The Argument For and Against Seahawks Drafting Duane Brown's Replacement in 2021

Potentially facing an incoming reality without Duane Brown, should the Seahawks strongly consider selecting a left tackle in the 2021 NFL Draft?

The Seahawks have always been a hard team to nail down for the draft, but perhaps no more than in 2021. Currently boasting just three picks in the late April event, it’s impossible to tell what their plan of attack will be. They have a few clear needs including center, cornerback, and slot receiver, but purely drafting for immediate need is not always the best strategy, especially when you have just one selection in the top-100.

It’s not like the Seahawks have been one to take the most obvious course of action in the draft either. Often subverting the expectations of fans and pundits alike, they tend to leave jaws dropped to the floor with their first selection or two each year, for better or worse. As you look along their roster, it’s clear this could happen again, and the mind begins to race with outlandish scenarios and questions, such as...

Jamal Adams and Quandre Diggs are still set to become free agents in 2022; could they draft a safety? 

They’ve recently shown interest in the free agent running back market, but would they dare take another ball carrier? 

Is the reported feud with Russell Wilson truly over, or would they entertain drafting a quarterback if someone like Kyle Trask or Kellen Mond are available? 

What about another linebacker, particularly someone that can play the SAM role in 2021? 

While I think the last scenario in particular is very much possible, left tackle, to me, is their most underrated need and a place I could certainly envision them addressing early on to the surprise of many. They may be set at each tackle position for the 2021 season with Duane Brown on the left side and Brandon Shell on the right, but pending an extension, both are staring down unrestricted free agency a year from now. In fact, Brown, set to play at the age of 36 in 2021, may be entering the final season of what will become a 14-year career this fall.

Getting his potential replacement a year in advance rather than waiting to possibly scramble for a solution next spring should be enticing to them. Holding out for an answer on Brown’s future could prove costly if he does depart next year, and supplemental options are going to be limited - and expensive - on the free agent market. Here’s a look at the 2022 class of free agent left tackles:

PLAYER	TEAM	2022 AGE	2020 PFF OVERALL GRADE	2020 PASS BLOCK GRADE	2020 RUN BLOCK GRADE
Duane Brown	SEA	36	87.3	84.0	81.7
Cam Robinson	JAX	26	61.7	66.4	53.8
Charles Leno Jr.	CHI	30	74.6	69.4	74.5
Terron Armstead	NO	30	86.3	87.1	77.5
Riley Reiff	CIN	33	71.4	74.9	60.8
Julie'n Davenport	IND	27	71.3	87.6	55.9

Next year's draft is expected to be fairly deep in the left tackle department, but the Seahawks will once again be without a first-round selection barring an unexpected trade. Assuming their draft capital situation remains fairly the same, this makes their chances of landing Brown's heir apparent all the more uncertain. 

Taking all of the above into consideration, it would appear finding a left tackle this year is more imperative than meets the eye. But what if Brown decides to keep playing beyond 2021? As the listed grades indicate, he's shown no signs of slowing down even at this late stage in his career. After injuries plagued him in 2019, he came back strong the following season and appeared in every game for the Seahawks.

Depending on what happens this fall, Brown could very well continue to play if he so desires. If he does, it's hard to imagine that being anywhere but Seattle. 

Even if the Seahawks were to draft a tackle with the thought of replacing Brown but the veteran opts to keep playing, they wouldn't necessarily be at a loss. Keep in mind that Shell, as mentioned, is also a free agent next year. While this would ultimately hinge upon the type of prospect they wind up with at the end of this month, putting them at right tackle would still, essentially, fill a need. 

Making such a pick would be quite the bullet to bite, however. In this scenario, they'd be using one of their two valuable picks on a player intended to play zero offensive snaps for them in 2021. That would be a tough sell when they have more immediate needs at several deep position classes and very few selections to address them with.

But this upcoming class of left tackles is equally rich in talent, causing a definite fear of missing out. If a prospect like Notre Dame's Liam Eichenberg or Alabama's Alex Leatherwood were to fall to them at No. 56 or wherever they end up picking first, it'll be hard to pass up the opportunity to lock down a difference-maker at a premier position. 

They could also wait until their second pick, currently slotted in the fourth round, and still be able to find an upside play to stash behind Brown and Shell for the year. Although it's a long shot, perhaps that ends up being someone like Stanford's Walker Little—a talented tackle who's seen his draft stock dive after tearing his ACL in 2019 and opting out of the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Whoever their options may be at the time, left tackle - or a tackle in general - needs to be given more consideration when previewing the Seahawks' draft. Though such a pick certainly has its cons, there's a grand opportunity for them to check off a potentially massive item from their future to-do list before it even becomes an issue. And with the least valuable draft capital in the league, there may be no better time to swing for the fences.