Seahawks 7-round 2024 mock draft: Post-Super Bowl edition rebuilds the defense
By Lee Vowell
The 2023 NFL season is over with the Kansas City Chiefs once again winning the Super Bowl. Do the Seattle Seahawks seem that far away from the teams that made deep postseason runs? Sure, Seattle has to fix its run defense at least, but that might mostly be resolved through improved schematic changes.
New head coach Mike Macdonald might not be expected to win the Super Bowl in his first season (I hope people do not expect that to happen at least), but he should make the defense better. With a slightly improved defense, the team might get into the playoffs. Anything can happen there. But to help the defense get better, Seattle needs to add young talent in the 2024 NFL draft.
For this mock draft, I used Pro Football Focus' (subscription required) mock simulator and did not offer or accept any trades. I was tempted to take quarterback Bo Nix at pick 16, but I passed. Seattle has greater defensive needs so I started there.
Seattle Seahawks first round, pick 16 - Edge rusher Bralen Trice, Washington
Trice already has good size for an edge rusher as he is 6'4" and 275 pounds and is plenty strong to compete right away. Plus, he should get even stronger once in an NFL weight training program. What he doesn't have is elite quickness, but because of his size and strength, he can be a versatile player. If he adds 10 pounds of muscle, he could even play along the defensive line at times.
Washington EDGE Bralen Trice (#8) had an outstanding motor… always running hot. Able to make the effort play working from the backside. pic.twitter.com/iNhHen9nbp
— Ryan Roberts (@RiseNDraft) February 6, 2024
Trice is also very good against the run as he can set a hard edge. He likely won't be easily moved even by NFL tackles so Trice's presence should immediately make Seattle's run defense better even if he is not immediately producing much in terms of sacks. He will get there, though, because he has good technique and knows how to use his hands to get an offensive lineman off-balance.
Trice will probably be better in year two than in year one and better in year three than in year two. That is a good thing as he will learn to develop better pass-rush moves but likely always be stout against the run. Seattle needs a player with his versatility.