Seattle Seahawks: 5 Cut candidates sitting on roster bubble
By Samuel Teets
Seattle Seahawks cut candidate No. 3: Branden Jackson, DE
Seattle’s defense tied for the second-fewest sacks in the NFL last season with 28. Only one other playoff team, the Houston Texans, recorded fewer than 35 sacks. The pass rush is a serious problem in Seattle that routinely limits the defense’s impact on football games and shifts pressure to the offense. So, the Seahawks addressed their needs head-on this offseason.
The Seahawks added four significant edge rushers over the past several months. In the draft, Seattle selected Tennessee’s Darrell Taylor in the second-round and Syracuse’s Alton Robinson in the fifth-round. The two rookies join 2019 first-round pick L.J. Collier as young, unproven prospects looking to make names for themselves in the NFL.
In terms of veteran additions, the Seahawks signed Bruce Irvin and Benson Mayowa. Irvin set a career-high with 8.5 sacks last season while Mayowa also set a personal best, recording seven sacks. Both players agreed to one-year deals with the Seahawks, making their presence only temporary.
Collier and 2018 third-round pick Rasheem Green serve as Seattle’s only significant returning edge rushers. Green led the Seahawks with four sacks last season. Ezekiel Ansah, Jadeveon Clowney, and Quinton Jefferson all left in free agency, vacating nine sacks worth of production.
Branden Jackson joined the Seahawks in 2017 and contributed three sacks and 30 tackles over the past two seasons. Unfortunately, the 27-year-old doesn’t possess enough upside to keep around anymore.