Seattle Seahawks: Nick Fairley, Henry Melton options?

The Seattle Seahawks have another busy offseason ahead of them with Byron Maxwell a priority free agent following the departures of Brandon Browner and Walter Thurmond last offseason, so it will be interesting to see if the Seahawks and Maxwell can come to terms to a reasonable deal. Meanwhile, the ‘Hawks biggest need, wide receiver, is expected to be filled in the draft, as Russell Wilson could use another playmaker at the position to take some pressure off of ideal No. 2 and 3 WRs Doug Baldwin and Jermaine Kearse.

An impact wide receiver is quite clearly the Seahawks biggest need, but some believe that a pass-rushing defensive tackle is their second-biggest need. Brandon Mebane‘s injury hurt the quality of play at the position and Tony McDaniel had a big down year after a quietly dominant 2013 season, but Mebane is a good interior pass rusher when healthy. Additionally, the Seahawks received some promising pocket-pushing from Jordan Hill, though he wasn’t good enough to replace current Tampa Bay Buccaneers DT Clinton McDonald.

Veteran defensive tackle Kevin Williams is set to hit the free agent market, and there’s no way the team re-signs him. He’s still a decent player, but he’s 34, considering retirement, and the Seahawks can find a better inside pass rusher in free agency.

The Seahawks can find a better pass-rushing DT, but the question is, do they want one? Do they even need one? McDaniel is a complete run-stuffer, leaving Mebane and the unproven Hill as their best two defensive tackles in the pass rushing department. But whenever you talk about interior pressure from the Seahawks defensive line, you always have to account for Michael Bennett lining up on the inside, because, as we saw in the Super Bowl, he is a downright monster as a pass rusher on all parts of the line.

Bennett’s dominance and versatility complicates things when trying to analyze the Seahawks defensive tackles, though it is clear that they don’t necessarily need someone who is good at run defense. If the Seahawks want to make an upgrade, then it’s to sign a potentially dominant inside pass rusher who can increase the amount of looks the Seahawks can give defenses.

Detroit Lions DT Nick Fairley and former Dallas Cowboys tackle Henry Melton will be the best free agents on the open market, unless if the Lions are able to re-sign Fairley before-hand. Melton will be a free agent after the Cowboys unsurprisingly declined his three-year, $24 million option, but Fairley’s future remains in a state of flux.

Melton could make sense for the Seahawks, since they probably won’t care about his horrendous run defense and will instead value the consistent pressure he puts on the quarterback as one of the NFL’s better, pure interior pass rushers. His injury history is the red flag here, and he also reportedly gave the coaching staff some grief.

Fairley’s red flags deal with weight concerns and motivation, making him an inconsistent, risky option. But like Melton, his red flags could put him in a position to have to take a one-year, prove-it deal on the open market, but the problem is that competition for Fairley’s services could cause his price to skyrocket.

What makes Fairley so valuable is the fact that he is one of the game’s most dominant DTs on the plays he’s motivated, but his inconsistent snap-to-snap play and concerns over his motor will dock him. Of course, the Seahawks are the best at getting the most out of players, and the conditioning and motor concerns would be mitigated in Seattle since Fairley would play in a rotational role. He would be a big part of the rotation, but he wouldn’t be anything resembling an every-down player on a deep defensive line.

Other teams will likely view him as an ideal rotation DT with high upside, but it’s the “rotational” part that will taper the amount of money he’ll make on the open market. The Seahawks aren’t in a position where they can spend much money, especially not on minor tweaks. They draft well, so they also have confidence in their ability to find a pass-rushing DT in the draft, decreasing the need to go out and sign someone like Melton or Fairley.

That said, Fairley is an intriguing option because of the high reward he could bring to the Seattle Seahawks offense if signed, and he’s an excellent pass rusher and run defender when on his game. At his best, he’s an amazing, unblockable talent, and the Seahawks are a team that can get the most out of him.

Nov 2, 2014; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Henry Melton (69) in action against the Arizona Cardinals at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

The Verdict: Doubtful

It’s interesting to explore the possibility of the Seahawks making a splash and adding a top-notch pass-rushing DT to make their defense even scarier, especially since added interior pressure would allow them to better point opposing team’s weaknesses.

Other teams will want to try and do what the New England Patriots did in the Super Bowl, and if they somehow have the personnel on offense to do it, they’ll also have to worry about interior pressure disrupting their quick-hit game.

Unless if they can convince Melton or, preferably, Fairley to take a team-friendly, one-year deal to minimize any risk involved, then it doesn’t make sense for them to add either one of them.

Again, the Seahawks aren’t exactly light on talent at DT, this is more of a “nice to have ” than “need to have” upgrade, and the Seahawks are confident enough in their drafting ability and coaching ability to move forward without a DT in free agency. If the price is perfect and either play is willing to take less money for a shot at championship, then go for it.

They went after Melton last offseason, and they could easily go after a top DT again if the price is perfect. I don’t anticipate anything happening on the Fairley or Melton front, but it’s worth thinking about as we head into the more interesting parts of the offseason.

Next: Would Todd Gurley make sense for Seahawks?

More from NFL Spin Zone

Home/Seattle Seahawks