Seahawks Offseason Profile: Quandre Diggs
After spending his first four seasons in Detroit, free safety Quandre Diggs was traded mid-season along with a 2021 seventh-round pick to Seattle in exchange for a fifth-round selection in this week’s NFL draft.
With the Seahawks attempting to fill the gap left by former fan favorite Earl Thomas, who left for the Ravens through free agency, Diggs was instantly a perfect fit in the Pacific Northwest for this new version of the “Legion of Boom.”
Let’s revisit some of the good and the bad from Diggs’ fifth NFL season, along with a prediction of how next season may play out for him as he enters the second year of his three-year, $20.4 million contract.
What Went Right
Prior to being traded to the Seahawks, the 5-foot-9 safety was able to produce decent results through five games with the Lions.
During that time, Diggs played 78.4 percent of Detroit's defensive snaps and generated 20 total tackles and 17 solo tackles. However, the former cornerback’s production level increased significantly after he was sent to Seattle before the trade deadline.
Over his five regular season games with the Seahawks, the fifth-year pro recorded 21 total tackles, three pass deflections, a trio of interceptions (tied for seventh-most among all qualified safeties in the league), one pick-six, and a forced fumble that he also recovered, according to Pro-Football-Reference.com.
Along with these impressive results, Diggs also became very effective in coverage once he changed his uniform to blue and green during this past season.
After allowing three catches for 61 yards and an 86.1 passer rating in Detroit, the Texas graduate picked off three of his five targets and surrendered just a pair of catches for 24 yards in five games with the Seahawks. In addition, he also allowed a measly 55.4 passer rating during his short time in Seattle's secondary.
For the 27-year old safety, his impactful role within the secondary carried into the postseason as he produced eight total tackles and six solo tackles through two playoff games.
After committing 11 penalties through 2017-2018, the veteran safety played disciplined football and reduced the number of times that he was flagged by officials throughout the 2019 campaign.
Among all safeties in the league, Diggs finished the season tied with the second-fewest number of penalties (one), according to NFL-Penalties.com.
What Went Wrong
While Diggs was productive when he was on the field in 2019, he struggled to stay healthy for both the Seahawks and the Lions during this past season.
The former sixth-round pick strained his hamstring in Week 4 and the injury forced him to miss Detroit's next game. Even when he returned to the Lions’ lineup in Week 7, he played just 55 percent of the defensive snaps and was clearly still being plagued by the injury.
After being acquired by the Seahawks in Week 8, Diggs’ hamstring injury kept him sidelined for two consecutive weeks and prevented him from making his debut with his new team until their showdown against the 49ers in Week 10.
To make matters worse, the Texas native sprained his ankle midway through Seattle’s Week 15 matchup in Carolina and was forced to miss the final two regular season contests, leaving them hamstrung in the secondary in back-to-back losses.
Along with his struggles to stay healthy, Diggs let too many ball carriers slip through his grasp last season. Over his 10 games, the former Lion amassed 11 missed tackles (five with Detroit and six with Seattle), tied for ninth-most among all safeties in the league.
If you want to nitpick, you could also suggest that Diggs shouldn’t have allowed a touchdown in coverage during Seattle's Week 14 matchup in Los Angeles.
With the Seahawks already trailing 14-3 in the first half, the former Longhorn was poorly positioned towards the back of the end zone, allowing receiver Cooper Kupp to catch a 10-yard touchdown reception to extend the Rams’ lead to 21-3.
2020 Outlook
Heading into next season, if Diggs can stay healthy, he’ll undoubtedly remain the starting free safety in Seattle's secondary and should be capable of improving upon his already solid numbers from last season.
In comparison to his first five seasons in the league, there have been 15 other defensive backs who have produced at least 250 total tackles, 200 solo tackles, 27 pass deflections, nine interceptions, and exactly four forced fumbles through their first five seasons in the NFL.
Among the names listed above, Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Chris Conte, and Tyrann Mathieu were the only safeties to produce at least 50 solo tackles, five pass deflections, and two interceptions during their sixth season in the league.
This small sample size suggests it may be difficult for Diggs to perform at a higher level next season. But in his first full season in Seattle's defensive scheme, he should have an excellent chance at a breakout season manning center field and potentially earn his first trip to the Pro Bowl.
