The Seattle Seahawks' defense in 2025 had four players who either made the Pro Bowl or were selected First- or Second-Team All-Pro. They had elite performers at every defensive position. But that may not be the primary reason they were good enough to carry the club to its second Super Bowl title.
Equally important was the depth provided by general manager John Schneider. 17 players were on the field for at least 25 percent of the team’s defensive snaps in 2025. That, in and of itself, is nothing special. But when you look at the quality of those backup performers, Schneider’s eye for talent becomes evident.
Jarran Reed, Tyrice Knight, and Ty Okada are starting-caliber players who happen to be serving as reserves. Star safety Julian Love misses half the season? No worries. Rookie Nick Emmanwori arrives to take the league by storm.
Battles for the fourth edge rusher will be one to watch in Seattle Seahawks’ training camp
That’s why the identity of Seattle’s fourth edge rusher matters more than it would on most teams.
Last year, Mike Macdonald employed a balanced rotation on the edge. Veteran Demarcus Lawrence played the most (56 percent of all defensive snaps).
At 37 percent, Derick Hall played the least. Uchenna Nwosu and Boye Mafe slotted in between. Sharing snaps in that manner may have cost each of them individual glory, but it kept the edge play potent all season long. Despite being fourth on the snap count list, by the time of the Super Bowl, Derick Hall was a major force.
The Seahawks lost four key players to free agency this year. Schneider appeared to directly replace Kenneth Walker III, Coby Bryant, and Riq Woolen with his first three picks in the 2926 draft. The only player he didn’t replace was edge rusher Mafe.
Hall figures to move into a more prominent role this season, alongside Lawrence and Nwosu. But who assumes the role Hall played last year?
Schneider seemed to address the issue in the short term by signing Dante Fowler, Jr. in May. The veteran is a professional pass rusher. Fowler can be counted on for at least 20 QB pressures. He has reached that mark in six of his eight seasons, including three of his last four.
But Fowler will not go unchallenged for a spot in the edge rotation. The Seahawks currently have six other contenders. All are under 25. All came to the team as undrafted free agents within the last three seasons.
The mere fact that Schneider has brought in so many UDFAs at this position – and so many remain with the club – is a pretty clear indicator of how much Schneider and Mike Macdonald value depth at this spot.
And this coaching staff has proven that they will reward performance, regardless of draft pedigree. Linebacker Drake Thomas and cornerback Josh Jobe – both UDFAs – have earned their way into the starting lineup alongside better-known high draft picks based on production. If any of those young edges shine this summer, he could certainly take the spot now seen as Fowler’s.
Those candidates include a couple of UDFAs who got on the field last year for the Seahawks. Connor O’Toole and Jared Ivey didn’t play very much, but both proved they were worthy of longer looks. They are certainly in the mix, with O'Toole in particular earning extra attention.
Behind them, Jamie Sherrif feels like a veteran at this point, despite being just 25 years old. He is more likely to earn his spot through special teams than as a rotational edge rusher.
But Aidan Hubbard, Marvin Jones, Jr., or Jalan Gaines could surprise fans this summer. Hubbard is a grinder with good size who progressed steadily through four seasons at Northwestern. He isn’t a dynamic pass rusher, but he is a solid all-around edge rusher who can play the run. Such versatility will serve him well on a club that values that trait as much as any team in the league.
Jones is all about development. He has the tools you want in a quality edge rusher. He has length and size, along with good burst numbers. He just needs to polish his game.
Through three elite college programs in four seasons, he never played up to his athletic potential, though he showed tantalizing glimpses at Florida State in 2024. Jones is probably a developmental player headed for the practice squad.
Jalan Gaines could prove to be a real diamond in the rough. The 2025 UDFA from Illinois State got the briefest of tastes last season but showed enough on the practice squad to secure a new deal for 2026. He has a lot of the tools Macdonald values in an edge rusher, just as Ivey and O’Toole do.
Dante Fowler is probably going to be Seattle’s fourth rotational edge rusher this season. But nothing is guaranteed. The veteran will have to earn the spot, and there are a lot of young, hungry prospects just waiting for their chance to prove themselves when training camp begins on July 25.
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