3 defensive tackles the Seahawks need to sign today

The Seahawks 53-man squad is set. Unfortunately, their defensive tackle position is paper-thin. This article goes over 3 players Seattle should sign today.

The Seahawks are going all-in on a Super Bowl win this year. They have constructed a near-perfect defense on paper. They have youth, they have savvy veterans, they have speed, they have leaders and budding chemistry.

However, what they don’t have is a stout defensive line. I have full confidence in the rest of the defensive unit. The only problem is, if the defensive line cannot contain the offensive line, those offensive linemen can leak to the second level to block the linebackers/blitzers.

Given the lack of sure-fire talent at the defensive end, this is surely how Seattle is planning on creating pressure on the quarterback. By utilizing creative blitzes with the linebackers, safeties and cornerbacks.

So it stands to reason that all that is needed at this point is a massive body to help absorb bodies on the defensive line. An Al Woods type role if you will. Seattle currently has Poona Ford, Jarran Reed and Bryan Mone at DT. That’s it. Just those 3.

Seattle rotates defensive lineman more than about anyone in the NFL. Sure, LJ Collier and Rasheem Green will likely move inside on obvious passing downs or in nickel. However, they still need a big body next to them.

Week 1 did little to assure me our tackle depth is ready for the long haul. This is especially true with Rasheem Green coming down with an injury. Seattle needs to bring more men into the rotation.

This brings me to the article. 3 defensive lineman the Seahawks can’t afford to miss.

Defensive lineman number 1: Damon Harrison

This is really not a surprise. I mean at this point I have written about adding Damon Harrison multiple times. However, one thing has changed, it appears Harrison may finally be ready to make a decision on playing or not.

He is just waiting for the right destination. Surely at this point in his career, his prerogative is winning a Super Bowl, not money. Seattle has a Super Bowl pedigree, a clear route to playing time and a pressing need for a player of his skill set.

Damon “Snacks” Harrison is known for eating blockers like it’s his breakfast. He is a massive body that will keep the blitzers clean. This is precisely what Seattle needs to succeed on defense. He isn’t a young buck anymore and would likely have no issue with being the first man off the bench.

He would fill in behind defensive tackle Poona Ford, especially on obvious passing downs. Meanwhile, Bryan Mone, LJ Collier and Rasheem Green would slide in the rotation behind Jarran Reed.

Damon Harrison is undoubtedly the plan A. So, if Seattle loses out on him, who is the backup plan? Let’s find out.

Defensive lineman number 2: Marcell Dareus

Seattle has been linked to Marcell Dareus multiple times this off-season. It’s understandable why. The two time Pro Bowler has a very appealing skill set.

Dareus has been known as one of the best run-blocking defensive tackles in the league for years. He won’t produce a lot of quarterback pressure. However, for what Seattle needs, he would be near perfect.

His job would be to eat bodies on the line, to once again keep the blitzers clean. Dareus is just 30 years old, so he should have left in the tank.

With this signing, it is very possible that Poona Ford would slide to the bench and Dareus would take the starting nod. Regardless, with the rotation Seattle uses both will see ample time on the field.

A big part of the reason Dareus is still available is because of his lengthy injury history. He hasn’t played a full season since 2013. However, he does have a couple of seasons with 15 games. Most recently he only played 6 games and accumulated just 13 tackles and .5 sacks.

If Seattle can help him get back to his prior form and stay healthy, this could be a huge signing that propels that defensive unit into a dominant group. He has been to the Pro-Bowl multiple times for a reason. He has the talent, he just needs to stay healthy and be in the right system.

Defensive tackle number 3: Former Seahawks DT Brandon Mebane

The final player is a familiar face. Brandon Mebane played for Seattle from 2007-2015. He is the oldest of the 3 players at 35, however, he is also the most familiar with the scheme Seattle employs.

This would offer a plug and play upside with very little learning curve to adhere to. Mebane is once again a run-stuffing defensive tackle. He has a combined 18.5 sacks across 13 years. So, don’t expect much in terms of pass rush.

Since Mebane left in 2016, the team has struggled to replace him. His ability to eat bodies and plug the run lanes has been sorely missed.

When I think of Mebane, I think of Al Woods. Woods’ career had taken a detour after his breakout campaign several years ago. Seattle signed the 32-year-old and helped restore him back to his productive ways.

The Seahawks could do the same for Mebane. If I had to guess, I think Mebane is the most likely to sign with Seattle. First, I think his asking price wouldn’t be more than the veteran minimum. With teams trying to save as much cap space as possible, the less the player gets the more the team can roll over into next year.

Second, with the season just about to start, his knowledge of the system is huge. The team can trust just throwing him to the wolves and trust he can get the job done. Where Damon Harrison and Marcell Dareus would both have some learning curves.

Finally, Mebane is already known to be a solid locker room guy. I am not questioning Harrison or Dareus’s locker room presence, its more of a Schrodinger’s cat kind of situation. Seattle knows exactly how Mebane would fit into the locker room where the other two are unknowns.

Regardless, Seattle should jump at signing any of these 3. All have their pros and cons. All would give the Seahawks a massive boost at the defensive tackle position. It’ll be interesting to see how this plays out. I expect the Seahawks to sign someone in the next week or two.