Show Me The Mone(y)? Seahawks Make Wise Investment Extending Bryan Mone
Now in the doldrums of an extended "dead zone" between offseason programs and the start of training camp, Seahawks general manager John Schneider has the next six weeks to ramp up negotiations with hopes of re-signing star receiver DK Metcalf.
But while 12s await much-anticipated news on a potential extension for Metcalf, Schneider addressed another contract-related situation along the defensive line, reportedly inking nose tackle Bryan Mone to a two-year, $12 million extension tying him to Seattle through the 2024 season. According to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, the deal could be worth north of $13 million with incentives and he will receive a $1.5 million signing bonus.
There's no question re-signing a massive run-stuffing defensive tackle won't move the needle much compared to when Metcalf signs the dotted line and likely receives top-five receiver money. But even if Mone doesn't play the sexiest position in a pass-happy league, from a pure football standpoint, the decision to invest in him long-term at that price point makes great sense for the Seahawks on multiple fronts.
Mone exemplifies everything coach Pete Carroll preaches with his "always compete" mentality. He entered the NFL as an unheralded undrafted free agent out of Michigan and made the most of his opportunities in his first preseason, earning a roster spot out of the gate. While he spent extensive time on the practice squad that year refining technique, he still appeared in four regular season games and a playoff game, and since that point, he's gotten progressively better each year.
A high-effort, high-motor player, Mone showed up at camp in 2019 sporting what Carroll called a "svelte" 345-pound frame, down 20 pounds from his rookie season. Lighter and in better shape overall, he appeared in 10 games sandwiched around an injured reserve stint with a high ankle sprain, finishing with nine tackles, half a sack, and nine quarterback pressures on 228 total defensive snaps.
Exhibiting much-improved technique, including refined footwork as a mirror stepper off the snap, Mone took a huge step forward in 2021, setting career-bests with 35 tackles, 2.0 sacks, six quarterback hits, and a pass deflection. While Pro Football Focus didn't appreciate his contributions and gave him an inexplicable 48.9 overall grade, film paints a different picture, especially when looking back at his dominant performance in a season-opening win in Indianapolis.
Dominant from the outset in that game, Mone recorded five combined tackles, two quarterback pressures, and knocked Colts quarterback Carson Wentz's soul out of his body when he powered his way into the backfield to deck him on a second quarter pass rush. Illustrating his overlooked importance, an elbow injury prevented him from playing the following week against the Titans and the Seahawks sorely missed his presence when running back Derrick Henry erupted in the second half and overtime to steal a road win at Lumen Field.
Like most nose tackles, Mone's real worth doesn't always show up in the box score. But he produced at least three tackles in seven of his 14 games played a year ago, proving himself to be more than a space eater and capable of shedding blocks both as a one and two-gap defender. He also added seven pressures and six quarterback hits as an interior pass rusher, providing more value in that department than anticipated.
When Mone isn't making plays on his own accord, his ability to chew up double teams and create stalemates at the line of scrimmage makes life far easier for Seattle's linebackers. Jordyn Brooks and now-departed star Bobby Wagner each surpassed 170 tackles last year in part because of the outstanding work done by the nose tackles in front of them to keep them clean.
Looking towards the future, with new defensive coordinator Clint Hurtt expected to employ more 3-4 concepts and "bear" fronts, having several quality nose tackles to occupy the middle will be more important than ever for Seattle. While Al Woods will probably be the starter again after a strong 2021 season, he's 35 years old and isn't the long-term answer at the position. Considering his trajectory heading into his fourth NFL season, Mone can - and should - fit the bill as long as he continues to develop as expected.
Just as they did with fellow defensive tackle Poona Ford two years ago, the Seahawks love to reward undrafted players who earn their trust and carve out major roles on offense, defense, and/or special teams. While Mone isn't a star by any means, he earned his new pay day by emerging as a key cog in the team's top-five run defense each of the past two years.
Given the importance of strong nose tackle play in a 3-4 scheme, Mone will have a chance to make Seattle's investment in him look like a shrewd move right away. If he's able to build off of a career year and stay healthy, he has a chance to become a fixture in the middle in a defense catered well to his strengths.
