Seattle Seahawks: The quest for a better pass rush

Clint Prasky   |  

Aug 1, 2022

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The Seattle Seahawks made big changes to the defense this offseason. They brought in new players and coaches to improve an underperforming pass rush.

In 2021 the Seattle Seahawks‘ pass rush was anemic at best. They ranked 26th of 32 teams with a 22.1% pressure rate and 22nd in sacks with a paltry 34. The team responded by replacing many of those who were part of the poorly performing unit.

Gone are Carlos Dunlap, Rasheem Green, Kerry Hyder, and Benson Mayowa, who combined for 17.5 total sacks. New to this year’s team are Shelby Harris, Quinton Jefferson, Boye Mafe, and Uchenna Nwosu.

Harris was a part of the return package Seattle got in the Russell Wilson trade. A member of the Seattle Seahawks from 2016-19, Jefferson has come home to the team that drafted him. Speaking of draft picks, Mafe was Seattle’s second round pick this year (41st overall). Finally, Nwosu was GM John Schneider’s “biggest” free agent addition this past offseason. 

The new guys will be counted on to provide a much more steady pass rush in 2022. Considering the low bar set by last year’s team, they should be able to do just that. Returners from 2021 include L.J. Collier, Poona Ford, Alton Robinson, Darrell Taylor, and Al Woods. Among these players, Taylor and Robinson are the rushers, while Ford, Woods, and Collier are more geared towards run defense.

Change in Philosophy

Aside from the personnel changes, another potential reason to think quarterback gets turned up a notch or two is the scheme new Defensive Coordinator Clint Hurtt brings in. They are changing from a 4-3 alignment to a 3-4. 12s won’t be scratching their heads anymore because Seattle’s defensive ends drop into coverage and then get beat by running backs and tight ends.

Not only will the scheme change, but the play calling will most definitely be different. In addition to replacing former DC Ken Norton Jr. with Hurtt, the team also brought in two other highly respected defensive coaches. Sean Desai and Karl Scott will greatly impact alignments and game planning.

Desai comes from Chicago, where he was the safeties coach and defensive coordinator. On Pete Carroll’s staff, he is the Associate Head Coach-Defense. Meanwhile, Scott is the Passing Game Coordinator and Defensive Backs Coach. 

Slight Improvement leads to Big Results

Without predicting a specific sack total, 45 doesn’t seem like a stretch. Adding 11 sacks doesn’t sound like much, but that increase should come with a corresponding boost in quarterback pressures. If the Seattle Seahawks can go from a 22.1% pressure rate to, say 26%, it puts them in the Top 10.

Also, 45 sacks would have been ninth in the NFL last season. Even though Seattle wasn’t very good last year, they aren’t that far from being respectable and among the league’s top defenses. A ranking that 12s have come to expect.

What do you think about changes the Seattle Seahawks are making to improve their pass rush? Let us know in the comments section below.