3 Veteran Options Who Could Provide Competition for Seahawks CB Ugo Amadi
Earlier this offseason, the Seahawks completed arguably their biggest move of the spring by acquiring cornerback Quinton Dunbar from the Redskins in exchange for a fifth-round pick in this year’s NFL Draft.
While this trade has definitely improved Seattle’s secondary heading into next season, it didn't necessarily address the lack of depth at the nickel cornerback position. Even though Dunbar has experience playing in the slot, coach Pete Carroll has admitted multiple times that the position is Ugo Amadi’s “job to lose.”
With that being said, Carroll hinted after the draft that Seattle isn’t done making moves this offseason, pointing towards adding at least one more cornerback who can compete against Amadi for the starting gig.
“You’re going to see us create the challenge there for him,” Carroll discussed. “There’s some things that we’re working on, I don’t want to tell you all of it right now, I’d like to keep it under wraps. But there’s some different things that we’re going to try."
While Seattle currently has just over $21 million in cap space, according to OverTheCap.com, general manager John Schneider will likely be looking to add an inexpensive veteran cornerback through free agency or the trade market.
Luckily for the Seahawks, there are a handful of players who fit that description and are still available on the free agent market as the calendar turns to May.
Darqueze Dennard
After initially agreeing to a three-year, $13.5 million contract with the Jaguars, Dennard’s deal reportedly fell apart over financial terms and not his health-related concerns.
While the seventh-year pro missed the first six weeks of this past season with a knee injury, he still proved to be productive through nine regular season games with the Bengals.
During the 2019 campaign, Dennard produced 37 total tackles, five pass deflections, four quarterback pressures, and one tackle for loss. In coverage, the 5-foot-11 cornerback allowed only one touchdown, 188 yards, a 48.6 percent catch rate (ninth-lowest among all qualified cornerbacks in the league), and a 74.5 passer rating against, according to Pro-Football-Reference.com.
Based on Dennard’s concerning injury history over his six seasons in the league, there’s a chance that Seattle could convince the 28-year old to sign a one-year deal, allowing him to prove he’s still capable of performing at a high level next season.
Ross Cockrell
Despite bouncing around from four different teams (Bills, Steelers, Giants, and Panthers) through his first five seasons in the league, Cockrell proved to be effective in a limited role with Carolina this past season.
In total, the 28-year old cornerback played in 14 regular season games and recorded 62 total tackles, eight pass deflections, three tackles for loss, and a pair of interceptions. In addition, the former Duke graduate allowed one touchdown, 450 yards, a 55.2 percent catch rate, and a 68.6 passer rating along with 12.2 yards per catch in coverage.
Unfortunately for Cockrell, he struggled with his tackling and was flagged too many times by officials in 2019. As a result, the 6-foot cornerback finished tied with the fifth-most missed tackles (12) among all cornerbacks in the league and had six penalties.
While these issues might be a deal breaker for the Seahawks, Cockrell’s success in coverage could motivate Schneider to provide the veteran cornerback with an opportunity to prove himself during the 2020 campaign.
Brandon Carr
While Carr, 33, is the oldest player on this list, he could also be the best suited to compete against Amadi in the Pacific Northwest next season.
Throughout Carr’s 12 seasons in the league, he’s been a model of consistency and hasn’t missed a single game due to injury. While the Grand Vally State product has been utilized in the slot position throughout the majority of his career, he was misused by the Ravens this past season and rushed the quarterback 30 different times (career-high), producing eight quarterback pressures and two sacks.
After generating two interceptions and eleven pass deflections along with allowing a 50 percent catch rate and a 66.2 passer rating in 2018, Carr’s results in coverage declined last season. As a result, he produced just six pass deflections and surrendered five touchdowns, a 54.7 percent catch rate, and a 100.1 passer rating.
Since Carr would solely be utilized in the nickel spot in Seattle, there’s a very good chance that he’d be able to replicate his results in coverage from the 2018 campaign if he can continue to remain durable.
