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Seahawks position preview: Defensive end breakdowns, starters and cuts

By Willie Keeler

GLENDALE, ARIZONA - SEPTEMBER 29: Defensive end L.J. Collier #95 of the Seattle Seahawks reacts on the bench alongside teammates during the NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium on September 29, 2019 in Glendale, Arizona. The Seahawks won 27 to 10. (Photo by Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - SEPTEMBER 29: Defensive end L.J. Collier #95 of the Seattle Seahawks reacts on the bench alongside teammates during the NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium on September 29, 2019 in Glendale, Arizona. The Seahawks won 27 to 10. (Photo by Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Ralph Freso/Getty Images)
(Photo by Ralph Freso/Getty Images) /

Seahawks vets

Rasheem Green

After being selected in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft by Seattle Green did not play much his first season in the league. But in his second year, he really stepped up and has led Seahawks fans to believe that he could be a good starting defensive end.

Last season Green played in every game and started eight of them. He recorded four sacks (most on the team), 3 tackles for loss, and 5 QB hits. On top of that in the playoffs against the Eagles, he recorded a sack, a TFL, and a QB hit.

Not much was expected of Green but he put up decent stats and is certainly on the right path to getting better and better. With not much talent in the DE group, Hopefully, Green can improve again this year and earn a starting role again.

LJ Collier

The Seahawks 2019 first-round pick‘s rookie year was a disappointment, to say the least. In his first season, he only played in 11 games, recording three tackles, and did not have anything in the three common pass rush stats that I have been listing for everyone else’s breakdowns.

From the PFF article I linked to earlier ranking the Seahawks d-line dead last in the NFL, Collier’s 2019 PFF grade was 48.6 and he only had one QB hurry the whole season. Hopefully, Collier can unlock his first-round potential in 2020 as the Seahawks will desperately need some bench production from the DE group.

Shaquem Griffin

The amazing rise of Shaquem Griffin was at its peak last year in one of the final plays of the season. Griffin and his twin brother Shaquill Griffin brought the pressure to Aaron Rodgers in the final playoff game of the Seahawks 2019, as Shaquem recorded his first sack in the NFL in a crucial moment to keep the Seahawks hopes alive.

The exciting play was made possible by the fact that Griffin transitioned into a DE role in 2019, instead of a LB role like he had been playing during 2018. Even though he is listed as a linebacker on the Seahawks official roster, Griffin really started to show sparks of being a good pass rusher in 2019 so I had to include him on this list. This wasn’t any surprise either as in college at UCF Griffin played both defensive end and linebacker.

He will most likely see the majority of his snaps in 2020 come on special teams, but Griffin could have a small role as a defensive end again this season.

Branden Jackson

Jackson has been on the Seahawks for three seasons now, and after bouncing up and down from the roster and practice squad for a while he finally found some regular playtime. Last season he knocked down 2 passes, had 2 sacks, 2 tackles for loss, and 3 QB hits.

His stats were not too impressive but they were enough to make the Seahawks keep him around for another camp and give him another chance to make the team. Jackson played in 15 games last season and started 3, but with all the new signings and rookies he will have to perform for a spot on the roster.

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