Why Seahawks Should Pursue Veteran CB Logan Ryan

After releasing Justin Britt and D.J. Fluker to create extensive cap flexibility, most expected Seattle to make another run at Jadeveon Clowney. But addressing the secondary by adding Ryan to the fold could have a positive impact on the team's pass rush.

When free agency opened in mid-March, the Seahawks were expected to be aggressive spenders trying to shore up their struggling pass rush, including making a lucrative offer to defensive end Jadeveon Clowney.

But as general manager John Schneider typically does, Seattle chose not to break the bank, reportedly making several offers to Clowney below his perceived value and choosing to bypass signing other top-tier pass rushers on the market. Instead, the team brought back Bruce Irvin and Benson Mayowa on affordable one-year deals and used two draft picks on Darrell Taylor and Alton Robinson.

"We should be really better than we’ve been," coach Pete Carroll said after the conclusion of the draft. "We’re real positive about that. That doesn’t mean we’re done working, either. John’s going to keep going, keep digging around and see if there’s a guy that might spark us in there, like we always do. Pretty fired up about it, really. We’re really pleased with what we’ve done.”

While the Seahawks haven't closed the door on Clowney returning just yet, Schneider and Carroll both seem pleased with the moves made to address the team's most glaring weakness. And despite Carroll's comments, the decision to release Justin Britt and D.J. Fluker doesn't necessarily mean they will be using that extra cap flexibility to sign a marquee pass rusher at this point.

Instead, Seattle may choose to take an alternative route when it comes to spending their newly-created cap space to help the defense. As hinted by Carroll, a move could be coming down the pipeline to bring in competition for Ugo Amadi at nickel cornerback.

Taking that idea a step further, after already trading for cornerback Quinton Dunbar in March, Schneider should consider reinforcing the secondary by signing an established veteran starter in Logan Ryan.

Like Clowney, it's a bit of a surprise the 29-year old Ryan remains unsigned nearly two months after the start of the new league year. He's a proven commodity who started 72 games over the last five seasons with the Patriots and Titans and performed at a high level once again in 2019.

Starting all 16 games for Tennessee and primarily working from the slot, Ryan recorded a career-best 113 tackles, four interceptions, and 18 passes defensed. He also proved disruptive as a blitzer with 4.5 sacks and forced four fumbles.

His strong play continued into the playoffs for the surprising Titans, as he picked off former teammate Tom Brady late in the fourth quarter to seal a win over the Patriots in the wild card round. He followed up with an impressive 13 tackle outing in a road upset over the Ravens the next week, helping his team advance to the AFC Championship Game.

Last year, the Seahawks played base defense with three linebackers on the field more than any other NFL team, exceeding 50 percent of their defense snaps. Carroll indicated the nickel job was Amadi's "to lose" at the combine, but his comments after the draft suggested a move to add competition for him could be on tap.

“You’re going to see us create the challenge there for him. There’s some things that we’re working on, I don’t want to tell you all of it right now, I’d like to keep it under wraps. But there’s some different things that we’re going to try. He did a nice job his first time out, he really didn’t have much competition there once he got in there which was the way it worked out."

With 95 career starts under his belt, including 10 postseason starts, Ryan would be more than just competition. He'd be an instant starter in the slot, giving Carroll's defense a chess piece who can also play safety and outside cornerback in a pinch and knows how to impact games in a plethora of ways.

Back in March, reports surfaced that Ryan wouldn't take less than $10 million per year, which would be too rich for Seattle to spend on a slot cornerback. But nearly two months into the offseason, he will be hard-pressed to get anything close to that and likely will have to soften those demands to land another job.

Last time Schneider made a play for a former Patriots nickel cornerback, things worked out pretty well with Justin Coleman, who turned two strong seasons into a lucrative contract with the Lions. If Ryan is willing to consider a one-year deal in the $5-6 million range at this stage, the Seahawks should pounce quickly to add the versatile play maker to their secondary and bring another quality leadership presence into the fold.