Seattle Seahawks Safety Julian Love Quietly Having Another Pro Bowl-Caliber Season

With much of the Seahawks team under criticism, safety Julian Love is still playing at a high level.

Sep 8, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks safety Julian Love (20) celebrates after making a tackle against the Denver Broncos during the third quarter at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images / Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

The Seahawks sit at 4-5 coming off of their bye week. Their defense ranks 23rd in scoring and 25th in total yards allowed.

That doesn't appear to be Julian Love's fault, who is still playing at a high level., however.

Ahead of the 2023 season, the Seahawks signed Julian Love to a free agent deal to shore up the safety spot with the uncertainty surrounding Jamal Adams. After a rocky start to his Seattle career, he finished strong.

He made some key plays down the stretch that led to two Seahawks wins. First, his pick against the Cleveland Browns late led to Seattle's touchdown drive that eventually won the game. Against the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night Football, he picked off Jalen Hurts twice. Both picks came in the fourth quarter. The second takeaway sealed the win as Hurts tried a Hail Mary into the endzone with six seconds left. All that, right before becoming a dad no less.

Love ended last year leading the team with four interceptions, second on the team with 123 tackles, and third in pass breakups with 10. That newfound "dad strength" down the stretch earned himself his first career Pro Bowl nod. Per Pro Football Focus, he earned an overall grade of 72.8. His 80.4 coverage grade was 11th-best among safeties last season.

This season, through nine games, he looks as good if not better. First off, his current 76.9 PFF grade would be a new career high. His run defense looks improved as well, with the ninth-best run defense grade among qualified safeties.

In the passing game, Love has faced 31 targets and allowed a career low 67.7 percent catch rate and career low 79.2 passer rating when targeted. That ranks 22nd among all 79 qualified defensive backs.

The Notre Dame product is a more sure tackler than he was a season ago as well. Per PFF, he had a 11.2 percent missed tackle rate in 2023 and that has fallen to 9.6 this season.

With the jettisoning of Tyrel Dodson, Love is now the resident leading tackler on the Seahawks defense with 65. It's not exactly a good thing that a safety is leading the team in tackles, but Love is doing his part. With so much uncertainty around him, he remains steady. Seattle has parted with both starting linebackers that started this season and his fellow safety Rayshawn Jenkins has been on injured reserve, not having played since October 10.

Among active Seattle defenders, only Devon Witherspoon has played more defensive snaps this season than Love.

Whether this strong start to 2024 will result in a second straight Pro Bowl nod for Love remains to be seen. He is making a good case, even while his fellow Seattle defensive teammates have struggled at times. Love has maintained his high standard despite the team's overall struggles and a strong second half could propel him to more recognition as one of the league’s best safeties.