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Film Breakdown: Benson Mayowa Offers Fantastic Value in Return to Seahawks

The return of Bruce Irvin has drawn the most headlines, but Seattle's decision to re-sign Benson Mayowa may present the better value after two stellar seasons in a reserve role for Arizona and Oakland.
Corbin K. Smith|
Film Breakdown: Benson Mayowa Offers Fantastic Value in Return to Seahawks
Film Breakdown: Benson Mayowa Offers Fantastic Value in Return to Seahawks

Heading into the offseason, the Seahawks’ biggest area of need remained bolstering one of the NFL’s worst pass rushes. The team finished next-to-last in the NFL with 28.0 sacks while ranking near the bottom of the league in pressure rate and quarterback hits.

But rather than aggressively spend on top-tier edge defenders, including re-signing free agent Jadeveon Clowney, Seattle took a different approach by signing several mid-level veterans instead.

Among those signed in free agency, the Seahawks brought back former first-round pick Bruce Irvin, who produced a career-high 8.5 sacks for the Panthers in 2019. He's expected to play SAM linebacker while also seeing snaps as a defensive end, occupying a similar role to the one he had during his first stint with the team.

Though Irvin is the most heralded rusher coming back to the Pacific Northwest, however, Seattle also re-signed Benson Mayowa to a one-year deal worth $3 million plus incentives in a sneaky good move that has gone under the radar.

Mayowa, 28, originally entered the league as an undrafted free agent out of Idaho and signed with the Seahawks after rookie minicamp prior to the 2013 season. A bit of a late bloomer, he's coming off a strong season statistically, posting a career-high 7.0 sacks for the Raiders. In the season prior, he had 4.0 sacks for the Cardinals.

Though he hasn’t been a full-time starter at any point in his career, Mayowa will enter his second stint in Seattle as a potential Week 1 starter at the LEO defensive end position while rookies Darrell Taylor and Alton Robinson adapt to playing at the next level in reserve roles.

Check out my latest film breakdown as I analyze Mayowa's significant improvements as a pass rusher as well as underrated skills as a run defender and where he may fit into the Seahawks plans in 2020.

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Corbin K. Smith
CORBIN K. SMITH

Graduating from Manchester College in 2012, Smith began his professional career as a high school Economics teacher in Indianapolis and launched his own NFL website covering the Seahawks as a hobby. After teaching and coaching high school football for five years, he transitioned to a full-time sports reporter in 2017, writing for USA Today's Seahawks Wire while continuing to produce the Legion of 12 podcast. He joined the Arena Group in August 2018 and also currently hosts the daily Locked On Seahawks podcast with Rob Rang and Nick Lee. Away from his coverage of the Seahawks and the NFL, Smith dabbles in standup comedy, is a heavy metal enthusiast and previously performed as lead vocalist for a metal band, and enjoys distance running and weight lifting. A habitual commuter, he resides with his wife Natalia in Colorado and spends extensive time reporting from his second residence in the Pacific Northwest.

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