Seattle Seahawks fans are still trying to figure out this 2025 team. At times, they look like a real contender, and at others, they look like a team that could find themselves just outside of the playoff bracket for the third-straight season.
Both the offense and defense deserve their flowers for the good times, while both still clearly have some work to do in building an identity under head coach Mike Macdonald. Still, because his background is in defense, some extra attention is paid to that side of the ball.
After a dismal performance in front of the home crowd last week, one critical failure of the defense is becoming abundantly clear, and it’s not as though fans didn’t warn the team all offseason.
Seattle Seahawks still need that elite pass rusher fans clammored for
To begin the year, the Seahawks’ defense made a statement with the amount of pressure they could put on opposing quarterbacks. Brock Purdy saw the highest percentage of pressure on his passes in Week 1 and still hasn’t fully recovered from the fallout. Then, Aaron Rodgers was under heavy duress in Week 2.
But all of a sudden, the pressure rates dropped, along with every other meaningful pass rush statistic.
To be fair to Seattle, their early pressure rates were never going to be sustainable. They were simply too high to keep pace over a 17-game season. But the drop off has highlighted the team’s need for an elite edge rusher who can finish with sacks.
Currently, the Seahawks are tied for the fifth most sacks in the league with 13, though a quarter of the league does have more total sacks. The pressure rate has dropped from the 40s and high 30s down to 22.6%, the eighth-highest percentage in the league.
Clearly, these aren’t awful results, but it does shine a light on the shortcomings of the pass rush overall. Yes, the Seahawks have impressive depth and potential on the edge, but they lack an elite presence to tie the entire defensive project together.
Fans called all offseason for the Seahawks to swing a trade for Trey Hendrickson or someone of similar status, but the team didn’t budge. They did bring in DeMarcus Lawrence, but his value is rooted in leadership, not production. He doesn’t have a sack yet, and he hasn’t recorded more than six since 2020.
Seattle is just five games into the season, and Uchenna Nwosu, tied for the team lead in sacks at 2.5, has only played in four games. Nwosu, to his credit, is the closest to being the type of player on the edge Seattle needs so desperately. But some extra help on the opposite side could be the catalyst to push him to his full potential.
Of course, the trade deadline is quickly approaching, set for November 4. There are plenty of trade targets at the position, including Hendrickson, Miami’s Jaelan Phillips, and New York Giant Kayvon Thibodeaux, who were all mentioned by Bleacher Report recently. Of the three, only Phillips has fewer than 2.5 sacks this season.
With issues on the backend, particularly because of health, and the downturn and likely forthcoming exit of Riq Woolen, general manager John Schneider could benefit Macdonald’s defense greatly by making a move for an established pass rusher who can finish plays in the backfield.