Could Pass-Rush Needy Seahawks, Bruce Irvin Finally Reunite?
With free agency swiftly approaching, the Seahawks have some difficult decisions to make in the next week and a half as they look to refine their roster for the upcoming season.
In addition to trying to re-sign their own unrestricted free agents, which include Jadeveon Clowney, Jarran Reed, and Quinton Jefferson, they will also look for upgrades from other teams on the market. As my colleague Corbin Smith reported on Friday, Seattle has an estimated $44 million in cap space to play with this offseason.
As their top priority, general manager John Schneider and the Seahawks are looking to help improve their 27th overall pass defense from 2019. Specifically, fixing a pass rush that ranked second-to-last in quarterback sacks should be at the top of the agenda.
While Seattle hopes to re-sign Clowney and has been linked to Jaguars defensive end Yannick Ngakoue, Schneider is always seeking free agent bargains. There's no question the team needs to add more than one rusher to the mix this spring.
Is there a possibility that former Seahawks 2012 first-round pick Bruce Irvin could return to the Pacific Northwest to help address the problem?
Drafted 15th overall by Seattle nearly eight years ago, Irvin generated 133 tackles, 22.0 sacks, and 49 quarterback hits in 58 games from 2012 to 2015. He also picked off three passes, returning two of them for touchdowns.
Four years ago, Irvin left the Seahawks as one of the most coveted players on the free agent market and signed a four-year contract with the Raiders worth up to $37 million, including $12.5 guaranteed in the first season. However, two years into the deal, Oakland cut him due to his limited skill set and diminishing playing time, according to coach Jon Gruden.
After being released from the Raiders, Irvin got the opportunity to live out a childhood dream and play for his hometown Atlanta Falcons while reuniting with his former defensive coordinator Dan Quinn. Quinn was Irvin's coordinator for two seasons during their time with the Seahawks.
"Yesterday it hit me a little bit," Irvin said during his introductory press conference in November 2018. "I know I look scary, but I really was crying yesterday. This is a childhood dream for me, growing up watching Michael Vick, Terence Mathis, guys like that. This was always my dream, so for me to be able to come and live it out, it was a surreal moment. I'm just very fortunate to be an Atlanta Falcon right now."
Though he appreciated all Quinn and him accomplished with the Seahawks, he wasn't resting on past success with his new team and hoped to lead the Falcons to similar playoff success.
"Me and DQ can't sit and dwell on what we did in Seattle and going to those Super Bowls and stuff like that," Irvin said. "It's about right now. I feel like they needed me, and I wanted to be here, so I did what I had to do, and we made it happen."
Playing in eight games for Atlanta, Irvin recorded 13 tackles and 3.5 sacks, but his new team slipped to a 7-9 finish and missed the postseason.
Last spring, the Seahawks faced a familiar dilemma needing an edge rusher and, at the time, Irvin seemed like a viable option to come back to his original team. The former West Virginia standout gave the possibility some consideration after a fan asked him to return to Seattle on Twitter.
Former Seahawks defensive end Frank Clark replied to Irvin with the message "Me, you, and [Jarran] Reed." Unfortunately, the reunion between Irvin and the Seahawks didn’t happen, as he signed a one-year deal with the Panthers instead, replacing retiring veteran Julius Peppers.
Playing in 13 games, Irvin finished his eighth season with 36 tackles and posted a career-high 8.5 sacks, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. He also produced 16 quarterback hits, his most since 2016.
This offseason, Irvin again expressed interest in returning to the Seahawks, as he responded to Field Gulls writer Alistair Corp's tweet with voice emojis. Corp tweeted that Irvin has been quietly "killing it" since his departure from Seattle in 2016.
Why would Irvin still be a great fit with the Seahawks this offseason?
First off, he's familiar with the Seahawks defensive scheme because he spent his first four seasons of his career in coach Pete Carroll's system. He played defensive end as well as SAM linebacker, proving his versatility playing multiple positions.
Set to turn 33 years old soon, he should also be an affordable option for Seattle compared to other veteran rushers on the market. Just last year, he has signed a one-year deal worth $4 million, and a similar contract would fit nicely into the team's salary cap plans.
Back in January, Carroll told reporters that their top priority this offseason was to resign Jadeveon Clowney. Irvin could come in as a complimentary rusher across from him or help replace some of the star's production if he opts to sign elsewhere.
Lending his opinion on the subject, former NFL defensive line Cliff Avril recently joined 710 ESPN Seattle’s Danny and Gallant to discuss what Seahawks should do with Clowney.
“It’s probably the most impressive 3-sack season I’ve ever seen,” Avril said. “For a guy to have three sacks and then when you turn on the film, you see how disruptive he is or can be. Most of the games, he can take over a game by himself.”
Still, while Avril respects Clowney's talent and thinks Seattle should attempt to re-sign him, if his contract demands soar above $20 million, the organization should use its money elsewhere.
“I definitely think that’s somebody they should consider bringing back, but I also think he’s going to cost too much,” Avril said. “If you just look at what the Seattle Seahawks have done with [coach Pete Carroll] and those guys – and no knock on them, that’s their philosophy – they never really spend top dollar for any D-lineman.”
As for Irvin specifically, Avril indicated he won’t be surprised if the Seahawks reach out to the former top pick. Under such circumstances, he expects Irvin would want to come back if given the chance.
“For one, he was drafted here, so I would not be surprised if they reached out to him, and he decided to come back,” Avril said. “He’s joked around with me a few times over the years like ‘man, if I got the opportunity I’d be taking it.'”
Entering the latter stages of his career, Irvin proved he still has plenty of pass rushing ability left in the tank for a bad Panthers team last year. Returning to where his career started would provide stability in a scheme suited well for his talents while also giving him another shot to compete for a Super Bowl title in front of fans who still adore him.
Regardless of what the Seahawks choose to do with Clowney and whether or not trade talks accelerate to land Ngakoue, Irvin's return seems like the ideal scenario for all parties involved. Even if he's no longer a starter-caliber player, he would be able to help shore up the team's greatest weakness in 2020.
