3 defensive ends Seattle Seahawks should want to sign in free agency

2025 could be even better.

Indianapolis Colts v Houston Texans
Indianapolis Colts v Houston Texans | Cooper Neill/GettyImages

Last time, we looked at free agent defensive tackles who might interest John Schneider and Mike Macdonald this offseason. Today we’re looking at defensive ends. But this is where labels can become counterproductive. Like most teams, the Seattle Seahawks, under Macdonald, vary their defensive alignments.

Bigger linemen might line up anywhere along the front. Smaller ones won’t be in the middle, but whether they rush the passer and set the edge like a traditional defensive end or drop into coverage like a traditional linebacker may vary from play to play.

Therefore, we’ll talk about three specific players today and as we are doing in this series, one will be from the expensive part of the DE menu, and one will come from the sale rack. The third will be priced right in the middle. But even more pertinent than the price tag is the scheme Macdonald wants to run.

Three free agent defensive ends the Seattle Seahawks should chase in 2025 free agency

There is probably a wider range of physical types at “defensive end” than at any other position on the field. In very broad terms, 3-4 fronts require bigger ends – like Leonard Williams – to make up for the absence of one lineman. 4-3 fronts generally have lighter, quicker ends to counter the speed that is sacrificed when you drop a linebacker.

And often, those 4-3 ends can shift to a hybrid linebacker role which combines the responsibilities of an end and an outside backer. Seattle has used all of these alignments and Macdonald is likely to continue to tinker until he finds the right match of scheme and personnel.

And so today we will not be looking for any one type of player or a scheme-specific fit. We’re just going to choose three guys who could come in and improve an aging defensive front. Williams and Byron Murphy will be lining up somewhere next season. All other bets are off.  

If Macdonald wants to run a standard 3-4, he’ll need to either move Murphy over the nose, which seems like a waste of his skills, or else find someone new to play in the middle. No one seems especially interested in giving Dre’Mont Jones another chance, but the Hawks may not be able to find better options.

If they run more 4-3 sets, they have a plethora of linebackers who could get an audition at end, but there’s no guarantee any of them will thrive. Trevis Gipson and Jamie Sheriff have both played end and have the physical tools to do it, but neither has stood out on the line.

All right – enough with the confusing situation and the complex juggling act that may be necessary. Here are three good defensive ends who might find a home in Seattle in 2025.

High-End – Josh Sweat, Philadelphia Eagles

Josh Sweat has had somewhat of a love/hate relationship with the Philadelphia Eagle fans over since being drafted in the fourth round back in 2018. Of course, that’s SOP for any player in Philly. He made the Pro Bowl in 2021 and recorded double digits in sacks and tackles-for-loss the following year. He was beloved. His production fell off some in 2023. He was a disappointment.

The truth is that Sweat has always been a very solid, productive player. At 6’5” and 265 pounds, he has the classic size to play the end in a 4-3, but he has also played as an outside linebacker in certain set-ups. This season, he is being listed as a strong-side backer, though he is just as likely to line up in a classic defensive end stance.

Regardless of position, Sweat has provided steady production ever since he became a full-time starter in 2021. You can count on him for about eight sacks, 40-plus tackles, and 15-20 QB hits every year. Those are not game-changing numbers. They are basically what Seattle has gotten from Derick Hall this year. But Sweat is bigger and can play against NFL offensive linemen, and he could make Hawks opponents pay should they devote too much attention to Williams and Murphy.

Mid-Tier – Dayo Odeyingbo, Indianapolis Colts

Dayo Odeyingbo has the size you’d want in a traditional 3-4 end. The Colts selected the 6’6” and 286-pounder out of Vanderbilt in the second round of the 2021 draft. In 2023, as a rotational player, he registered eight sacks and another 22 pressures. It looked as if Indy had found another building block on defense.

He still may be just that. But a subpar 2024 has left him in a bit of limbo. Odeyingbo was just one of a group of underperforming defenders in Indianapolis last year, and his fall-off might be attributable to the overall lack of defensive talent. He is not likely to be a game-changer, but as part of a strong line, he could do some real damage. Odeyingbo does not turn 26 until after opening day 2025.

He is the type of two-way defender Mike Macdonald could plug in at end and leave him there for at least the next three years. Though I normally confine myself to one player from each category, I want to throw in that Kansas City’s Charles Omenihu is a very similar player who is also scheduled to be on the market. I prefer Odeyingbo, but after watching Omenihu make several plays in the Chiefs' last playoff game, I suppose I’d settle for him.

Bargain-Bin – James Smith-Williams, Atlanta Falcons

Smith Williams is in the mold of Josh Sweat. He has been a backup 4-3 end since coming into the league as a seventh-round draft pick of Washington in 2020. Also like Sweat, he has shifted to a linebacker role with Atlanta this season. He can play either spot depending on the alignment.

Smith-Williams got to play a lot in his second and third seasons when Washington’s starter, Chase Young, was dealing with major injuries. He was not dominant by any means, but he was serviceable. He could generate some pressure and he could hold up on running plays.

Smith-Williams will not go anywhere as a starter but he could form part of a rotation on the outside. In other words, he may not be a game-changer, but he is not a liability. If Macdonald wants a solid young vet who is still several years away from his 30th birthday, JSW could provide very good value.

Next time, we’ll take an in-depth look at long snappers. Nah, I’m kidding. I’m a big Chris Stoll fan.

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