Seattle Seahawks Post-NFL Draft Defensive Unit Rankings

After bringing on board a new eight-player draft class, which defensive positions stand out as strengths for the Seahawks heading into the 2024 season?

Nov 12, 2023; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99) sacks / Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

With the NFL Draft in the rearview mirror, the Seattle Seahawks’ roster ahead of the 2024 season is virtually set, minus a minor signing here or there.

Looking back at the 2023 season, there were clear strengths and weaknesses for the team and some positional units needed major upgrades while others are the least of their problems going into the offseason.

With what was addressed during free agency and the draft, which positions are the strongest? Coach Mike Macdonald did not come to Seattle with the cupboards bare. And so far, he has made efforts to improve the team in key locations.

Earlier this week,
we revealed our post-draft unit rankings for offense. Now it’s time to take a look at the defensive side. Which defensive position groups stand out as Seattle’s strongest? Which ones need some work?

Let’s rank the five defensive units (inside linebacker, EDGE, defensive line, cornerback, and safety):

5. Inside Linebacker

The Seahawks suffered big losses in the linebacking department this offseason. Gone are franchise legend and future Hall of Famer Bobby Wagner and former first round pick Jordyn Brooks, who both left in free agency.

After starting for six years in Miami, Jerome Baker now stands out as the elder statesman in a rebuilt Seattle linebacker corps. / Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA

Thus far, Tyrel Dodson, Jerome Baker, and newly drafted Tyrice Knight have been brought in to replace them. Jon Rhattigan remains for now, as depth and as a solid special teams contributor. Patrick O’Connell had a productive preseason in 2023 and could step in if Seattle moves on from Rhattigan to free up cap space.

At this stage, upper-tier talent is gone. Baker comes in as the most experienced, making 82 starts over six seasons in Miami. While he graded out positively in coverage per Pro Football Focus last season (74.4 coverage grade), he was prone to missed tackles and missed assignments in the run game. While experienced, he is far from the perfect replacement for Wagner or Brooks.

Dodson is a wild card. On one side, he was the third-highest graded linebacker per PFF last season (89.5). Plus, he was top five in coverage grade. Granted, he played roughly half the number of snaps as standout linebackers like Fred Warner and Wagner. The small sample size may have led to
skewed numbers, especially with him being subbed out on obvious passing downs.

Also, Dodson's 14.9 percent missed tackle rate is on the high side. He has never started more than 10 games in a season. But he is only 25, hardly a finished product.

Knight was a surprise fourth round pick by the Seahawks, with other seemingly more NFL-ready linebackers still on the board. Macdonald and company like his traits and think he become a contributor sooner rather than later, but for now, he's likely a special teams cog with development needed.

While there's some untapped upside at linebacker for the Seahawks, this group gets the bottom ranking simply due to lack of proven players beyond Baker and too many wild cards. Plus, a marked lack of quality depth is still apparent.

4. Safety

What a difference one season can make. On paper, it seemed like the Seahawks had one of the best trios of safeties in the entire NFL heading into 2023 with Jamal Adams, Quandre Diggs, and Julian Love teaming up.

Unfortunately, injuries, underperformance, and bloated cap hits led to John Schneider throwing a proverbial grenade to this position group after a disappointing campaign. Love now stands alone as the player with the most playing time in Seattle from one season ago.

To Love’s credit, he finished the season strong and even earned a late Pro Bowl bid after a career high four interceptions and a second straight season of 120-plus tackles. To pair with him, Seattle signed free agent Rayshawn Jenkins from Jacksonville. With 80 starts over seven seasons, he is the most experienced of the bunch.

Love likely slots in at free safety while Jenkins will bring the thump from the strong side. The Seahawks also added more depth with K'Von Wallace, who has previous experience playing both safety spots as well as slot cornerback.

Coby Bryant still can play safety but is yet to truly find his footing at one spot in the NFL. The lack of depth, along with so much turnover, weighs this unit down. But having a Pro Bowler and another
experienced starter keeps it from bottoming out.

3. EDGE

If this EDGE group was on a different team, they might rank even higher. Even though the EDGE room is not flush with Pro Bowlers, there are solid pieces everywhere. Uchenna Nwosu is one of the most underrated defenders in the NFL. In 2022, he notched a career high 9.5 sacks during his first season in Seattle.

Nwosu was one of just 20 EDGE players who earned both a run defense and pass rushing grade of at least 70.0. His 61 total pressures ranked 14th among all EDGE defenders two seasons ago. Unfortunately, his 2023 campaign was cut short due to a severe pectoral injury in Week 7. Seattle gave him an extension last July and he looks to have a resurgent 2024 season.

