Seahawks BREAKING: Free Agents: Devin Bush & Julian Love BOTH Sign in Seattle
The Seattle Seahawks got ‘em both.
Continuing to search for help on the defensive side of the football, according to ESPN insider Adam Schefter, the Seattle Seahawks had scheduled visits with free agent linebacker Devin Bush and safety Julian Love for Thursday.
And on Friday? Both defensive helpers are coming to town.
Our scouting reports …
Bush, a former first round pick out of Michigan, became an immediate starter with the Steelers in 2019. However, he battled persistent injuries during four seasons in the Steel City, including tearing his ACL after only five games during the 2020 campaign and missing three games with a foot injury in 2021.
Opening his career with a bang, Bush finished third in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting in 2019 after recording 109 tackles, two interceptions, and a fumble returned for a touchdown. But once the injuries started piling up, his production dipped a bit over the next three years, as he only made 71 tackles in 14 starts in 2021 coming off of the ACL tear and finished with 81 tackles in 17 starts a year ago.
In coverage, per Pro Football Focus, Bush allowed opponents to complete north of 75 percent of their passes and throw three touchdowns when targeting him. On a positive note, he did produce four pass breakups in 2021.
On the smaller side at 5-foot-11, 234 pounds, Bush may not seem like the best fit for a 3-4 scheme like the one Seattle transitioned to last year and struggled working off of blocks at times in Pittsburgh. However, he's a phenomenal athlete and posted ridiculous testing numbers at the 2019 NFL Combine, including running a sub-4.45 40-yard dash, jumping 40.5 inches vertically, and posting a blazing 6.93-secod 3-cone drill.
Just 24 years old, Bush would be an intriguing potential low-cost, high-reward signing at a position where the Seahawks currently don't have a healthy starter on the roster. Jordyn Brooks underwent ACL surgery in January and his status for the start of next season remains uncertain, while Cody Barton signed a one-year deal with the Commanders on Wednesday.
While taking a look at Bush is understandable due to the barren wasteland at linebacker, Seattle's interest in Love is a bit more peculiar. The former Notre Dame defender offers great versatility, as he played almost 600 snaps in the slot over the past four years for the New York Giants along with extensive playing time at free and strong safety.
After placing a right of first refusal tender on Ryan Neal earlier this week, the Seahawks may view Love as a potential hedge if another team signs Neal to an offer sheet. With limited cap space, the franchise may not be able to match the offer sheet and would be at risk of losing the invaluable reserve with no compensation in return.
It's also possible given Love's background as a viable slot defender that Seattle has opted to take a look with the thought of platooning him with second year cornerback Coby Bryant or sliding Bryant back outside where he played for Cincinnati collegiately.
With a clear need at linebacker and the potential for Neal to be signed by another team creating a void depth-wise at safety, it will be interesting to see how quickly the Seahawks act in regard to signing Bush and/or Love if visits go well and both players pass their physicals.
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