Seahawks Overview and Outlook: Quandre Diggs
Over the course of the offseason, we will explore different players from the 2020 Seahawks roster and evaluate them. We will review their performance from the previous season, what worked, what did not, and then glance at what their future may hold with the Seahawks or perhaps elsewhere.
This week's focus player is safety Quandre Diggs, fresh off of his first full season in a Seahawks uniform.
2020 Overview
After coming to Seattle via trade in the middle of the 2019 season, Diggs made quite an impression on his new team. He hauled in three interceptions in just five games. He left everyone wondering what he could accomplish with a full offseason in Seattle's system under his belt.
Wonder no longer.
The former Texas Longhorn reached a whole new level. Playing in all 17 games, Diggs accounted for over a third of the team's interceptions, leading the Seahawks with five picks, which was the fourth-most in the NFL and second only to Kansas City's Tyrann Mathieu among safeties. It was the most by any Seahawks defensive back since 2015, when Earl Thomas hauled in five as well.
Pro Football Focus gave Diggs some mixed reviews. With tackling and run defense, Diggs was one of the best in the business, with 83.5 and 87.1 grades respectively. His tackling grade was ninth best among safeties and his run defense was third. This, along with his five interceptions, is what got him named to his first career Pro Bowl in six seasons.
On the other side, his pass defense left something to be desired. Quarterbacks posted a 92.7 passer rating when throwing Diggs' way. Certainly, there are worse pass defenders out there, but this is a far cry from the Honey Badger in Kansas City (60.2) or Minkah Fitzpatrick in Pittsburgh (65.7). He made up for it with his ball-hawking skills and takeaways.
The 28-year old Diggs was a vital part of the defensive turnaround during the middle of the season. In the team's first seven games, he averaged a 57.7 overall grade from Pro Football Focus.
In his last nine regular season games, he averaged a 70.0 grade. He and Jamal Adams form a formidable tandem at safety, both earning Pro Bowl nods in 2020. If they both remain healthy and play to their potential, Seattle could have one of the best safety tandems in football in 2021.
Future Outlook
Seattle will get Diggs alongside Adams at safety for at least one more year. Diggs is set to make $5.5 million in a Seahawks uniform in 2021 before hitting the free agent market if an extension is not agreed upon.
It is not too soon for the two sides to begin talks about an extension. There is limited cap space this offseason, but perhaps Seattle can maneuver a deal that frees up money from Diggs' contract in 2021 while keeping him in the secondary for another two or three seasons.
The Seahawks should be excited about the prospects of having two Pro Bowl safeties back in the fold in 2021. At 28, Diggs still has room to grow and improve after a career year in 2020. Was that a blip on the radar or the new norm for the Texas product? We will find out next season.
