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Seahawks should take a long look at these free agent pass rushers

By Todd Vandenberg

FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS - DECEMBER 30: Trey Flowers #98 of the New England Patriots reacts during the third quarter of a game against the New York Jets at Gillette Stadium on December 30, 2018 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS - DECEMBER 30: Trey Flowers #98 of the New England Patriots reacts during the third quarter of a game against the New York Jets at Gillette Stadium on December 30, 2018 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /
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Kerry Hyder could potentially join the Seahawks
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – NOVEMBER 6: Sam Bradford #8 of the Minnesota Vikings is tackled by Kerry Hyder #61 of the Detroit Lions of the game on November 6, 2016 at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images) /

Two more potential Seahawks at the cheaper end

Kerry Hyder, 6’2″, 270 pounds, 27 years old. Hyder is the other defensive line free agent from Detroit. Unlike Ziggy Ansah, who we’ve already discussed, Hyder is an exclusive rights free agent. Simply put, this means he cannot negotiate with any other team. If the Lions offer him a contract, he either takes it or sits out the season. With Ansah almost certainly moving on, you’d think Detroit would keep Hyder as they have him by the – well, you know.

However, he missed all of 2017 with a ruptured Achilles tendon. He underwhelmed in his comeback season as he only played in seven games and posted one sack. Here’s what makes him intriguing. He had eight sacks and nineteen quarterback hits in 2016 as a defensive end. The Lions played a 4-3 defense then and switched to the 3-4 last year. To make matter worse, they even played Hyder at nose tackle. That’s right, a 270-pound nose tackle. The Seahawks play, of course, play a 4-3. And he’d be cheap. Go ahead, Detroit, give up on him.

More from Seattle Seahawks Free Agency

Dante Fowler Jr., 6’3″, 255 pounds, 24 years old. Fowler played defensive end for the Jaguars, then switched to linebacker for the Rams. Fowler was the third overall pick in the 2015 draft, but never played up to that potential.

That is a big reason Jacksonville traded him to Los Angeles halfway through the 2018 season. Plus they got a couple of draft picks for a guy they were probably going to let walk.

The upside is that Fowler does have potential. He had 8 sacks and 10 quarterback hits in 2017. The downside is, you have to wonder about his motivation, as that was by far his best season out of three. He did play better with the Rams than the Jags in the second half of last year. He’s certainly worth working out.

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