100 days of Seahawks: Brandon Mebane was the best number 92 for Seattle

There is only 92 days until the Seahawks start their 2019 season. In honor of that, here is the best number 92 in Seattle history: Brandon Mebane.

Brandon Mebane joined the Seahawks in a time the team was slowly started to decline. Taken in the third round of the 2007 NFL Draft out of the University of California, Mebane joined a Seattle franchise in transition. The team was leaving a few excellent years and had made the Super Bowl for the 2005 season. But by 2008, Seattle was 4-12. Mebane helped rebuild the team, though.

The defensive tackle was never expected to be a Hall of Famer. He was drafted to plug the middle of the defensive line and stop other teams from running the ball. If Mebane got 8 sacks or more, great. But that was never his objective.

Mebane never got to 8 sacks. His career high was 5.5 in his second season of 2008. But in back to back seasons of 2011 and 2012, Mebane collected 56 tackles each. For a defensive tackle, this is a very good amount, especially in Seattle’s scheme. Under Pete Carroll, Seattle’s defense is designed for linebackers to get a bunch of tackles. That Mebane got up to 56 meant he was making stops at the point of attack. Mebane freed other players, like Michael Bennett, to improv slightly and that made opposing offensive coordinators question their sanity.

In Seattle’s Super Bowl-winning season of 2013, Mebane started every game at defensive tackle and helped create one of the best defenses in the history of the NFL. With Mebane eating up blocks, other Seahawks could attack and intimidate offenses. Without Mebane, this wouldn’t have worked as well.

Mebane was one of just four holdovers from the pre-Carroll and John Schneider era to play on the championship team of 2013. The others were Red Bryant, Jon Ryan and Max Unger. Mebane and Bryant formed the interior of the Seahawks defensive line. One that was fairly impenetrable.

Mebane left in free agency in 2016 and played 2018 with the Los Angeles Chargers.

Current Seahawk – Nazair Jones

The current Seattle player to wear number 92 is Nazair Jones. Jones will be making the transition from defensive tackle to defensive end in 2019. He has had an injury-riddled first couple of seasons. But Jones has the athletic ability to help Seattle. Maybe he will become good enough to take Mebane’s place as the best number 92 in Seahawks history.