Seattle Seahawks defense.
One of the Seattle Seahawks’ most loved players said he wants to “come home.” K.J. Wright was a guest on Trey Wingo’s show, Half-Forgotten History. Wingo asked the former Pro Bowl linebacker what his ideal playing situation is. Wright responded, “I want to come back home. I think it’s that simple. I let Seattle know that I want to come back. They know how much they mean to me.”
As a matter of fact, if he doesn’t return to the Seahawks this year, Wright is like to retire. He told Wingo, “I’m not going to move my family anywhere else across the country. And so if it’s not Seattle then, I’ll be content.”
This sounds like a pretty simple cut-and-dry situation. Wright wants to play with the Seattle Seahawks, and the Seahawks could not only use another linebacker but some leadership as well. Or could they? There are many questions about whether one more time around the block for Wright and Seattle makes sense. For Example:
These are all very good questions. Let’s weigh the pros and cons of bringing Wright home to finish his career.
Hear ye, Hear ye, the case of bringing outside linebacker K.J. Wright back to the Seattle Seahawks is now in session. The honorable Chris Phillips presiding.
The Seattle Seahawks “released” defensive leader Bobby Wagner this off-season. Now their defense’s leader is either Quandre Diggs or Jamal Adams. But adding a veteran like Wright to the defense is also beneficial. He’s got 11-years of experience and can be a good mentor to Seattle’s young linebacker group.
Also, with Clint Hurtt’s new defensive philosophy and system, having Wright on the field can help disguise what the defense plans to do. Wright can play in coverage, no doubt, but he can also rush the quarterback if that’s what he’s asked to do.
Again, his experience and knowledge can’t be overstated. Granted, Wright’s best days are behind him. But he can impart his wisdom to the youngsters. Wright would also be another piece that allows Hurtt to get creative with his personnel packages.
Also, if Jordyn Brooks is their heir to Booby Wagner’s middle linebacker throne, who else other than BWagz can teach him the ropes? That would be Wagner’s wingman for almost a decade, Wright.
Another important point is durability. Wright, for lack of a better term, is a warrior. He was with the Seahawks from 2011 to 2020 and missed a total of 16 games in 10 seasons. Eleven of those absences resulted from a knee injury suffered in Game 5 of the 2018 season.
Finally, after the team traded Russell Wilson and unceremoniously dumped Wagner, they could use some goodwill from the community. Wright is their link to past glory and popular with the 12s.
At almost 33, he’s old in football years, and his best days are in the past. Besides, if the Seattle Seahawks really wanted him, they wouldn’t have let him walk in free agency last year. It’s that simple. What else can be said?
There is another side to bringing him back. Any playing time takes valuable snaps and experience away from the youngsters. The young guys need as many reps and snaps as possible to gain as much experience as possible.
This defense that Hurtt envisions requires players on the edge who can rush the passer consistently and also be able to drop into coverage. Those edge players need to be credible pass-rushing threats while also being able to handle tight ends and running backs in coverage. Wright isn’t a rushing threat to opposing quarterbacks, as evidenced by his 12.5 career sacks in 11 years. So, when he comes onto the field, it will tip teams off that he’s dropping in coverage.
Other teams might not think seeing Wright in coverage is a bad thing. In three of the last four seasons, opposing quarterbacks had a rating of over 100 against him, including an amazing 115.4 in 2021.
Seahawks Head Coach Pete Carroll is no stranger to bringing back his former players. He loves players who have experience playing for him, especially on defense. Al Woods, Bruce Irvin, and Benson Mayowa are all good examples from recent history. For 2022, Carroll brought back corner, Justin Coleman.
The best scenario that can happen for all parties involved is that the Seattle Seahawks sign Wright to a one-year and low dollar-amount deal. As previously mentioned, his experience and knowledge cannot be overstated. It outweighs the other negatives. And Carroll is comfortable recycling players who know his system.
This Seattle Seahawks defense is fairly young, and adding another veteran would be beneficial and, frankly, is necessary. While he’s not a classic pass-rushing threat, if Wright can get pressure a few weeks in a row, especially early in the season, that helps change the perception of his on-field job and what he’s there to do.
Do you think the Seattle Seahawks need to bring back K.J. Wright? Let us know in the comments section below.