RENTON, Wash. — Mike Macdonald’s defense is on a mission.

The second-year Seattle Seahawks coach said so on Tuesday afternoon, following his team’s first practice of a shortened minicamp. Perhaps that’s to be expected, considering Seattle returns 10 of 11 starters from a unit that made second-half strides in Macdonald’s debut.

If anything, Macdonald — the 37-year-old defensive wunderkind — might quibble with my wording.

Because is it really his defense, after all?

“You just feel a lot of buy-in from the guys,” said Macdonald, whose Seahawks improved from 30th to 14th in total defense and 25th to 11th in scoring defense in 2024. “It goes to the [100% OTA and minicamp] attendance. The guys were here of their own volition. It’s their defense. You can feel that.

“When you walk into the defensive meeting room, it’s not just me, ‘Blah blah blah blah blah.’ It’s [defensive coordinator Aden Durde] kicking butt. All of our coaches are getting in front of the room. Our players are getting in front of the room, talking about all sorts of different things. It’s just a great spirit they have going on. So it’s a collective buy-in I think you’re experiencing. They’re taking control and taking responsibility for their group.”

That may well be the case. But Macdonald is still responsible for the results.

Remember, his defense featured just two Pro Bowlers (cornerback Devon Witherspoon and defensive lineman Leonard Williams) and zero All-Pro players in 2024. Their talent level, considering the competition, was unexceptional. Plus, they spent just two of 11 draft picks on defensive players, wisely overhauling their offensive options.

This defense is not overflowing with future Hall of Famers. Williams and Witherspoon are cemented standouts. Pass-rushers Boye Mafe and Derick Hall are productive, but not prolific. Cornerback Riq Woolen is an athletic, inconsistent cornerback. Linebackers Ernest Jones IV and Tyrice Knight have yet to start a full season in Seattle. Nose tackle Byron Murphy II is awaiting a breakout. Linebacker Uchenna Nwosu and defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence must prove they can still contribute.

On paper, it’s not a particularly imposing defensive depth chart.

And yet, internally, expectations are enormous. Last week, Jones said: “We’re bought into the goal and the mission, and the goal is to put another banner up in here. I think everybody believes in that and we’re going to show up to work and make sure we do what we have to do to get it done.”

Considering the obvious unknowns surrounding Seattle’s offense — a new coordinator, system, starting quarterback and renowned wide receiver — the Seahawks’ playoff prospects may be tethered to the defense’s ability to dominate.

The belief is that Macdonald’s acumen — Seahawks wide receiver Cooper Kupp referenced “the innovation of guys like Mike who are pushing the boundaries defensively” — will lift all boats.

It better.

Because in Macdonald’s second season, the mission — a playoff appearance, at minimum — remains clear. The Seahawks didn’t separate from Pete Carroll after back-to-back 9-8 seasons (and 137 wins) to then sit still. Macdonald’s 10-7 debut was simultaneously encouraging and unsatisfying.

So, how is Macdonald a better coach in Year 2?

“The guys understand what we’re trying to get done,” he said. “I’m probably communicating it better, the way I’m wording stuff. How we’ve phrased it and messaged it is probably better the second time around. But the expectations were the same last year, honestly.”

While expectations are the same, not everything is. As coach, Macdonald is responsible for firing offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb after a single season and tossing the keys to Klint Kubiak. He’s responsible, along with general manager John Schneider, for stamping the signings of quarterback Sam Darnold and wide receiver Cooper Kupp. He’s responsible for cultivating a winning culture and a dominant defense.

He’s responsible for his own improvement as well.

“I think he’s just more comfortable in how he wants to run our culture, run our scheme. The verbiage of everything is in tune,” Seahawks safety Julian Love said of Macdonald. “Everybody is talking the same talk. He just seems more settled in — more cool, calm. … When he’s talking ball, there’s nobody better than Mike.

“The messaging is just super clear of what our goal is. The main phrase you’ll hear is, ’12 as 1.’ Everything we’re building is off of that. It’s camaraderie. It’s togetherness, looking after your brother next to you. That’s the clear messaging. He’s been super dialed in with that stuff.”

So, sure: it isn’t only Macdonald’s defense.

But its success or failure in an uncertain second season still falls on the Seahawks coach.

“We’re trying to do it together,” Macdonald said. “It’s all these tiny conversations, these incremental gains you’re trying to shoot for every day. You look back year two into the whole process and you feel like we’ve made a lot of progress. But everybody has to push in that direction. That’s how you get progress. It can’t just be me.”

____

©2025 The Seattle Times. Visit seattletimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.