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Seattle Seahawks: 2019 season awards

By Lee Vowell

GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN - JANUARY 12: Russell Wilson #3 of the Seattle Seahawks reacts as they take on the Green Bay Packers in the third quarter of the NFC Divisional Playoff game at Lambeau Field on January 12, 2020 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)
GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN - JANUARY 12: Russell Wilson #3 of the Seattle Seahawks reacts as they take on the Green Bay Packers in the third quarter of the NFC Divisional Playoff game at Lambeau Field on January 12, 2020 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images)
(Photo by Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images) /

Defensive Player of the Year

This one was tough. It would have been easy to go with All-Pro linebacker Bobby Wagner. Maybe it was tempting to pick cornerback Shaquill Griffin. But there was no player that made more of a difference when he was on the field versus when he was off it than defensive lineman Jadeveon Clowney.

For example, with Clowney in the game, Seattle had a pressure rate against quarterbacks 24.6 percent of the time. Without Clowney, that number fell to 17.5 percent. While Seattle’s sack numbers were low even with Clowney, without him they fell by a whole percent point (4.8 to 3.9).

https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1178407178933157888

Clowney led Seattle’s defense in quarterback hits (13) and forced fumbles (4). He was second in tackles for loss (7), scored two defensive touchdowns (one on an interception and one on a fumble recovery) and did all this while playing in 13 games, not 16.

Clowney will be a free agent once this season ends. He cannot be franchise tagged by the Seahawks meaning he is free to walk. But Seattle needs to not let Clowney leave. Maybe he will ask for $20 million a season but if that is so, Seattle needs to pay him that. The Seahawks have extra money in the budget this offseason. And just imagine a Seattle defense without Clowney in 2020? That’s not good.

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