Jarran Reed returns to the Seahawks and now things get fun

Jarran Reed will return to the Seahawks after his six week suspension versus the Ravens. With Seattle off to a good start, now things get really fun.

The Seahawks have not been able to get a lot of sacks so far in 2019. This, even though they traded for Jadeveon Clowney and signed Ziggy Ansah this offseason. Seattle currently ranks 26th in the NFL in sacks with 10. Teams higher than the 5-1 Seahawks include the terrible Redskins (14) and 2-4 Titans (18).

I get it. Sacks aren’t everything. Quarterback pressures matter and stuff like that. But when a team sacks a quarterback they do two things better than just a pressure. One, the opposing team loses yardage. Secondly, the next down is set up most likely for a different play call than a simple incomplete pass might call for. Seattle needs more sacks and needs them now.

Enter Jarran Reed. I am not saying Reed, who has missed the first six games of 2019 due to suspension, is going to immediately mean that Seattle gets 18 sacks against the Ravens in week 7. But what it does mean is that teams will have to account for Reed’s ability to pressure opposing quarterbacks from the interior of the defensive line. Reed had 10.5 sacks in 2018.

Reed’s threat actually might free up Clowney and Ansah, among others, to create chaos. If Reed comes in near his 2018 level of play, Seattle’s defense is immensely improved. Maybe it will take him a week or three to get back into game-shape. That is OK too. The fact that Reed is returning when he is is important.

Reed is in the walk-year of his current contract. That alone is enough to motivate him to make big bucks on his next deal. But after the suspension, Reed has just 10 games to prove himself so that is double motivation. The Seahawks have struggled with sacks this season. But with Reed’s return and assumed motivation, the worm might be about to turn in favor of 12s everywhere.