3 Things Seahawks Are Getting in Former Cowboys DE Dante Fowler Jr.

The Seattle Seahawks signed veteran pass rusher Dante Fowler Jr., but what does he bring to the table?

Dallas Cowboys defensive end Dante Fowler Jr. goes through a drill during practice at the Ford Center. | Chris Jones-Imagn Images

On Tuesday, the Seattle Seahawks signed veteran EDGE Dante Fowler Jr.

Fowler was the fifth overall pick in the 2015 NFL draft, and is set to join his sixth franchise. Due to his journeyman status, Fowler often gets overlooked, but has been an effective player for more than a decade.

But what exactly will Seattle get from Fowler? Let’s dive into that with three things fans should expect.

Experience with DC Aden Durde

Seattle Seahawks defensive coordinator Aden Durde against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The first thing that stands out with Fowler joining Seattle is his familiarity with their defensive scheme. Fowler spent three of the past four seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, and two of those years were spent with Aden Durde as the defensive line coach. That familiarity has made it easy to connect the dots between Fowler and Seattle, something Seahawks On SI’s Michael Hanich has recently discussed.

While working with Durde in 2022 and 2023, Fowler played in 34 games with no starts. Primarily used as a pass-rushing specialist, he racked up 30 tackles and 10 sacks. He left in 2024 to sign with former defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, who took over as head coach of the Washington Commanders.

Fowler had one of the best seasons of his career with Quinn, recording 10.5 sacks. Durde has his own style, but he shares a lot of the philosophies that Quinn utilizes, going back to their time in Dallas together.

Affordable replacement for Boye Mafe

Bengals defensive end Boye Mafe speaks to the media during a press conference at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati. | Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Seattle lost Boye Mafe this offseason, with the former second-round pick landing a three-year, $60 million deal with the Cincinnati Bengals. Losing Mafe stings, but they might get similar results from Fowler for a fraction of the pay.

Fowler signed a one-year deal worth $5 million, and despite modest numbers, he’s coming off an efficient campaign. Fowler had 15 tackles and three sacks, but PFF gave him a grade of 77.6 which was 21st among defensive ends. He also had a 72.8 pass rush grade, which was 31st at the position.

For comparison, Boye Mafe had 31 tackles and two sacks in 2025 while earning a 69.2 overall and a 68.7 pass rush grade.

Underrated Run Defense

Dallas Cowboys defensive end Dante Fowler Jr. against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Fowler is often praised for his work as a pass rusher, and rightly so. The problem is that he doesn’t always get enough credit for his work in run defense.

This past season, PFF gave him a grade of 67.8 in run defense, which was 33rd among defensive ends. He hasn’t always graded high at the position, but throughout his career he’s been steady when it comes to setting the edge against the run, making him an underrated weapon in this regard.

Seattle landed a player capable of making a difference, and is clearly a fit with their scheme. They also did so without breaking the bank, which deserves plenty of praise.

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