Seahawks Free Agent Primer: Can Bruce Irvin Ride Off Into Sunset?

Proving he still can make plays in his mid-30s, Bruce Irvin gave the Seattle Seahawks a midseason jolt after jumping off the couch to return to the field. But would the organization have interest in bringing him back for 2023?

On the heels of a surprising 9-8 season that culminated in an unexpected playoff berth, the Seattle Seahawks have plenty of roster questions to address heading into another important offseason as they continue their quest back to Super Bowl contention.

When the new league year opens on March 15, Seattle will have 23 players scheduled to hit the market as unrestricted free agents. Three players will be restricted free agents and five will be exclusive rights free agents, while several other key veterans such as linebacker Uchenna Nwosu will be entering the final season of their respective deals ready to negotiate extensions.

Over the next several weeks, we'll break down each and every one of the Seahawks' unrestricted free agents by revisiting their 2022 seasons, assessing why they should or should not be re-signed, breaking down an ideal contract and making an early prediction on whether or not the player will return in 2023.

Resurfacing out of nowhere as a surprise starter for Seattle last fall, aging outside linebacker Bruce Irvin once again faces the prospects of retirement after 11 NFL seasons. Will the organization try to bring him back for one more go around?

Season In Review

Unsigned throughout training camp and the preseason, Irvin looked to be heading towards unofficial retirement after playing in six games for the Bears in 2021. However, with the Seahawks struggling to stop the run and losing a couple of players to injured reserve, the team brought the 35-year old veteran in for a workout and signed him to their practice squad. Going from the couch to the starting lineup in a matter of weeks, he wound up playing 400 defensive snaps, his most since 2019 with the Panthers. Logging 10 starts, he amassed 28 tackles, 3.5 sacks, and five tackles for loss, providing much-needed physicality and leadership to a young edge rushing group.

Why Seattle Should Bring Him Back

This is really good team run defense. Shelby Harris holds serve taking double team, while Cody Barton lets Kyle Juszczyk lead him to the play and hammers the lead block before teaming up with Bruce Irvin to make quick tackle on McCaffrey. #Seahawks pic.twitter.com/fHgSSSM9M4

— Corbin K. Smith (@CorbinSmithNFL) December 19, 2022

Beloved in the locker room, it shouldn't come as a surprise youngsters Darrell Taylor and Boye Mafe elevated their respective games after Irvin returned to his old stomping grounds in October. The two players combined to produce 8.5 sacks and 27 pressures following his arrival, but the former first-round pick wasn't simply a coach in uniform either. Vaulting into the lineup in Week 7, Irvin amassed 20 pressures in 11 games, posting a respectable 11 percent pressure rate and 11.4 percent win rate. Showing he still packed a punch, his highlight play of the season came in a Week 8 win over the Giants when he tossed running back Saquon Barkley into quarterback Daniel Jones like a bowling ball striking a pin for a sack, firing up the troops on the sideline and sending the crowd at Lumen Field into a frenzy.

Why Seattle Should Let Him Walk

While Irvin played better than anyone could have anticipated after not participating in an offseason program or training camp, his play expectedly dipped as the season progressed in part due to being overworked as a starter. Opponents began to find success running the ball at him, as his over-aggressiveness got him in trouble at times losing contain, especially in two games against the Rams where they found success with jet sweeps his direction. According to Pro Football Focus, he missed 20 percent of his tackle attempts, the third-worst rate on the team. After producing eight pressures in his first three games, his pass rushing production also took a hit, as he finished with only 12 total pressures in Seattle's last eight games.

Ideal Contract

One year, $1.4 million

Prediction

Still playing with great energy and burst for his age, Irvin proved many doubters wrong last season and his arrival coincided with substantial improvement by Seattle's defense after a rough start. He outplayed all expectations and deserves kudos for the lift he provided the unit. Considering in his leadership intangibles and how much his teammates respect him in addition to his remaining skill, re-signing him on a one-year deal with an abbreviated training camp plan to keep him fresh would make sense.

At the same time, Irvin recently turned 36 years old and though he still can make an impact in a reserve rotational role, the Seahawks expect to have Alton Robinson and Tyreke Smith back from injuries after they missed the entire 2022 season. It's also possible the team could use an early draft pick on another high-upside edge rusher in April and/or sign a younger player in free agency. Another reunion shouldn't be completely ruled out, but if it does happen, he likely won't be signed until sometime after the draft or even into training camp or later when injuries strike.

Previous Seahawks Free Agent Primers

Rashaad Penny | Poona Ford | Austin Blythe | Cody Barton | Geno Smith

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