Report: Veteran S Damontae Kazee Visiting Seahawks
With just nine days until the 2022 NFL Draft, the Seahawks continue to explore options for beefing up their secondary with veteran depth options.
According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, Seattle has a visit scheduled with veteran safety Damontae Kazee on Tuesday. The former fifth-round pick out of San Diego State remains unsigned after starting 15 games for Dallas in 2021.
Kazee, 28, has played the entirety of his five-year NFL career for former Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn. In his first four seasons with the Falcons, he appeared in 52 games with 34 starts, recording 199 tackles and 10 interceptions. Back in 2018, he led the league with seven picks and set a career-high with 82 tackles.
Last season, with Quinn joining the Cowboys as defensive coordinator, Kazee reunited with him and enjoyed a nice bounce back season after missing most of the 2020 campaign with a torn Achilles tendon. Dressing for all 17 games and starting the majority of them, he produced 52 tackles, two interceptions, and two forced fumbles for the NFC East champions.
Per Pro Football Focus, while Kazee did allow three touchdowns in coverage last season, opposing quarterbacks completed just 41 percent of their targets against him and posted a 63.5 passer rating. He produced four total interceptions and pass breakups on eight incompletions, continuing to showcase his plus-ball skills.
With Quandre Diggs recently re-signing on a three-year deal and Jamal Adams working his way back from offseason shoulder surgery, Seattle wouldn't be a good fit for Kazee if he's seeking a starting opportunity as a safety. The team also has quality depth at the position with Ryan Neal, Marquise Blair, and Ugo Amadi all returning.
However, at this stage of free agency, Kazee's options for starting at safety elsewhere may be limited and he previously played 226 snaps in the slot for Atlanta back in 2019. If he's willing to settle for a reserve role at a lower price point, he could be under consideration to compete against Justin Coleman, Blair, and Amadi for reps in nickel and dime packages while contributing on special teams.
