3 players Seahawks should sign to help with their Super Bowl aspirations

If one thing is clear after the Jamal Adams trade, the Seahawks are all in on 2020. Here are 3 players Seattle should sign today to help with their Super Bowl hopes.

The Seahawks made a huge move trading for Jamal Adams. It may have cost them an arm and a leg to get him. However, the level of talent he possesses gives the chance to bring the team to the next level.

The Seahawks clearly saw a player who was top at his position and a true difference-maker. They decided, whatever the cost, we need to get Adams on the team. As I said, it wasn’t cheap. It cost the organization two first-round draft picks and a third-rounder. From what I can tell the fourth round pick the Seahawks recovered was specifically for Bradley McDougald.

Jamal Adams brings a mixture of Kam Chancellor and Earl Thomas back to Seattle. The Seahawks have desperately been trying to draft the heirs to the Chancellor and Thomas. However, their attempts have been mostly unsuccessful. This likely in part why Seattle made the trade. They saw the impact those two had and decided we need another true difference-maker at safety.

Jamal Adams is far more than just a safety. He is a true defensive weapon. In fact, he has played all over the field thus far in his career. Take a look at his career snaps at each position grouping:

Edge: 318

LB: 1,099

S: 1,196

He is one of the most gifted athletes in the game. His best skill is his ability to effectively and efficiently rush the passer. In fact, he is one of only two players to accumulate 200+ tackles, 10+ sacks, and 25+ pass breakups in the first 3 seasons. The other player is JJ Watt of the Houston Texans.

Seattle is going all in this year. If they want to make the most of this trade and their current roster, there are 3 other players that the Seahawks should consider signing.

Player 1: Damon Harrison, DT

The Seahawks are in need of depth at the defensive tackle position. Their two starters consist of Jarran Reed and Poona Ford. After that, it’s all question marks.

Damon Harrison has been contemplating retiring for a while. He has reportedly turned down several offers because he was unsure if he wants to play. If he does decide to return for another year, the Seahawks will be a very tempting suitor. Thanks in part to the Jamal Adams trade.

With Harrison well into his 30’s, he is looking for a true contender, not money. Seattle has been to the post-season in all but one season with Russell Wilson under the helm. Now with an up and coming roster built around Wilson, there is a real chance that the team can make a run for the title. Especially with some help at the defensive tackle.

Let me explain why Harrison is the player the Seahawks can’t afford to miss on. The team spent a lot of cap space and draft capital trying to bring speed to the defense. Between adding Benson Meyowa, Bruce Irvin, Jordyn Brooks and Jamal Adams, the team has the speed to penetrate the line of scrimmage and force some serious pressure.

In order for this to be effective, the defensive line needs to eat some bodies. They need to absorb the blockers so that these speedy guys attacking from the second level can breakthrough. If they get caught on the line, the added speed is all for naught.

There isn’t a better space-eater and run defender on the market than Damon “Snacks” Harrison. A rotation of Jarran Reed, Poona Ford and Harrison could be just what Seattle needs to create pressure. They just may need to be a little creative with their blitz packages.

Projected contract: 1 year, $2.25 million

Player 2: Everson Griffen, DE

The Seahawks have left many fans with a bad taste in their mouths regarding the defensive end position. The team meanwhile appears to be ecstatic with how they have filled the position.

Regardless, Everson Griffen could be one of those icings on the cake type additions that helps solidify the unit for both the team and fan’s sake. From all appearances, Griffen is only interested in playing for three organizations. The Vikings, the Packers and the Seahawks. Simply he has familiarity with the teams.

Griffen has had some bouts with mental illness. He actually missed part of the 2018 season while he battled this. The Vikings connection is obvious, he has played his entire NFL career in Minnesota. Reports surfaced recently that there is a mutual interest between Griffen and Green Bay as well.

As for the Seahawks, he actually played for Coach Carroll at USC, back in his college days. Coach Carroll would bring familiarity as well as a phenomenal and welcoming culture. Two very important things for Griffen and his mental wellbeing.

Meanwhile, Griffen would bring veteran leadership to the defensive end position. He would likely rotate with Rasheem Green as the 5-tech (base end). Griffen is coming off a season where he accumulated 41 tackles, 11 tackles for a loss, 8 sacks and a pressure rate of 11.7%. This would have been tied for the highest pressure rate on the Seahawks roster last year with Jadeveon Clowney.

Some people want Clowney to return. I don’t blame them. He is a phenomenal talent. However, how I see it; either the Seahawks sign Clowney or they sign all 3 players on this article. It’s likely going to cost about the same either way.

For that reason and that I believe Rasheem Green is a potential superstar in the making, I would rather have Griffen. Going this route would ensure Green has plenty of opportunity to improve/ play and adds two other strong additions to the roster.

Side-note: Rasheem Green is just 23 years old. In his pre-draft process, he was listed as a high potential player if a team is willing to be patient. After all, he was one of the youngest players in the draft. The team has been patient so far and I have seen a lot of growth in Green’s game. I think he seriously could be the face of the defensive line for years to come if everything continues as it has. 

Projected contract: 1 year, $7 million

Player 3: former Seahawks receiver Josh Gordon

Josh Gordon returning to the Seahawks is the worst kept secret in the NFL (if he is reinstated). He has regularly posted hints that he wants to play for Seattle. Meanwhile, Russell Wilson has openly asked for more firepower. Whether that be the retired (or not?) Antonio Brown or Flash Gordon. The team appears more than willing to bring in another weapon.

Gordon’s stint with the Seahawks was short-lived, due to the suspension. However, he made a real impact. Players and coaches all raved about his fit with the team. Gordon himself regularly said he didn’t know any organization in the NFL could have a culture like Seattle’s.

His stats won’t jump off the stat sheet with just 7 catches for 139 yards. Where he made his mark was clutch third down plays. The guy just has iron for hands. It was those contested third-down catches in tight coverage/ cornerbacks draped all over him that has me wanting to see him back on the roster. Wilson needs those safety nets.

That being said, Gordon has had enough issues in his NFL tenure to realizes that good fits are hard to find. He isn’t an egotistical receiver and will simply be happy to make an impact. This is important with the growth of Lockett and Metcalf. Gordon is also a fairly decent run blocker as well.

He simply has all the physical capabilities in the world to be successful in Seattle. Russell Wilson wants more weapons. He wants to have the ball in his hands to make plays. Pairing the two could end up in some dynamite plays like those in the video below.

This all, of course, resides on Gordon being reinstated. The team is expected to find this out in the next week or so. If he is reinstated, expect a quick return to the blue and green.

Projected contract: 1 year, league minimum with incentives up to $2 million

Seattle right now has somewhere between $4-$9 million in “true” cap space. The specific amount depends on how much they allow for the Injury reserve safety net and if any of their FPD released players end up signing elsewhere.

The Seahawks can easily create enough cap space to sign all 3 of these players. Or they could Sign Jadeveon Clowney for roughly the same cost. Per my projected contracts, the total cost for all 3 players will be roughly $11.25 million.

To make this happen they will need to make another move or two. I wrote an article about the 3 ways the Seahawks can create cap space a couple of weeks ago. All 3 ways still pertain to today. Click here if you would like to read more about it.