Seahawks defensive line should feature these four starters
By Lee Vowell
The Seahawks have added several pass rushers this offseason but the defensive line must stop the run as well. So who should start on the DL for Seattle? The ends need to be a bit like Jadeveon Clowney was in Seattle. Meaning, they can play the run well but also supply quarterback pressure (and supply it better and more consistently than Clowney). The tackles need to stop the run first but also supply interior pressure.
That said, Seattle has signed players and drafted players who aren’t one-trick ends. Nearly every one of the defensive ends on the Seahawks roster can play the run to some degree and aren’t pure edge rushers, a bit like Yannick Ngakoue is. One reason Seattle didn’t chase Ngakoue more could be that he isn’t good against the run.
The big question is who, if anyone, can bring the interior heat on opposing quarterbacks. Poona Ford and Bryan Mone and Al Woods are all very good against the run but none of them have proven yet that they can get consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks.
Who should start on the Seahawks defensive line week one of 2021
Defensive ends – Carlos Dunlap and Kerry Hyder
Seattle has a bunch of guys who could play inside and outside like Hyder. And Hyder’s 2020 numbers might be inflated versus his career numbers because he finally got a chance to play a lot. Hyder has started 16 games in his five-year career, 14 of them came last season alone. But his snap counts in 2016 with the Lions (64 percent of plays) are by far the closest comparison he had to 2020 (70 percent of snap counts) and his numbers are really close.
Hyder had 19 quarterback hits in 2016 and 18 in 2020. In 2016, Hyder had 8 sacks and in 2020 he had 8.5. Clearly, when Hyder gets a chance to play, he produces and he will produce both inside and outside for the Seahawks.
Dunlap is the no-brainer and he is by far the most proven and most consistent and best overall defensive end Seattle has.
That means Benson Mayowa (9 starts for Seattle in 2020) and L.J. Collier (16 starts for the Seahawks in 2020) and Rasheem Green and Aldon Smith all are part of the rotation. But Hyder and Dunlap are the most well-rounded and deserve to start.
Defensive tackles – Poona Ford and Bryan Mone
Except for Ford, things get a little tricky at defensive tackle. Ford is sliding over to Jarran Reed’s old DT spot in hopes he can put pressure on opposing quarterbacks more. But we already know he is a great run-defender so he should be a start for Seattle for many more seasons to come.
dark. Next. Rashaad Penny due for a breakout season
Mone is a good run-defender. But Al Woods is too. And if Robert Nkemdiche can ever stay healthy and motivated, he has the potential to be better than Mone or Woods. But he has never shown either for long so Mone is the guy who is young enough and hungry enough to make the biggest impact next to Ford.