Seattle Seahawks Edge Rushers – Quantity or Quality?
PNWS Staff
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In 2023, the Seattle Seahawks once again drafted two edge players. Are they stacking up bodies, or is there some quality?
For the second straight year and third time in four years, the Seattle Seahawks drafted an edge player in both the second and fifth rounds. Remember, the definition of crazy is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.
To recap the Seattle Seahawks selected:
2020 – 2nd Round (48th overall) Darrell Taylor -Tennessee, 5th round (148th overall) Alton Robinson – Syracuse.
2022 – 2nd Round (40th overall) Boye Mafe – Minnesota, 5th round (158th overall) Tyreke Smith – Ohio State.
2023 – 2nd round (37th overall) Derick Hall – Auburn, 5th round (151st overall) Mike Morris – Michigan.
The discussion about whether or not the Seahawks used their picks wisely is a discussion for another day. The question we asked our writers is, “Do the Seattle Seahawks have quality or quantity on the edge?
Ed Stein
Maybe the Seattle Seahawks don’t have much high quality, because there isn’t a game-changer among the group. But they definitely have quantity. Uchenna Nwosu, Darrell Taylor, Boye Mafe, Alton Robinson, Tyreke Smith, this year’s second round pick Derick Hall and fifth round pick Mike Morris make seven on the edge.
Quantity isn’t all bad. Every NFL team utilizes a rotation on the interior defensive line to keep their players fresh. Why not do it on the edge as well?
If the Seahawks could take advantage of weary offensive tackles in the fourth quarter, then more power to them. Does it really matter who gets the sacks as long as they happen in quantity?
Andrew Elderbaum
I think the Seattle Mariners may have both. Nwosu and Taylor are both capable of double-digit sacks. Mafe should contribute more in Year 2.
Hall should be ok, and if they use fifth round pick Mike Morris as a situational rusher, he has upside. Dre’Mont Jones can slide out to the edge as well.
This year we’ll see more rotations to keep guys fresh. With Julian Love and Quandre Diggs in the defensive backfield, Jamal Adams is going to be used as a rusher again, and he excelled in that role two years ago.
If all stay healthy, 8-10 sacks each from Adams, Nwosu, and Taylor is very possible. One sack a game from anyone else puts Seattle between 45-47. Last year’s total was 45.
To answer the original question, Seattle has a quantity of quality rushers, and I bet they break 50 sacks this year.
Joe Swanson
What works best for the Seahawks, especially with the young talented corners they now possess, is to have high-motor edge rushers. This is very similar to the model Seattle used from 2012-2015.
Nwosu and Taylor both tied for top 20 overall in sacks, and both were top 6 in forced fumbles. The back-ups are both second round picks (Mafe from 2022 and Hall, who has elite speed in 2023).
Throw in Alton Robinson, who led the team with 9.5 stuffs, as well as wild card Tyreke Smith from the 2022 draft, and the Seattle Seahawks have quantity, but with upside and potential.
Getting to the quarterback, stuffing rushers in the backfield, or batting down some balls, it makes everyone on the defense better.
Chip Clark
I’m still waiting for someone not named Uchenna Nwosu to be a consistent factor. None of the other Seattle Seahawks edge rushers have become players that other teams have to account for.
In that regard, Seattle doesn’t have much in the way of quality. As for quantity, if that refers to bodies that can play the position, then yes, the Seahawks have quantity. I don’t think much of the talent their quantity has.
Do you think Seattle has quantity or quality on the edge?