Updated Post-Trade Draft Needs for the Seattle Seahawks
By Paul Novak
Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports
Defensive Line
Why it’s a need: It’s amazing that the Seahawks managed to have the NFL’s top defense for a second straight year despite the play of the d-line over the first half of the season.
Opposing quarterbacks were hardly under pressure to begin the season and that directly resulted in Seattle losing games to Tony Romo, Phillip Rivers and Alex Smith. The loss of defensive end Chris Clemons and tackle Red Bryant, who both left to the Jacksonville Jaguars meant Seattle would need to find other players to compete.
They didn’t, at least not to the levels that Clemons and Bryant provided. The Seahawks continued to rely on a defensive rotation that would split time between multiple tackles and end’s. Michael Bennett (seven sacks) saw the most play and was the piece that held the line together despite a significant injury to Brandon Mebane pretty early in the season.
Seattle’s sack totals lowered from 44 in 2013 to 37 in 2014, mostly being non-existent over the first half of the season. Improving the pass-rush is a definite must.
With former draft pick Jesse Williams being waived recently and O’Brien Schofield leaving as a free agent to the Atlanta Falcons, Seattle’s need to find more pieces on the d-line needs to be a high priority in the draft.
Importance: High
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