Five edge rushers Seattle Seahawks should sign this offseason

Derek Barnett

Barnett, unlike Ogbah, has yet to reach his potential. In fact, Barnett had a bit of a down year in 2021, his faith with the Eagles. Barnett, therefore, is going to be free to go elsewhere as the Eagles are not going to franchise the 25-year-old defensive end. But there are several reasons to sign Barnett.

One is his age. Barnett came into the league young and still has a bunch of years left to play. It isn’t like he hasn’t been productive either. He has had 5 sacks or more in three different years. His 11 quarterback hits in 2021 were his fewest since 2018 but still would have been tied for fourth on the Seahawks. His 7 tackles for loss would have been tied for third with Seattle.

Two is that Barnett plays more like Jadeveon Clowney than Von Miller. Like Clowney, Barnett is just as good, if not better, against the run as he is against the pass. Every year since 2018 Barnett has graded higher in run support, per Pro Football Focus, than in pass rush. That is not a bad thing. Clowney made the entire defense a wee bit better during his one year in Seattle because he freed interior defenders to get pressure on quarterbacks as opposing teams had to account for Clowney.

Three is that Seattle isn’t going to break the bank to get Barnett. Signing Barnett to a multi-year deal at around $12 million helps team and player. Barnett would be well-compensated while also allowing the Seahawks to bring in a young player who could only get better.