5 Burning Questions For Seattle Seahawks Defense Entering Training Camp

While loaded along the defensive line and at cornerback, the Seahawks aren't without question marks in a revamped defense under new coach Mike Macdonald.

Anchoring a unit with plenty of changes scheme and personnel wise, a healthy Uchenna Nwosu, Jarran Reed, and Devon Witherspoon will lead the defensive charge for the Seahawks. /

Launching an exciting new era for the franchise under the direction of first-time head coach Mike Macdonald, the Seattle Seahawks will begin their push to return to the playoffs when they kick off training camp at the VMAC on Wednesday.

With high expectations within the building as Macdonald takes the reigns succeeding the legendary Pete Carroll, the Seahawks hope pairing the defensive wunderkind with a young nucleus featuring Devon Witherspoon, Boye Mafe, and first-round pick Byron Murphy II coupled with standout veterans such as Leonard Williams and Julian Love will lead to a rapid turnaround for a unit that ranked 25th in scoring defense and 31st against the run last season.

Looking towards the season, here are five key questions Seattle must begin answering on defense as training camp unfolds over the next four weeks:

1. What's the ceiling for a versatile, deep defensive line featuring established veterans and talented young players?

Only a few short years ago, the defensive line stood out as the Seahawks biggest Achilles heel on defense following the exodus of several quality players such as Poona Ford. But general manager John Schneider deserves a ton of credit for not only solidifying that unit through trades and the draft, but transforming it into a major strength seemingly overnight.

Among the biggest perks for Macdonald landing Seattle's coaching job, he inherited a defensive front headlined by Williams and Jarran Reed - who have started 243 combined NFL regular season games between the two of them - as well as athletic interior rusher Dre'Mont Jones. Making the group even better, Schneider and company won the lottery when Murphy, a dynamic prospect many draft experts anticipated would be gone in the first 10 picks in April, fell into their lap at No. 16 overall.

If there's one trait that stands out above the rest in regard to the Seahawks defensive line, it's all about versatility. Though they each weigh north of 300 pounds and primarily play inside as 3-tech defensive tackles, Williams and Reed have logged more than 1,300 snaps apiece covering tackles as big defensive ends and offer the athleticism to move up and down the line. The same can be said for Murphy, who excelled as a nose tackle at Texas and has the juice to play 3-tech or base end, as well as second-year defender Mike Morris and Myles Adams.

Loaded with star power and young upside, Seattle will be counting on the front line to anchor a much improved defense from inside out. But with heightened expectations comes increased pressure, and for the group to live up to the hype, Williams and Reed will have to continue playing at a high level into their 30s, Jones will have to rebound from a pedestrian first year with the team, and Murphy will need to prove himself worthy of a first-round pick by being an immediate disruptor.

In order to help those three objectives happen, the onus will be on Macdonald, defensive coordinator Aden Durde, and the rest of the staff to maximize on the talent at their disposal, particularly from a positional flexibility standpoint. If past track record is an indicator, unlike the past two years where the line seemed to be misused schematically, fans should be excited about the potential of the group with chess pieces such as Williams, Reed, and Murphy poised to shine.

2. How much will the return of Uchenna Nwosu and transition of Jones impact production and consistency off the edge?

Six weeks into last season, the Seahawks looked to have righted the ship in regard to stopping the run. After finishing 30th in rushing defense in 2022, the team ranked in the top five in rushing yards allowed, yards per carry, and fewest 10-plus yard runs allowed through the first five games, demonstrating remarkable improvements from the season prior.

But that unexpected success came to a screeching halt in Week 7 when standout defensive end Uchenna Nwosu tore a pectoral muscle, landing on season-ending injured reserve. Without Darrell Taylor and Derick Hall unable to replace his toughness and physicality in the starting lineup, Seattle unraveled defending opposing running backs, finishing dead last in the NFL over the final 11 games in rushing yards allowed, rushing touchdowns allowed, and explosive runs allowed.

