Most of the significant roster changes made by Seattle Seahawks’ GM John Schneider this year have come on the offensive side of the ball. Nine of eleven draft picks and the bulk of the free agent money were devoted to shoring up the offense.
That makes sense. Last year, Seattle finished in the middle of the league in most key offensive categories, but when paired with above-average numbers in turnovers and penalties, it resulted in a mediocre overall performance. So, lots of key players and coaches on offense have been replaced.
The same has not happened on defense. Mike Macdonald’s defense seemed to find itself after the midseason bye week. The defense has a good blend of veterans and younger players, and added a potential game-changer in rookie Nick Emmanwori through the draft.
The recent signing of Shaq Griffin at cornerback could bear some fruit this season, but really, the only major free agent addition Schneider made was to bring in edge rusher DeMarcus Lawrence. After one day of training camp, Macdonald seems very happy with the move.
DeMarcus Lawrence makes an immediate impact on the Seattle Seahawks
“He’s the best drill player I’ve ever seen in my life,” the head coach said of his newest defender. Macdonald went on to praise the effort and intentionality Lawrence brings to his daily practice. After eleven seasons in the league, and coming off a major injury, not every veteran player could be counted on to work so hard in the dogs days of summer.
But the Seahawks knew what they were getting in Lawrence. His previous defensive coaches in Dallas – Rob Marinelli and Dan Quinn – always praised Lawrence’s character. They considered him a technician, constantly working to improve his game.
That is why Lawrence developed into one of the best two-way defensive linemen during his time in Dallas. He was a big sack producer early on. When those numbers began to tick down, some outsiders thought the 25 sacks he accumulated back in 2017 and 2018 were flukes.
What they failed to acknowledge was that until Micah Parsons arrived, Lawrence was playing with almost no other quality pass rusher. Still, he put up strong QB pressure numbers and, perhaps more importantly, developed into one of the league’s best edge run defenders.
As time wore on, Lawrence’s talent and work ethic allowed his coaches to move him around. He might play his traditional edge role on first down, drop into coverage on second, and move inside to be a quick, havoc-wreaking tackle on third and long.
Lawrence became so respected as an all-around defender that in 2022 and 2023, despite recording just ten sacks total, he was elected to the Pro Bowl.
He arrives in Seattle as an ostensible replacement for Dre’Mont Jones, but look for Macdonald to move him around quite a bit. In many cases, that might seem like an iffy bet. A 32-year-old player coming to a new team and a new scheme. Coming off an injury. How much do you really want to pile onto his plate? How amenable will he be to trying out new roles and new responsibilities?
Fortunately, with DeMarcus Lawrence, those questions are moot. There’s no guarantee that Lawrence will produce at a Pro Bowl level for the Seahawks. But if he struggles, it will almost certainly be due to age and wear and tear. It will not be because of attitude or effort.
A player like Lawrence was not signed purely based on what he can do on the field. The Seahawks have a bevy of young, talented edge/linebackers, none of whom has been able to produce at a consistently high level yet. If Lawrence sets an example for any of them, his signing will turn out to be a very smart move. Just ask the Washington Commanders what kind of impact Bobby Wagner made on their defense last season.
So the 12s should expect a strong season from Lawrence. The early reports are certainly encouraging. But also look at how players like Boye Mafe and Derick Hall progress. See if rookies like Jared Ivey or Connor O’Toole play beyond their years. If they do, DeMarcus Lawrence and the example he sets for his teammates could be one of the most obvious reasons for their success.