Examining Remaining Linebacker Free Agent Options For Seahawks

The Seahawks bid farewell to one of their franchise icons in Bobby Wagner. That leaves a gaping hole in the middle of the defense at linebacker. Who might step in and fill the role?

Author:
Nick Lee
Publish date:
Mar 15, 2022 4:56 PM EDT

The Seahawks need a new middle linebacker with Bobby Wagner's recent release. Jordyn Brooks certainly appears to be the heir apparent, with an eye-popping stat line in 2021, with 184 tackles including an NFL-high 109 solo takedowns. Even if he slides over to fill Wagner's spot, that leaves his spot vacant.

All Seahawks' Matty Brown explained the details of the defensive alignment, stating...

"The MIKE and the WILL will form a pair of inside linebackers when Seattle is in base, with the front looking like a head-up or shaded 5-2. This is very similar to the 2021 Seahawks’ base fronts of bear and under. It means that the MIKE and WILL often have similar roles, and their assignment can be tweaked based on their talents."

Brooks is a fit for MIKE or WILL. He might be a better fit for WILL, given his athleticism and speed, having to work more in space. This leaves the MIKE position open with guys like Cody Barton and Ben Burr-Kirven, who suffered a torn ACL in August and missed the entire 2021 season, vying to fill the void.

Needless to say, the Seahawks should be in the market for a MIKE-type linebacker, be it via the draft or free agency. Let's take a look at possible linebacker free agent opens, categorizing them into three categories - last resort, capable veterans, and best fit.

Jonathan BosticBostic will be 31 years old before the 2022 season starts and he has plenty of tread on the tires having played for eight seasons. Though he had back-to-back 100-plus tackle seasons in 2019 and 2020, he showed signs of wear and tear last year. He played just four games before his season ended prematurely with a torn pectoral muscle. If he can bounce back, he was playing at a high level pre-injury. Given that he is now on the wrong side of 30, the Seahawks should be cautious.  Reggie RaglandThe Giants were Ragland's third team in five years. With 67 tackles in a reserve role in 2021, Ragland can provide production in a pinch. He earned a 61.2 grade from Pro Football Focus, as he struggled in various aspects of his game. Seattle will need to do better than Ragland if they don't want production to plummet from Wagner's departure.

Dont'a HightowerThere are not many linebackers in football more decorated than Hightower. The 32-year-old is a two-time Pro Bowler with three Super Bowl championships in 2014, 2016, and 2018 with the New England Patriots. He has 81 career tackles in 17 playoff games. Despite a lowly 53.7 PFF grade, he still had 64 tackles, four quarterback hits, and 1.5 sacks last year. His Pro Bowl days are likely behind him but his depth of experience could be invaluable to an all-of-a-sudden younger defense.  Anthony HitchensHitchens has bounced around in a variety of roles for the Cowboys and Chiefs over the years. Last season, he racked up 80 tackles, including four tackles for loss, and an interception as one of the featured linebackers in Kansas City's defense. He helped guide the Chiefs to a Super Bowl title in 2019 in one of the best seasons of his career. He will be 30 years old before the start of the season and Pro Football Focus' 44.1 grade suggests Father Time may soon come calling.

Jordan HicksThe Seahawks should have several former Arizona Cardinals on their radar. One should definitely be Hicks. He had success in Philadelphia, becoming a part of their 2017 Super Bowl run, but when he arrived in Arizona ahead of the 2019 season, his game reached a new level. He posted 150 tackles with three interceptions and 11 tackles for loss in his first year in the desert. He has never totaled less than 116 tackles in three seasons with the Cardinals. He offers versatility and a high football IQ.  Josey JewellJewell seems to be an ideal Seahawks linebacker. He is relentless in pursuit with loads of football smarts. Given his time in Iowa, he is a tough, hard-nosed defender who knows how to defend a pro-style offense. 2020 was his best season in Denver, with 113 tackles, five tackles for loss, and five quarterback hits. His 2021 season was cut very short due to a pectoral injury, playing in just two games. However, before his injury, he looked like he had reached a new level with his game. PFF gave him a sparkling 83.5 grade in his very brief appearance last year. If he can re-capture his solid play from 2020 and the start of last year, he would be a solid replacement for Wagner with perhaps a chance at becoming a Pro Bowler.Update: Jewell is staying with the Broncos on a two-year deal.Myles JackA former Bellevue High School star, Jack has produced at least 100 tackles in three of the past four seasons for the Jaguars and has three combined defensive touchdowns in his career. An athletic, rangy linebacker who played running back in college at UCLA, he has the sideline-to-sideline speed to be a factor as a run defender and in coverage. Jacksonville released him in part due to the size of his contract and a disappointing 2020 season in which he didn't produce any passes defensed in coverage or sacks as a blitzer and received a dismal 37.7 pverall grade from Pro Football Focus. But he's still only 26 years old and a return to the Pacific Northwest playing alongside Brooks could be just what the doctor ordered to help him return to form.

Last Resort

Jonathan Bostic

Bostic will be 31 years old before the 2022 season starts and he has plenty of tread on the tires having played for eight seasons. Though he had back-to-back 100-plus tackle seasons in 2019 and 2020, he showed signs of wear and tear last year. He played just four games before his season ended prematurely with a torn pectoral muscle. If he can bounce back, he was playing at a high level pre-injury. Given that he is now on the wrong side of 30, the Seahawks should be cautious.

Reggie Ragland

The Giants were Ragland's third team in five years. With 67 tackles in a reserve role in 2021, Ragland can provide production in a pinch. He earned a 61.2 grade from Pro Football Focus, as he struggled in various aspects of his game. Seattle will need to do better than Ragland if they don't want production to plummet from Wagner's departure.

Examining Remaining Linebacker Free Agent Options For Seahawks

Last Resort

Schedule

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