Seahawks: More nickel packages in 2020 is a good thing
By Lee Vowell
Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll hinted that Seattle will play more naps with nickel packages on defense this coming season.
The Seahawks played a lot of 4-3 base defense in 2019. More than any defense in the NFL. The reason for this is that Seahawks coach Pete Carroll wanted his best players on defense on the field. This included linebacker Mychal Kendrick.
While this is a great philosophy on gameplan paper, it doesn’t really translate to 2020 NFL football. Or 2019. Seattle’s defense was bad last year. Some of the reason was that because the Seahawks played a 4-3 base, the defensive ends – the edge rushers – had less freedom to improvise in getting to the quarterback. Seattle played this base 68.8 percent of the time versus a league-average of 27.2.
Seattle ranked 26th in overall defense in 2019. Their worst ranking since Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor were not yet Seahawks.
NFL teams throw a lot more than they used to. Whether Carroll likes it or not, a 4-3 base is outdated. Not unless you have a very imaginative defensive coordinator and Seattle does not. DC Ken Norton Jr. will play straight up and not think about how to get pressure on opposing quarterbacks. This cost Seattle in 2019 and cannot happen in 2020.
But according to Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times, Carroll has said he won’t play as much base defense in 2020. If they do, Norton Jr. needs to be fired because Seattle will lose games because of their 4-3 base.
Carroll, asked about base defense usage, reiterates team did it last year as much as it did because of personnel. Hints Seattle won't play as much base defense this year because personnel is changing. IE, they liked Kendricks on the field a lot last year.
— Bob Condotta (@bcondotta) June 11, 2020
The Seahawks traded for Quinton Dunbar this offseason. He is a tall and lanky corner that should play outside the dashes. But Seattle has hinted that maybe, if Dunbar is able to play after being charged with assault this offseason, Dunbar could play in the nickel slot. Or maybe Tre Flowers could.
Best case stuff
The best case would be to have second-year player Ugo Amadi step into the slot and do well for the next 10 years. Then the Seahawks could choose between re-signing Dunbar or playing Flowers opposite Pro Bowler Shaquill Griffin. Either way, the 4-3 base has got to go. Doing so would allow for more sacks and, as Seattle traded for the very good Dunbar.
dark. Next. Seahawks should maybe trade for a safety?
Seattle would have the coverage to allow for more time to pressure. Seattle needs to fire Norton Jr. if Seattle chooses to not play a 4-3 and still has a bad defense. Having decent defensive personnel but poor coaching directing them is no excuse to hold a potentially very good Seahawks team back in 2020.