Ranking Seahawks Defensive Free Agents; Who’s No. 1?

With personnel questions left to address in a 3-4 scheme, tough decisions await the Seattle Seahawks as they try to figure out which defensive free agents will be back in the fold in 2023.

Less than a week after their season ended in a wild card loss to the San Francisco 49ers, the Seattle Seahawks have jumped head-first into the offseason, already re-signing veteran kicker Jason Myers to a four-year deal on Wednesday.

Overall, the Seahawks have 32 pending free agents on their roster at the moment, with 24 of those players set to be unrestricted free agents in mid-March. General manager John Schneider and coach Pete Carroll will have plenty of decisions to make on defense with 16 free agents on that side of the football alone.

Here's a look at all 16 pending defensive free agents ranked in terms of talent, positional importance, potential cost, and priority for the Seahawks to re-sign.

1. Ryan Neal

With Jamal Adams coming off of a severe knee injury and questions persisting about when he will be ready to return to the field, handing a second-round restricted free agent tender to Neal should be one of the franchise's easiest decisions to make this spring. Deservedly receiving 12 points in All-Pro balloting, he finished with 66 tackles, a sack, an interception, two forced fumbles, four tackles for loss, and six pass breakups in only 14 games. Even at a price tag north of $4 million, that investment should be well worth it with the versatile safety likely seeing extensive defensive snaps alongside Adams and Quandre Diggs and providing premium insurance.

2. Cody Barton

If Jordyn Brooks wouldn't have torn his ACL last month and recently underwent surgery, Barton may not have been as high of a priority for the Seahawks to re-sign. However, with Brooks likely out for the start of the 2023 season and limited starting experience on the roster at linebacker, bringing the former third-round pick out of Utah back on a one or two-year deal should be at the top of the team's offseason checklist. After showing improvements defending the run and playing coverage in the second half of his first season as a starter, he should be affordable to retain.

Playing in all 17 games, Poona Ford didn't have his best statistical season as a Seahawk while adjusting to a new defense / © Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

3. Poona Ford

Struggling to adapt to a new hybrid 3-4 scheme, Ford wasn't quite as disruptive as he had been in his first four seasons with the Seahawks, producing only 35 combined tackles in 17 games and receiving a career-low 56.6 grade from Pro Football Focus. With that said, he did post a career-high in sacks and performed better in the final month and change when he saw more action lined up as a nose tackle. Only 27 years old, Seattle will have to determine if he's still a good fit scheme-wise, but the team should want him back with hopes he will rebound some in 2023.

4. Mike Jackson

Just 26 years old, Jackson enjoyed a career year in 2022 for the Seahawks, producing a quality stat line with 75 tackles, 11 pass breakups, and a blocked field goal returned for a touchdown. His overall coverage numbers were average at best, as he allowed 593 receiving yards and three touchdowns on 85 targets with opposing quarterbacks posting a 90.0 passer rating targeting him. While he shouldn't go into next season as an undisputed starter at left cornerback, he should have ample room to improve and will be an easy choice to tender as an exclusive rights free agent.

5. Myles Adams

Like Jackson, Adams will be affordable to retain as an exclusive rights free agent. Despite only being 300 pounds and a bit undersized for a 3-4 scheme, the former Rice standout plays with great effort and leverage, allowing him to hold up at the point of attack effectively. Improving as the season progressed, he proved to be disruptive lining up in multiple alignments up front and should be poised to battle for a more extensive role in Seattle's defensive line rotation next season.

6. Tanner Muse

A converted safety, the Seahawks threw Muse into the fire at linebacker after Brooks went down late in the season and he earned his stripes, amassing 13 tackles and two pass breakups in the team's final four games. While the team may look towards free agency and/or the draft for a plug and play starter, the former Clemson star performed well enough to end the year that he should be given an opportunity to compete for a starting job while Brooks is sidelined.

7. Johnathan Abram

Bouncing around with three different teams in 2022, Abram ended a disappointing season on a decent note starting Seattle's final two regular season games. At this stage, he doesn't look to be a starter-caliber player despite his first-round pedigree, but his experience as a hard-hitting box safety and special teams stalwart would make him a quality insurance piece to have in tow in case Adams isn't ready for the start of next season or battles further injuries.

8. Jon Rhattigan

Missing a large chunk of last season recovering from a torn ACL, Rhattigan remains a favorite of Carroll and the coaching staff. While he will be a key cog on special teams once again, with a full offseason program to get stronger, the former All-American from Army might be a dark horse to watch in the competition to fill in for Brooks on defense next summer.

Pete Carroll turned to Bruce Irvin to not only mentor young Seahawks, but also surprisingly play a starting role on his defense in 2022 / © Joe Nicholson, USA TODAY

9. Bruce Irvin

Jumping off the couch to become a surprise starter for the Seahawks midway through the 2022 season, Irvin deserves a ton of credit for playing better than anyone could have expected. But even after posting 3.5 sacks and nine quarterback hits while providing valuable veteran leadership, with him set to turn 36 years old next year, the team should be looking for younger alternatives with more upside to add a jolt to their inconsistent pass rush.

10. Teez Tabor

Logging 102 defensive snaps in seven games for Seattle, Tabor showcased his versatility and prior cornerback background playing in nickel and dime sets while playing a bit of special teams. At a veteran minimum contract, he could be worth bringing back to compete in training camp, but it will be tough sledding making the roster.

11. Artie Burns

Early in training camp last August, Burns looked poised to start for the Seahawks, only to suffer a groin injury that ultimately derailed his season. Once he returned, rookie Tariq Woolen and Jackson had secured both starting jobs and he ultimately dressed for three games total, playing 16 defensive snaps. Since he's still only 27 years old, it's not impossible he could be brought back, but he may want a fresh start elsewhere.

12. Justin Coleman

Formerly a standout slot corner for Seattle, Coleman started in the team's opener, only for rookie Coby Bryant to snatch the job from him. Relegated to special teams duty, he played nine defensive snaps in the final 16 games. Though the staff loves him, even if re-signed, he will have a difficult time sticking around in camp.

13. Josh Jones

Coming out of nowhere to thrive in camp, Jones arguably was Seattle's defensive MVP in August. But once the real bullets started flying and he replaced Adams in the starting lineup, he struggled with missed tackles and blown coverage assignments, leading to his benching in favor of Neal in Week 5. His versatility could warrant another look, but the team has enough young depth at this point that he won't be a priority to re-sign.

With only three sacks in four NFL seasons, L.J. Collier and the Seahawks are primed to split up

14. L.J. Collier

One of the biggest first round busts in franchise history, Collier ended a dismal run in Seattle with another lackluster season, producing seven tackles, three quarterback pressures, and no sacks in eight games. Unable to carve out much of a role in the team's defensive line rotation for a second straight season, it's time for both sides to move on.

15. Darryl Johnson

Claimed off waivers from the Panthers, Johnson replaced Darrell Taylor in the starting lineup and impressed with stout run defense setting the edge. Unfortunately, a broken foot landed him on injured reserve after just three games and he missed the remainder of the season. He will be cheap to re-sign if the Seahawks eventually want to bring him back, but they'll likely look elsewhere for depth first.

16. Xavier Crawford

Added early in the regular season as a special teams reinforcement, Crawford pitched in a pair of tackles and narrowly missed out on a blocked punt in six games for the Seahawks. He could be brought back as a camp body at cornerback and his special teams ability gives him a chance to wind up back on the practice squad next fall.

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