Fast forwarding to a new season, the Seahawks couldn't be happier to see a fully healthy Nwosu back in action, and his return alone should make a huge difference addressing the defense's biggest deficiency. But considering how things played out when he went down, Macdonald understandably has taken a creative approach towards trying to prevent such a letdown from happening again by sliding Jones outside with hopes his presence will immediately help bolster their run defense setting the edge.

Last season, Jones played most of his snaps in the first 10 weeks inside, but Seattle utilized him more as an edge defender in the final two months at north of an 80 percent clip in that span. Though the move didn't ultimately help a self-destructing run defense at the time, the veteran defender did play better overall down the stretch, including increasing his Pass Rush win rate by more than five percent, and Macdonald will be banking on him elevating his game in a more diversified role.

From a pass rushing standpoint, the Seahawks should be fired up about the potential of an edge group that returns all five key contributors from a year ago, including Boye Mafe, who led the team with nine sacks in a breakout 2023 season. But even with Nwosu returning and Jones chipping in more, run defense remains a warranted concern rolling into the season with the same cast of characters and no position group may have more of a burden on their shoulders to help slow down opposing rushing attacks.

3. Will Jerome Baker and/or Tyrel Dodson be able to fill huge shoes left at linebacker?

Following Macdonald's hiring, no position underwent a more substantial overhaul than linebacker, as the Seahawks watched future Hall of Famer Bobby Wagner leave for the second time in three seasons and allowed four-year starter Jordyn Brooks to bolt for the Dolphins in free agency. Quickly replacing them, Schneider inked former Dolphins starter Jerome Baker and ex-Bills reserve Tyrel Dodson to one-year contracts, granting each veteran an audition for a longer term deal.

When healthy, Baker has been a quality starter in Miami, offering the wide array of skills Macdonald requires from inside linebackers in his scheme. The former Ohio State standout has produced three seasons with 100 or more tackles, 22.5 sacks, and five interceptions in six NFL seasons, but he did undergo wrist surgery in January and missed four games last year with a separate ankle injury, creating questions about his durability at 6-2, 225 pounds.

While Baker has started nearly 100 games in the NFL, the same cannot be said for Dodson, who primarily played special teams in Buffalo until an injury to starter Matt Milano thrust him into the lineup in the final 10 games last season. Taking advantage of his first extended starting opportunity, he recorded 74 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and eight tackles for loss, turning that successful stint into a $4.26 million deal with the Seahawks despite having only 15 career starts on his resume.

Tasked with replacing Wagner and Brooks, Baker and Dodson will have to play catchup once training camp opens, as neither participated in OTAs or mandatory minicamp recovering from injuries. Both players landed on the PUP list last week and it remains unclear when they will start practicing, which isn't an ideal scenario with a new defense to learn and new teammates to build chemistry with, leaving Jon Rhattigan, Patrick O'Connell, and rookie Tyrice Knight as the next three in line for reps.

In terms of upside, Baker already has proven himself as a capable starter in the league and Dodson flashed enough in his limited starting action in Buffalo to suggest he has the tools to be an every down linebacker. At the same time, neither comes to Seattle without concerns, and adding injuries on top of it has further clouded the situation without any other linebackers on the roster who have started a single NFL game, making the position a potential problem that bears watching.

Update: Dodson and Baker passed their physicals and will be activated from the PUP list before Wednesday's first practice.

4. Can Devon Witherspoon and Riq Woolen leap from Pro Bowlers to superstardom in Macdonald's scheme?

Hitting home runs in the secondary in the past two drafts, Schneider has landed Rookie of the Year finalists and Pro Bowl cornerbacks in Devon Witherspoon and Riq Woolen, giving the Seahawks a dynamic tandem to build around in the secondary. Only two years ago, Woolen led the NFL with six interceptions as a fifth-round pick out of UTSA, while Witherspoon put up a historic stat line as a rookie last season with three sacks, a pick six, eight tackles for loss, and 16 passes defensed.

