Seahawks should sign Clay Matthews if money is right

The Seahawks are still looking for pass rushers – plural – in 2020. One answer to the riddle would be to sign Clay Matthews if he is inexpensive.

The Seahawks don’t need Jadeveon Clowney. They need Clowney and other players. Seattle did sign Bruce Irvin so far this free agency period but that is far from enough. Seattle needs to get Clowney, but they should also look at signing recently released Clay Matthews.

Clay Matthews is not going to change the Seahawks world, but he is going to make it a happier place. He is a smart player who gets the most out of his skill. He will be 34 years old when the 2020 season begins, so thinking he is as athletic and quick as he once was is a bit too high of an expectation.

But the Seahawks do not need Clay Matthews to come in and be the Pro Bowler used to be. Seattle needs Matthews to simply do one of the things he does best: Chase down opposing quarterbacks. Matthews has had double-digit sack seasons four times in his career. Maybe the last time that happened was in 2014, but Matthews had 7.5 sacks in 2017 and in 2019 he had 8.

8 sacks. Doesn’t seem like an amazing amount, does it? But it would be twice the amount that Rasheem Green got last year and Green led Seattle with 4 sacks. Matthews might not get 8 sacks again, but he should be good enough to get 5 and this is what Seattle needs that it did not have last year. That is, a number of players who can get to the quarterback.

The big part of Seattle signing Matthews would be money. Clay Matthews made $3 million with the Rams in 2019. Los Angeles released Matthews so they wouldn’t have to pay him a $2 million roster bonus. If Seattle can get Matthews for around $2 million on a one-year deal, they should do and reunite Matthews with his college coach, Pete Carroll.