Seahawks DT Jarran Reed Excited About Versatility on Defensive Line

Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Jarran Reed is excited for Mike Macdonald's defense which will prioritize versatility.

Oct 29, 2023; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks linebacker Boye Mafe (53) celebrates with Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Jarran Reed (90) after Mafe sacked Cleveland Browns quarterback PJ Walker (10) (not pictured) at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports / Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

When the Seattle Seahawks moved on from Pete Carroll for Mike Macdonald, the focus on the defense wasn't likely to change but the approach was bound to. Carroll had been using a four-man front for most of his run as the Seahawks' head coach but only recently switched to a base three-man front.

That switch requires a change in personnel, as they have different responsibilities. Defensive tackle Jarran Reed knows that all too well having played for Carroll when he was using each front.

Oct 22, 2023; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Jarran Reed (90) interacts with the fans during the game against the Arizona Cardinals at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports / Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

After the final practice of OTAs, Reed talked about the defensive line and was excited about the versatility.

“I love it, I think it’s a great change for us. We got a lot of guys that can play a lot of different positions. I’m excited to see where we can go with this. We got to get everybody back, everybody gelling together but I’m excited to see where this defensive line can go.”

- Jarran Reed

The versatility element is great, especially when you look at Leonard Williams and rookie first-round pick Byron Murphy II. Williams has proven that he can be a versatile chess piece across his eight years in the NFL and Murphy, while 3-tech being the best position for his size, played mostly nose tackle at Texas due to his ability to handle double teams.

Reed can also play across the defensive line, allowing Macdonald to have fun with personnel packages. He thinks it will make an impact on how well the defense plays.

“I think that will benefit us a lot. Guys won’t know where we’re going to be at as much, so we can create some confusion along the offensive line. It shows everybody’s versatility and that’s the main thing. Zero, three to four to five, believe it or not it’s all the same thing. A little different body types and speed, but we can work around that.”

- Jarran Reed

The Seahawks will be an entertaining team to watch defensively this season because of the talented defensive front.