Seattle Seahawks: 3 Biggest remaining needs after the 2020 NFL Draft
By Samuel Teets
1. Pass Rusher
Seattle continues addressing the defensive end position over and over, but they’re all half-hearted efforts. The team’s most recent attempt to cover their depleted defensive end depth came in the 2020 NFL Draft when Seattle added Darrell Taylor in the second round and Alton Robinson in the fifth. However, those two only add to the increasing pit of mediocrity at the position.
The Seahawks miss playing with multiple borderline Pro Bowl defensive ends. When the Legion of Boom thrived, Seattle employed Cliff Avril, Michael Bennett, and Chris Clemons upfront. Bruce Irvin also played a role in those dominant defenses. Now, Irvin is back in Seattle, but he lacks a cast of reliable pass rushers.
Irvin should start next season, but no one knows who will win the opposite starting defensive end job. Seattle hopes L.J. Collier steps up and claims the role, but the former first-round pick made no impact last season. Rasheem Green, who led Seattle in sacks last season with four, remains on the roster, and the team recently signed Benson Mayowa in free agency.
Supposedly, the Seahawks remain in touch with free agent Everson Griffen. Griffen made four of the last five Pro Bowls with Minnesota, and he tallied eight sacks and 24 quarterback hits in 2019. Jadeveon Clowney also remains on the market. Clowney played for Seattle last season, but his return isn’t imminent, considering Jarran Reed took Clowney’s No. 90 jersey back.
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If the Seahawks do sign a free agent pass rusher but can’t afford Clowney or Griffen, keep an eye on Markus Golden and Jabaal Sheard. Under the right circumstances, Seattle might even convince Clay Matthews to stick his hand in the dirt and line up at defensive end. A Bennett return is also possible but highly unlikely, and no sources support the idea that Bennett could rejoin Pete Carroll’s team.