As good as Woolen and Witherspoon have already been for Seattle, however, both talented players have room for growth as they enter their third and second NFL seasons respectively. A brand new coaching staff - aside from the exception of returning defensive backs coach Karl Scott - will be entrusted with the responsibility of developing them into foundational superstars.

Entering the league viewed as more of a project after converting from receiver to cornerback midway through his college career, Woolen's ball skills have been his calling card in two NFL seasons. Even with just two interceptions last year, he still had double digit pass breakups and per Pro Football Focus, he ranked in the top 15 among cornerbacks in forced incompletion rate. However, he left a lot of plays on the field, ranking fifth in missed tackle rate (20 percent) and third in dropped interceptions (three), illustrating clear areas of improvement.

Hoping to avoid injuries that cost him three games a year ago, Witherspoon showcased his all-around skill set as a physical run defender, blitzing specialist, and cover corner both on the boundary and in the slot when healthy. But his play bordered on erratic at times, as his penchant for dishing big hits led to more missed tackles than expected and he did allow four touchdowns, including taking the bait on a flea flicker in Detroit. Playing more assignment sound and finishing plays will be the next step towards his potential All-Pro ascent.

Playing in Macdonald's aggressive scheme, Woolen and Witherspoon theoretically should be excellent fits. Woolen's length in press coverage and elite ball hawking skills will be welcomed on the outside as a cornerback who could travel with No. 1 receivers, while Witherspoon's rare blend of pass rushing, tackling, and instincts could make him one of the NFL's most dangerous defensive weapons revolutionizing the slot role. To reach their full potential, they will have to take to coaching, and camp will be a good litmus test to see where they are at heading into a new season

5. Could less be more for Julian Love and a revamped safety group following high-profile departures?

Rebuilding their defense in Macdonald's vision, the Seahawks also underwent a substantial makeover at safety, starting with the decision to jettison high-priced veterans Quandre Diggs and Jamal Adams in March as cap casualties to create financial flexibility. Taking short-term fliers as they did at linebacker, the team inked veterans Rayshawn Jenkins and K'Von Wallace to pair with Pro Bowler Julian Love to give them three defenders capable of playing both safety spots interchangeably.

Taking the mantle as the undisputed leader of Seattle's safety group after leading the team in interceptions a year ago, Love's immense versatility should come in quite handily in Macdonald's defense, which leans heavily on pre-snap disguises and moving defenders all over the formation. Since coming into the NFL out of Notre Dame, per PFF charting, the 27-year old defender has logged at least 500 snaps at both safety spots as well as nickel cornerback, and he could see work at all three spots in a multiple scheme.

Away from Love, Jenkins has been one of the NFL's best kept secrets in terms of quality safety play and will give the Seahawks an ability to mix and match the two players position-wise. In his previous three seasons in Jacksonville, though he never made a Pro Bowl or All-Pro team, he averaged 96 combined tackles per year and stuffed the stat sheet with five picks, two sacks, and three forced fumbles, all while playing at least 250 snaps at both safety spots in each season.

The wild card could be Wallace, as the Ravens deployed three safety sets frequently with Macdonald as defensive coordinator, and the former Clemson standout performed well in stints with the Cardinals and Titans last year as a do it all defender with more than 150 snaps at free and strong safety as well as nickel cornerback. Checking in during sub packages, he could be a Swiss army knife to pair with Love and Jenkins who can line up at any of those positions when called upon.

With a combined cap hit of just north of $13 million between the three players, the Seahawks could get far more bang for their buck after getting out from under Diggs and Adams' massive contracts. But until the new-look group takes the field in game action, it remains to be seen if they will be able to offer the same type of impact as the two former Pro Bowlers did when healthy, and how Love, Jenkins, and Wallace mesh in Macdonald's system will be critical to the turnaround efforts on defense.