Of Remaining Unsigned Veterans, Geno Atkins Still Makes Most Sense For Seahawks
Though the regular season is less than a month away, Seahawks fans know better than to think the team's roster is anywhere close to being set in stone. General manager John Schneider and his staff work tirelessly to find ways to make their roster better and have historically been one of the most active and aggressive teams in the month of August.
From big trades to unexpected free agent signings, the summer is always hot with moves in the Pacific Northwest. Over the coming weeks, Schneider and company will scour every inch of the NFL spectrum to add the finishing touches to the 2021 iteration of the Seahawks before they travel to Indianapolis for a Week 1 bout with the Colts.
Now one game into the preseason, they're starting to get a better idea of where their roster stands and which areas they may decide to improve upon. Against the Raiders this past Saturday, one of those areas became rather apparent: interior defensive line.
Though the two top defensive tackles on their roster, Poona Ford and Al Woods, did not play, those that did yielded concerning results. From Bryan Mone to Cedrick Lattimore, the unit inspired little-to-no confidence in the Seahawks to trust their depth at the position.
Facing Las Vegas' reserves, Seattle's interior was consistently bullied in the trenches—particularly in the run game. With rookies Trey Ragas and B.J. Emmons leading the charge, Vegas ran the ball 36 times, averaging 4.4 yards per carry for a grand total of 158 yards and two touchdowns.
Yesterday, I wrote about why this is a legitimate cause for concern and how much of an importance it places on a run-stuffing specialist like Woods to perform.
The good news? There is a solution—one that should be cost-effective and brings upside and a laundry list of accolades. That is, of course, former Bengals defensive tackle Geno Atkins.
I've written about Atkins' potential fit with the Seahawks a lot this offseason and I haven't moved off my stance that the two sides should come together. Many look at the 33-year old's 2020 campaign and scoff at the notion, but there were several factors in play that undeniably inhibited him from performing at a high level.
The biggest of which being the shoulder injury he suffered in training camp last year, later revealed to be a torn rotator cuff. Atkins attempted to play through it but was eventually placed on injured reserve in mid-December.
Along with that, the Bengals made a very clear shift towards a youth movement. It's what partly led to Carlos Dunlap's frustrations and eventual trade to Seattle.
In the games he did play last year, Atkins never eclipsed 20 snaps. Dunlap, on the other hand, started the season on a more normal slate of snaps but quickly saw that dwindle well into the mid-to-low 20s before his exit. Mostly ineffective through the first half of the season, Dunlap appeared re-energized by his new home and registered 5.0 sacks for the Seahawks.
It's hard not to wonder if a change of scenery would do the same for Atkins. After all, in his last healthy season, he recorded 4.5 sacks on 20 pressures and added 47 tackles.
Those numbers, of course, pale in comparison to what he's done for most of his career, indicating a decline in play. Coming off a serious injury as well, it's unrealistic to expect Atkins to be the same player who's accumulated three All-Pro selections and played for eight Pro Bowl teams.
But the Seahawks don't need him to lead the charge and play extensive snaps. They just need better depth. As a rotational piece, Atkins should still be more than capable of producing at a high level relative to his limited role.
Theoretically speaking, he can help make up for some of the interior pass rush potential that was lost with the departure of Jarran Reed, and give the Seahawks a more stable presence against the run when Woods and Ford need a breather.
Atkins was cleared for football activity on July 19, so it stands to reason he'll find his next landing spot relatively soon. If the Seahawks don't see an improvement from their interior defenders against the Broncos this Saturday, they should probably make the call.
