Analysis: Seahawks Must Go All-In on Defensive Line

While the Seahawks' defensive line is not entirely devoid of upside, it's still a glaring weakness that must be improved in a significant manner this offseason. In order to get back into the Super Bowl conversation, general manager John Schneider and company have to be aggressive in their pursuit of a high-end pass rusher.

Super Bowl winners are almost always built in the trenches. Take a trip down memory lane to the Seahawks' last two Super Bowl appearances and you’ll see a dominant defensive line partnered with a solid offensive five. Fast-forward back to the present and you’ll find a Seattle team that has seen its once-feared defensive line vanish and has struggled to piece together a competent, consistent pass rush to pair with its streaky secondary.

While investments have been made in the defensive line over the past two offseasons, the fruits of the Seahawks' labor have yet to shine in full stardom. Darrell Taylor had a fairly impressive pseudo rookie season in which he netted a total of 6.5 sacks and seven tackles for loss, but the rest of Seattle’s defensive line failed to perform at a level anything greater than average. Free agent signings Kerry Hyder and Benson Mayowa finished with a lackluster 2.5 sacks combined. Rasheem Green—arguably the team's best pass rusher in 2021—is slated to be an unrestricted free agent in the upcoming offseason and his future with the team remains unknown.

This brings upon the present scenario: a struggling defensive line with aging veterans and only a handful of young players. With all this being said, what can general manager John Schneider and head coach Pete Carroll do to rejuvenate their pass rush?

There are a handful of options. Firstly, Schneider can opt to go the route of adding proven talent through free agency. With the upcoming free agency class of edges including Chandler Jones, Von Miller and Randy Gregory, there are plenty of options to inject game-changing talent into the roster. 

While Schneider has shied away from signing big-time free agents in the past, it's time to be more aggressive. Gone are the days where the Seahawks could get away by adding minimal talent through free agency. Schneider and Carroll must pursue a proven, noteworthy addition if they choose to go the route of adding pass rush through free agency.

Miller and Jones, although now into the latter stages of their respective careers, have both proven themselves to be just as effective as their early seasons. Miller, after being traded to the Rams, has amounted 7.0 sacks in his last 7 games, as well as 12 tackles for loss. Meanwhile, Jones—long known for his game-crashing presence in matchups with quarterback Russell Wilson and the Seahawks' offense—finished the season with 10.5 sacks, providing consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks.

While it may sound easy to pursue either of the two star edge rushers, projected contracts are likely to land no less than somewhere in the $15 million APY range or higher. However, the Seahawks currently sit within the top-10 in the league in overall cap space. Therefore, they should have no problem matching the highest offer, should Schneider be interested in taking this route.

Of course, the Seahawks aren’t solely limited to free agency to add talent to the defensive line. With six picks in the 2022 NFL Draft, Seattle could opt to take a couple swings at the edge position. But with the lack of a first-round pick, its options are likely to be limited.

As the draft quickly approaches, one name to watch closely is Senior Bowl standout Kingsley Enagbare. Listed at 6-foot-4 and 265 pounds, Enagbare has the raw explosiveness and athleticism that the Seahawks' defensive line desperately lacks. His physical attributes are eerily similar to Taylor, who clocked into the NFL combine at 6-foot-4 and 267 pounds. Although 265 may seem to be on the heavier side for a pass rusher, Enagbare plays as if he were 10-20 pounds lighter, yet he carries the extreme power which helps him bend the corner against tackles with extreme efficiency.

Enagbare has been projected as high as the late first round, but most mock drafts currently have him going somewhere in the middle stages of the second round and even as low as the third round. That makes him a prime candidate for Schneider, who’s drafted 30 Senior Bowl attendees during his tenure in the Pacific Northwest. In Seattle’s 4-3 defensive scheme, Enagbare could play comfortably as a 3-technique or on the edge as a stand-up rusher.

Regardless of the route the Seahawks decide to take, some form of significant investment along the defensive line is crucial this offseason. Whether it be their early round draft picks, trade acquisitions or pursuing big-time free agents, retooling the defensive line is non-negotiable if they hope to compete for a Super Bowl in 2022.