Desperate For Pass Rush Help, Haason Reddick Should Be Seahawks' Top Target
With free agency right around the corner, whether through retaining their own players or signing stars away from other teams, the Seahawks have a number of positions to address coming off a disappointing last place finish in the NFC West.
As evidenced by prior comments from coach Pete Carroll and newly-minted defensive coordinator Clint Hurtt, improving a pedestrian, inconsistent pass rush remains Seattle's greatest priority with the new league year set to begin on March 16. Even after re-signing Carlos Dunlap and adding a healthy Darrell Taylor to the fold, per TruMedia, the team finished 27th in pressure rate (4.7 percent) and 22nd in sacks, struggling to consistently harass quarterbacks throughout the season.
"That is an area that we need to get better in. You saw how dynamic it is when you get going like we did yesterday," Carroll told reporters after Seattle sacked Arizona quarterback Kyler Murray five times in a 38-30 win in its season finale. "But we didn’t have that consistency and that is the important part of it. So many things feed off of that, it is the disruption of the quarterback that leads to all of the issues on the positive side for the defense, so we have to, whatever we can do, we have to work there. That’s one of the focal points for me."
Luckily for Seattle, this year's free agent crop features several big-name sack artists if the team is willing to open up the checkbook to address its chronic pass rush problem. Headlining this year's group, long-time nemesis Chandler Jones could hit the market for the first time if he isn't franchise tagged by Arizona by March 8 and future Hall of Famer Von Miller will likely be available to pursue after winning a Super Bowl with the Los Angeles Rams.
Jones and Miller, who have produced a combined 263 sacks in their illustrious careers and recorded at least 9.5 sacks apiece in 2021, would be excellent additions for the Seahawks in the short-term. Schematically, with Hurtt suggesting they will be implementing a more traditional 3-4 structure, both would quality fits from that perspective as well.
But Miller will turn 33 in March and Jones turns 32 on Sunday, so neither player is a spring chicken in NFL terms. While both remain productive, they have each played at least 139 games in their 10-year careers and have a lot of tread on their tires. Spending big money on either of them on a multi-year contract could come back to bite Seattle down the road.
If the Seahawks want to maximize on their investment, general manager John Schneider would be wise to follow the Bengals lead. They identified a young, emerging pass rusher entering the prime of his career in Trey Hendrickson and willingly threw $60 million at him on a four-year deal. He rewarded them with 14.0 sacks last year and helped guide the franchise to an unexpected Super Bowl berth with 4.5 sacks and seven quarterback hits in the postseason.
Looking at the free agent market, who could be Seattle's version of Hendrickson? Schneider should look no further than a familiar former rival in Hasson Reddick.
Drafted in the first round out of Temple in 2017, the Cardinals badly misused Reddick in his first three seasons with the franchise. They inexplicably tried to turn him into an off-ball linebacker, limiting his opportunities to do what he does best and pin his ears back pursuing opposing quarterbacks. During the 2018 and 2019 seasons, according to Pro Football Focus, he dropped back in coverage more than 700 times while only rushing the passer 238 times.
As a result, Reddick unfairly received the bust treatment after registering just 7.5 sacks and 16 quarterback hits in his first three seasons. But with a new coaching staff entering the fold in 2020, he finally got to show what he could do when utilized properly, busting out with 12.5 sacks, six forced fumbles, and 56 quarterback pressures. He posted a 13.5 percent pressure rate and finished with PFF's sixth-best Pass Rush Productivity score among all qualified defenders.
Likely due to his lack of size at 6-foot-1, 235 pounds, Reddick didn't garner as much interest on the free agent market last spring as expected despite those impressive numbers. The Cardinals opted not to re-sign him and he joined the Panthers on a one-year, $6 million deal aiming to prove his breakout year wasn't a fluke.
While Carolina sputtered after a 3-0 start and finished dead last in the NFC South, Reddick wasn't to blame and achieved his goal by turning in another stellar season. Coming close to replicating his production from 2020, he started 16 games and racked up 11.0 sacks, 18 quarterback hits, and 44 pressures. He also finished eighth overall in ESPN's Pass Rush Win rate (23 percent) among defensive ends and linebackers.
Turning 28 years old in September, Reddick should be squarely in the prime of his career and while his smaller frame and skill set create scheme limitations, that shouldn't be a problem for the Seahawks. Over the past couple of years, the team has sprinkled in more "bear" fronts with two overhanging linebackers off the edge. With Hurtt at the controls running a Vic Fangio-style defense, they will need outside linebackers who excel as pass rushers to be successful.
Possessing outstanding burst upfield and elite bend to turn the corner in pursuit, Reddick can be a matchup nightmare for opposing tackles to deal with athleticism-wise. He's also made notable improvements in his hand usage and developed more refined pass rushing counters, which has helped him compensate for his lack of size when engaged with blockers. He would bring elements to Seattle's pass rush the team simply has not had in years.
As for concerns about his lack of size hindering his ability to defend the run and set the edge, Reddick has been surprisingly effective in that capacity as well. Last season, PFF gave him a respectable 70.4 run defense grade, though he did miss seven tackles and has had his share of issues getting ball carriers to the ground. He has made strides in that department since earlier in his career.
Ideally, Seattle could roll into the 2022 season with Reddick and Taylor occupying those two spots and Bobby Wagner and Jordyn Brooks manning the middle at the MIKE and WILL linebacker spots. This would give Hurtt immense flexibility as a play caller and with his goal to create more pressure with an attacking defense, sending both of those players flying off the edge to terrorize quarterbacks regularly would accomplish just that.
Unlike last year, teams shouldn't have any reservations about handing Reddick a multi-year deal after he hit double-digit sacks for a second straight season. In terms of how much he could cost to sign, Spotrac has his market value at $15.3 million per year on a five-year deal worth a total of $76.8 million, while PFF expects him to receive a three-year deal worth $11.67 million per year.
In either case, that's a hefty price tag, but the Seahawks would likely have to spend more to sign aging players such as Jones and Miller based on name alone. If they want to add a proven pass rusher who still has untapped upside, they have to be willing to pay the premium as the Bengals did for Hendrickson. One of the most underrated hybrid rushers in the league, the Seahawks would be wise to team Reddick up with Taylor for the foreseeable future and let the two grow together hunting opposing quarterbacks.
