As Darrell Taylor Continues to Impress at SAM, K.J. Wright's Fit With Seahawks Has Become Less Obvious
The door is still open for a possible reunion between the Seahawks and linebacker K.J. Wright, or so the former says.
But all signs point to a different story—one where 2020 second-round pick Darrell Taylor is handling the strong-side (SAM) linebacker duties Wright took on last year, making the transition from his natural position at LEO. For Taylor, LEO still appears to be in the cards in some fashion, though the veteran presences of Carlos Dunlap, Benson Mayowa and potentially Aldon Smith will keep opportunities at a minimum.
SAM is his best chance to play consistently and the Seahawks, after seeing Taylor miss his entire rookie campaign, won't leave any stone unturned to make that possible. So far, the University of Tennessee product has impressed at his new position in spring workouts, but that shouldn't come as much of a surprise to most.
In college, Taylor showcased some ability on the strong-side of the Volunteers' defense, not only as a pass rusher but dropping into coverage and making plays in the open field as well. His athletic gifts give him the tools to handle all aspects of the role, from the speed to cover tight ends to his pass rushing acumen, though there has always been somewhat of a concern about how his strength will play at the next level.
Being able to fight through blocks and make plays at—or near—the line of scrimmage has been Wright's bread and butter through his 10-year career, most recently putting him atop the NFL leaderboard in tackles-for-loss with 11 in 2020. Occasionally on Taylor's college tape, he struggled to shed his blocker in one-on-one matchups both in the run game and as a pass rusher, too often removed from the action of the play.
At the 260 pounds he's hoping to play at in 2021, and with his bend, that cannot afford to happen.
Taylor is being asked to make a significant jump this year, particularly against the run. Given that his new role lives and dies by base defensive looks, stopping the ground game on early downs is one of—if not the—most important of his newfound responsibilities.
There's no denying Wright is the better all-around fit for the job, but the Seahawks believe Taylor can develop into a proper successor and give them something the veteran can't provide: some pass rushing upside out of the spot. While getting into the backfield has never been a problem for Wright, bringing down the quarterback isn't his calling card. His single-season career-high in sacks is 4.0, set in 2016, followed by three-straight zero-sack campaigns.
The Seahawks prefer to have that be a part of their SAM's game in some capacity, but aside from Mychal Kendricks' modest 5.0 sacks and 21 pressures between 2018 and '19, they've struggled to find such production in recent years. They hoped Bruce Irvin could help solve that problem in 2020, but a season-ending knee injury suffered in Week 2 brought that idea to a screeching halt.
Irvin's absence paved the way for Wright to assume SAM duties for the rest of the year, eventually catapulting first-round pick Jordyn Brooks into a more prominent role on the weak side. Though Wright maintained a three-down role, Brooks finished the year on an excellent note and cemented a starting job with the team in 2021.
The Seahawks assumed Wright, an unrestricted free agent this offseason, would be long gone by now and they'd have to go search elsewhere for their next SAM. As such, the wheels have long been in motion to give the role to either Taylor or third-year man Cody Barton. But as Wright continues to sit out there, the idea of a reunion has lingered.
Several members of the organization have voiced a level of interest in linking back up with the surefire future Ring of Honor member, but a move has never felt imminent. Following the team's first set of voluntary OTAs in late May, coach Pete Carroll shared in that sentiment but indicated any further "big" moves would likely have to wait until the summertime.
"The door is still open for players," Carroll told reporters. "We're still working at figuring out the roster and how it's going to go. Until we get on the field and can see how things are starting to come together, there won't be major changes in what's going on, because we're pretty committed at this point. That doesn't mean that we're not tuned into all of the options and the opportunities that are out there, because we are."
There are other, arguably more pressing needs along the Seahawks' roster, however. They have long been linked to another potential reunion with cornerback Richard Sherman, who would help solidify a position of far greater uncertainty than SAM. All-Pro defensive tackle Geno Atkins is another name that's become synonymous with the Seahawks in the rumor mill as well. And there's also the possibility they could make their seemingly annual summertime trade for a household name.
OverTheCap.com puts Seattle at $8.3 million in cap space, so one last major move is likely in the cards. None of the moves listed above other than a potential trade, depending on who the target is, should eat all of that at this point. But keep in mind the team needs to stay somewhat financially flexible if the situation calls for it in the middle of the season.
Therefore, they'll have to be selective about how they dish out their remaining funds. With Taylor taking to the role and the Seahawks' sustained bullishness on Barton, filling out the SAM spot from the outside may not be the most viable option. It's a position that's only required for one or two plays per set of downs in most instances, and while it's certainly key to the success of their defense, its value pales in comparison to that of a potential starting left cornerback, center or even a rotational 3-tech defensive tackle on this particular roster—all of which Seattle could still find on the open market.
It also stands to reason that Wright may not be interested in what the Seahawks have to offer in terms of role. They're not going to take snaps away from Brooks, so Wright, despite coming off yet another brilliant year, would see a diminished workload in 2021. While it remains to be seen if another team can provide him with something more substantial, it would be in his best interest to exhaust all possibilities before settling for a role that undervalues his capabilities.
Last year, Wright proved he's still very much a high-level player at this stage in his career. And it goes without saying the Seahawks should be in the business of adding good players, but the way their roster is constructed makes a fit with Wright fairly awkward.
If they feel they can make it work, then it would certainly make them better than they are today. But ultimately, there's no need to force it.
