Damontre Moore Maximizing on Second Chance with Seahawks
RENTON, WA - In early September, with an abbreviated training camp winding down and the regular season looming, the Seahawks brought back a familiar face in an effort to address their pass rush. But it wasn't necessarily the player fans hoped for.
With Jadeveon Clowney still remaining unsigned and considering his options, Seattle instead signed Damontre Moore, a journeyman defensive end who has bounced around with six NFL teams since entering the league in 2013. Most recently, he played in two games for the 49ers last season and hadn't recorded a sack in an NFL game since 2016 when he appeared in four games for the Seahawks.
While some may have been disappointed when Clowney eventually signed with the Titans, however, through the first five weeks of the season, Moore has made the most of his latest stint in the Pacific Northwest. In fact, his numbers compare favorably to Clowney with less defensive snaps.
Through five games, logging 126 defensive snaps in a reserve role, Moore already has five quarterback hits, the same number as Clowney has produced on 164 snaps in three games for Tennessee. He produced his first sack in a crucial moment during Seattle's 27-26 win over Minnesota on Sunday night, using an arm over move to get into the backfield and hitting Kirk Cousins' arm as he reared back to throw, knocking the football out of his hands.
The Seahawks promptly recovered the fumble and a couple plays later, Russell Wilson found DK Metcalf for a touchdown on a slant, giving the team a 14-13 advantage.
"It's amazing to be back here," a grateful Moore reflected after the game. "I feel like my heart never left. Just to get back here and to have everyone welcome me back with open arms and to see that nothing has changed."
While Moore may be correct that nothing has changed about the Seahawks organization since he landed on injured reserve and wasn't re-signed following the 2016 season, the same can't be said for the player, particularly off the field.
Formerly a third round pick for the Giants, Moore tangled with teammates during his first couple of seasons in the league and was released for violating team rules in 2015. He was arrested for a DWI with a suspended license during his time with the Seahawks. In 2017, after signing with the Cowboys, he received a two-game suspension for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy.
"He's been in a lot of programs," Carroll said on Monday. "He's really had some run-ins over his years that just haven't worked out and he's just been through a lot of places."
Despite his checkered history, Carroll has always had a soft spot for Moore, admiring his love for the game and the energy he plays with. With rookie Darrell Taylor recovering from offseason leg surgery, the pass-rush needy Seahawks brought the veteran in for a visit.
Right away, Carroll could tell Moore was in a far better place than he had been four years earlier, as the responsibility of taking care of his growing family has created a "different outlook" for him.
"When he came back here to us, he made a real statement about how important it was to him now to put his best foot forward," Carroll remarked. "He's got a family that he's protecting and a baby he's taking care of and his perspective has changed."
Acknowledging the poor decisions and numerous mistakes he's made during the past, Moore didn't want to blow this second chance that had been given to him by the Seahawks. As exhibited on Sunday night with his strip-sack and a vicious special teams tackle in kick coverage that Carroll called his "favorite play of the game," he's maximizing on his opportunities so far, providing a much-needed boost to the team's pass rush.
"For those guys to welcome me in with open arms, I just want to go out there and prove to them that they didn't make the wrong decision," Moore said. "I owe them for bringing me back and giving me the opportunity. To see it all finally come to fruition and make those plays, it was simply amazing."
From Carroll's point of view, he could not be happier to see Moore finding success on and off the field. Moving forward, after a long, winding journey back to the Pacific Northwest, he remains hopeful the veteran defender will stay on the right track for his family as well as his football team.
"I hope he can hold onto it because he's a guy who loves the game... He's always going to be that kind of person, just loves to play. Great energy, great juice, great motor... I hope he can continue to make the good decisions to keep himself available for the opportunities because he's a fun guy to have on your team and I like the heck out of the guy."
