Seahawks Post-Draft Positional Overview: Linebackers

For the first time in almost a decade, the Seahawks appear set to open a season without Bobby Wagner and K.J. Wright paired together at linebacker. With the latter still unsigned, which players will help fill the void and how will the depth chart shake out in the middle of Seattle's defense?

With free agency mostly wrapped up and the draft in the rear-view mirror, the Seahawks have assembled a 90-man roster and transitioned into their offseason program. Though more moves will be made in coming weeks as they continue to shuffle their roster, the vast majority of players currently under contract will be with the team when training camp opens in late July.

As Seattle ramps up preparations for a new season, the team looks poised to move forward without one of its most notable stars at linebacker for the first time in a decade. Will a former top draft choice help fill the void and how will the rest of the depth chart shake out?

Projected Starters: Bobby Wagner, Jordyn Brooks, Darrell Taylor

Heading into his 10th season, Wagner remains the crown jewel of NFL inside linebackers, as the tackling machine earned his sixth First-Team All-Pro selection in 2020. He remains a stout run defender and rebounded from a challenging 2019 campaign in coverage, registering eight passes defensed while tacking on 3.0 sacks and 23 quarterback pressures as a blitzer. Next to him, Brooks will aim to build off a strong finish to his rookie season as a full-time starter at weakside linebacker. The former first-round pick out of Texas Tech took on an expanded role in the second half, finishing with 57 tackles, two passes defensed, and a pair of tackles for loss in 14 games. In year No. 2, he should see the field in nickel packages after primarily playing base 4-3 sets as a rookie. With the Seahawks needing a new strongside linebacker, Taylor has been getting work in at the position during OTAs and after missing his entire rookie season recovering from leg surgery, he looks to be the front-runner to play Bruce Irvin's former hybrid role.

Reserves: Cody Barton, Ben Burr-Kirven, Nate Evans, Aaron Donkor, Jon Rhattigan

After starting four games late in his rookie season, Barton found himself largely relegated to special teams duty in his sophomore campaign. The ex-Utah standout did earn a pair of starts, producing a whopping 17 tackles in those games, and he should be in the mix for reps at both weakside and strongside linebacker. Burr-Kirven has yet to see much action on defense in his first two seasons and that likely won't change in 2021, as he will be vying to keep a backup job behind Wagner and remain a key cog on special teams. The Seahawks have been pleased with what they have seen so far from the athletic Donkor, a German linebacker who was assigned to them through the NFL's International Player Pathway Program, and he will compete against Evans and Rhattigan for a reserve role and potential practice squad spot.

Wild Card: K.J. Wright

More than two months after the new league year started in mid-March, Wright shockingly remains unsigned despite coming off one of the finest seasons in his 10-year career. Starting all 16 games for the Seahawks in 2020, he amassed 86 tackles, an interception, 2.0 sacks, and was the only player in the NFL with double-digit tackles for loss and pass breakups. But his advancing age - he will turn 32 years old in July - coupled with a plummeting salary cap has clearly impacted interest in his services across the league. Teams haven't wanted to use limited cap space on an aging off-ball linebacker. Coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider have publicly stated Wright could still come back, but for now, Seattle seems to be content with the current group of linebackers on the roster. If he's still a free agent as camp approaches, it will be interesting to see if the two sides work something out.

Who Makes 53?

Until he has signed with another team, the door for Wright to return remains open and bringing him back shouldn't be counted out. But assuming the veteran linebacker isn't re-signed, the Seahawks will roll into 2021 with Wagner and Brooks starting as off-ball linebackers and Taylor likely taking over as the new SAM linebacker in base packages to add some pass rushing bite at the position. Behind them, Barton and Burr-Kirven should be safe due to their special teams contributions and ability to play multiple linebacker spots in a pinch. Donkor won't make the 53-man roster, but Seattle should take advantage of his exemption and keep him on the practice squad to develop. Evans and Rhattigan will be in a similar boat as practice squad possibilities, but either player could sneak onto the 53 if they are preseason standouts on special teams.