Seahawks midseason grades: Some studs and some duds

The defense

Defensive line

We all thought the Seahawks design of their defense coming into 2021 would be a heavy pass rush to offset the unknowns at cornerback. Well, Seattle is 22nd in pressure percentage and 24th in sacks (14). Carlos Dunlap has been a disappointment with just .5 sacks and 4 quarterback hits, two of which came in the last game. At least the interior of the defensive line has been pretty good overall against the run allowing 4.2 yards a carry, 10th-best in the league.

Grade: C-

Linebackers

This is an odd category as well. Bobby Wagner leads the NFL in tackles with 93 and Jordyn Brooks is 10th with 71. But combined they have just 2 sacks and 5 tackles for loss so the tackles they are making are after an opposing offensive player has gained some yards. Darrell Taylor, listed at linebacker, has a team-leading 4 sacks and has been the most consistent of all Seahawk pass rushers. Still, the group overall has struggled a ton in pass coverage.

Grade: B

Secondary

This is a first few games versus the last few games thing with this unit. Seattle was awful through the first five games of the season and was getting torched with crossing patterns and had tons of miscommunication. But then Seattle released Tre Flowers, Sidney Jones started playing a bit better. D.J. Reed, who has been decent for most of the year, got switched back to the right side of the field and seems more comfortable there. Also, rookie Tre Brown has finally been able to play after coming back from an injury and has been very good.

The safeties are complex too. Quandre Diggs has been fairly good for most of the year, is fourth on the team in tackles and has 3 interceptions. But Jamal Adams has yet to record a sack or quarterback hit and is nowhere near the playmaker he was last season. This has to change.

I get that defenses are scheming for him more this year on his blitzes, but zero quarterback hits through 8 games? Something else is going on.

Grade: C-