Amidst Free Agency Lull, Seahawks Still Have Plenty of Options to Address Pass Rush
With the Gerald Everett signing still unaccounted for, OverTheCap.com has the Seahawks currently listed at $2.7 million in negative cap space. That's the lowest mark in the NFL right now, with the Saints and Buccaneers as the only other two teams who currently find themselves in the red as well.
Some form of move - whether it be a trade, extension, or restructure - has to be coming down the pipeline shortly. The Seahawks have several pathways they can take to not only fall back under the legal limit, but allow themselves some flexibility to fill out the rest of their roster.
They've barely taken any of them up to this point, only parting ways with defensive end Carlos Dunlap to save $14.1 million towards the cap prior to the start of free agency. Due in part to the money saved by cutting Dunlap, the Seahawks have made great strides to address some of their biggest needs over the past week. But that move, in particular, also opened up a massive hole for them at one of the most important defensive positions in the entire league.
Seattle has seen first-hand what a lackluster pass-rushing unit can do against its defensive standing. Averaging a 60.4 pass-rush grade from Pro Football Focus prior to the arrival of Dunlap, plus injuries in the secondary, the Seahawks were making NFL history for all the wrong reasons. Once on pace to allow north of 7,000 passing yards with teams averaging 470-plus yards through the air against them, they were able to course-correct with reinforcements - Dunlap included - trickling in.
But now they find themselves in a similar position, with no lead dog out on the edge for the time being and a secondary that may take a step back following the loss of four-year starter Shaquill Griffin. As I wrote immediately following Dunlap's release, the Seahawks cannot afford to head into 2021 having done the bare minimum with their pass-rushing unit again. It is imperative they find the cap space to solidify the position and set themselves up for success right out of the gate.
Now in the second week of free agency, we've hit somewhat of a lull. News, in general, is coming down infrequently despite an abundance of quality names still out on the market at several marquee positions. Even with the dip in 2021 cap space, plenty of teams still boast a ton of money to play with—another reason the Seahawks need to beef up their financial arsenal.
While the Seahawks won't have a great chance of winning any bidding wars, they may not have to. This market is still rich with pass-rushing talent, from former Pro Bowlers to underrated studs. Here's a look at some of the best options they could mull over:
| PLAYER | 2020 TEAM | SNAPS PLAYED | SACKS | PRESSURES | PASS RUSH GRADE | PASS DEFENSE GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Olivier Vernon | CLE | 805 | 9.0 | 51 | 71.6 | 71.6 |
Melvin Ingram III | LAC | 361 | 0.0 | 28 | 76.3 | 53.8 |
Jadeveon Clowney | TEN | 425 | 0.0 | 28 | 69.9 | 69.6 |
Carlos Dunlap | CIN/SEA | 593 | 8.0 | 40 | 62.3 | 58.4 |
Aldon Smith | DAL | 809 | 4.0 | 60 | 70.0 | 64.1 |
Ryan Kerrigan | WAS | 398 | 5.5 | 16 | 69.9 | 45.2 |
Justin Houston | IND | 608 | 9.0 | 32 | 64.4 | 60.9 |
Kerry Hyder Jr. | SF | 722 | 8.5 | 55 | 58.8 | 69.9 |
Everson Griffen | DAL/DET | 528 | 7.0 | 33 | 73.6 | 54.5 |
Kyler Fackrell | NYG | 608 | 4.0 | 19 | 60.1 | 66.0 |
Tarell Basham | NYJ | 734 | 3.5 | 32 | 71.7 | 65.6 |
Benson Mayowa | SEA | 571 | 6.0 | 34 | 60.8 | 53.0 |
One trend you'll find in this list is the significant amount of historically effective pass-rushers coming off years in which they were either hurt or phased out of their defense's gameplan, such as Melvin Ingram III and Ryan Kerrigan. There's also a few names familiar to the Seahawks, with Dunlap, Benson Mayowa, and Jadeveon Clowney all still available.
They've shown recent interest in the two most active pass-rushers on that list, Olivier Vernon and Aldon Smith, reportedly pursuing the latter through trade last season. In theory, they should be able to afford either one, depending on what they do from a cap standpoint in the coming days/weeks.
Ideally, if they really want to raise their ceiling/floor at the position, they get two of these players. It's possible they may only need one given the return of Darrell Taylor and rise of Alton Robinson, but if they can reunite with Dunlap and Mayowa, or some other comparable pair, they absolutely should. With the potential for injuries and the uncertainty of how Taylor will rebound from missing his entire rookie season, the Seahawks shouldn't be afraid to stockpile pass-rushers if their finances allow it.
While the market is still very much saturated in its current state, the Seahawks cannot waste more time spent over the cap limit. With the cap expected to significantly rise each year for the foreseeable future, they must take full advantage of the opportunity presented to them if they're serious about competing in a daunting NFC West.
