusher Dre’Mont Jones is cut as a result of his massive contract. Seattle’s younger options are producing more and are far cheaper.

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