With Uchenna Nwosu unavailable, the Seattle Seahawks need a spark on the defensive edge. Naturally, free agent acquisition DeMarcus Lawrence is leading the charge with leadership qualities, but the splash plays are largely behind the former Cowboy, who has just 13 sacks in his last three seasons.
Last season, the Seahawks finished with 45 sacks, which was tops in the NFC West and more than some notable teams like the Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland Browns, and Philadelphia Eagles. Still, only 14 of those sacks came from the edge, so the team would certainly like to see more out of its dedicated pass rushers in 2025.
That’s where the depth among Seattle’s edge rushers comes into play, with a former second-round pick looking to build upon a solid second season a year ago. But even as physically imposing as Derick Hall is as an athlete, whether he can fill the void left by Nwosu until he arrives is more of a question of consistency.
Still, he’s coming off an eight sack season with something to prove, somewhat overlooked despite leading his position group in sacks last season. And he’s taken it out on the Seahawks' offensive line.
Seattle Seahawks' Derick Hall’s raw power sends a message early in camp
In one practice last week, reports of Derick Hall executing a brutal pass rush attempt that left tackle Josh Jones embarrassed circulated. While there’s no video of the play, unfortunately, reporters indicate that Hall lifted the 340-pound tackle in the air and dropped him on his backside as he rushed through to the backfield.
"We was rushing right beside each other," defensive tackle Jarran Reed said about the play, according to The Athletic's Michael-Shawn Dugar. "I actually had to get out the way, because when he threw him, he threw him right in the path we were rushing. It was pretty sweet, and it looks even better on film, too. They were chirping all practice, so we knew something was going to happen."
Keep in mind, the Seattle Seahawks weren’t in pads yet. That fun started Monday.
Hall’s surge into his third season out of Auburn has been a steady incline. His rookie season was quiet as he mostly played on special teams, and despite playing 26 percent of the defensive snaps, he went without a sack. Last year, he started 14 games and picked up eight sacks.
With Lawrence added to the mix and the Seahawks still having high expectations for Boye Mafe, there are somewhat limited opportunities for Hall, even with Nwosu on the shelf. But stacking up plays like the one he had on Friday is sure to capture the attention of the coaching staff, even if that isn’t a plausible outcome for most plays.