On the other hand, Nwosu’s injury gave way for second year defender Boye Mafe to take a large step forward in development. He set a franchise record recording a sack in seven straight contests, finishing the year with nine sacks. All while he earned a solid grade in run defense.

Away from Nwosu and Mafe, Darrell Taylor returns for a fourth season as a pass rush specialist, with 15 sacks total over the last two seasons. But he remains a work in progress defending the run, while second-year edge Derick Hall didn't have a sack in limited action as a rookie.

Even with Taylor and Hall still being projects, however, the presence of Nwosu and Mafe makes this a solid group with more potential to unearth with a new coaching staff.

2. Cornerback

Speaking of Pro Bowl potential, Seattle’s cornerback room is ripe with it. In fact, the team has produced Pro Bowl corners as rookies in back-to-back seasons in Riq Woolen (2022) and Devon Witherspoon (2023).

Frankly, had Woolen been able to maintain his elite play from his rookie season, this might be one of the best young corner duos in all of football and the best unit Seattle has. Unfortunately, Woolen took a step back in 2023, missing way too many tackles and seeing his interception total dip to two after leading the league as a rookie.

Witherspoon was a revelation as the fifth overall pick from the 2023 draft, becoming something of a Swiss Army knife in the secondary. He took over 300 snaps both as an outside corner and inside in the slot, excelling at both spots while putting together a solid Rookie of the Year resume with one interception returned for a touchdown, three sacks, and the best coverage grade for any rookie defensive back. Still, he inexplicably finished fourth in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting.

Veterans Mike Jackson and Tre Brown also remain with the team as solid depth on the outside. Jackson played well in spot starts last year, including a spotless game against the Eagles. He provides a veteran presence that could allow Witherspoon to bounce around again, while Brown and Artie Burns also offer starting experience on both sides.

Seattle selected two Auburn corners to further bolster the unit last month in D.J. James and Nehemiah Pritchett. Both graded out well in pass coverage in the SEC and Pritchett could make an immediate impact on special teams as a returner.

With a bounce-back year from Woolen and another leap towards stardom from Witherspoon, this could be one of the better cornerback groups in the NFL and if either Pritchett or James finds a way to contribute earlier than expected, this could still be the best position on Seattle's roster.

1. Defensive Line

It’s amazing what you can accomplish in the NFL in less than two years. For the last few seasons of Pete Carroll’s tenure in Seattle, the interior defensive line was a subject of consternation among the fanbase. It was arguably the team's weakest unit. Now? It’s the most talented group Seattle has.

For clarity, Dre’Mont Jones remains included as a member of the interior line. He bounced between outside the tackles and as a five-tech defensive end. Macdonald might prefer Jones play more on the inside, but that won't truly be known until OTAs and training camp.

With a massive contract in tow, Jones produced 43 total pressures and 4.5 sacks after coming over from the Broncos. Certainly, he can do better this year, especially in the sack department. The luxury for Seattle is that among the starters, Jones is the biggest question mark.

Jarran Reed has had a career renaissance after returning to Seattle and sliding even more inside the defensive front, seeing quite a bit of action at nose tackle. He was second on the team with 43 pressures, which was his best since his 10.5-sack campaign in 2018.

Leonard Williams was one of the biggest midseason acquisitions around the NFL last year. He came to Seattle and made an immediate impact on a defensive line starved for top-end talent. Despite playing in just 10 games in a Seahawks uniform, he finished fourth on the team in pressures and tied for second in tackles for loss. Seattle rightfully re-signed him to a big contract this offseason, making him a staple of the defense moving forward.

The cherry on top is Seattle’s first round draft choice Byron Murphy II. Seahawks fans can dare to dream of Murphy becoming their version of Aaron Donald down the road. He has that kind of talent and tools and instantly legitimizes this defensive front as one of the fastest rising units in the entire NFL.

Aside from the blue-chip talent, Seattle has quality depth at multiple spots in the trenches defensively as well. Free agent nose tackle Johnathan Hankins can provide value as a run stuffer, adding much-needed beef to the line. Mike Morris is still a work-in-progress. Myles Adams made a few solid starts in a pinch, and Cameron Young will get a chance to move up the depth chart.

All of a sudden, given the blend of experience, youth, and upside, the defensive line is where Seattle’s best depth and talent can be found.