4 defensive coordinators Seattle Seahawks need to hire to replace Clint Hurtt

Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll has a great quality for a human being: He is very loyal. That might not be good for a football coach, though. Carroll held on to Ken Norton, Jr. as defensive coordinator for far too long.

The same might be happening with Clint Hurtt. Hurtt's first year as an NFL DC was in 2022. But the Seahawks have not improved in 2023. In fact, the team gives up more points per game this year than last even though Jamal Adams has returned and Seattle drafted cornerback Devon Witherspoon.

Or heck, maybe the issue is Carroll himself as Hurtt seems to have some of the same tendencies as Norton. What is the through-line? In what suggestion that follows for a new Seattle DC, I offer a two-for.

No. 1 - Seattle Seahawks should hire Jerod Mayo to be the DC

Jerod Mayo has been a sought after coach in the NFL for several years but for some reason has not moved up the coaching food chain. Maybe that is partly because New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick's top assistants have failed as head coaches in the NFL. Also, maybe the NFL is starting to not think Belichick is the best coach ever without Tom Brady as his quarterback so his assistants look worse too.

But this would be unfair to Mayo who was a good player in the NFL due in large part that he could outthink his opponents. And while many might think Belichick isn't as good as once thought, he was never a good offensive coach but, like Pete Carroll, focused on defense. Mayo is still the inside linebackers coach for the Patriots after many years and he deserves his chance to move up.

While the Patriots are awful in 2023, their inside linebackers are not. Jahlani Tavai is graded as the fifth-best linebacker in the league, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), Mack Wilson, Sr. is 16th, and Ja'Whaun Bentley is 32nd. All three are very good in run support and Tavai and Wilson are great in coverage, something the Seahawks linebackers are not.