The Seattle Seahawks need to add a high-impact edge rusher this offseason if they’re going to get back to the playoffs in 2022. While this free agent class is weak overall it is deep on the edge, making this position a potential priority for Pete Carroll and John Schneider to target next month.
One interesting idea is to re-sign former Seattle defensive end Jadeveon Clowney. Gil Brandt at NFL.com says Clowney could be a fit.
“Clowney is now in a much different place, career-wise, than he was after the 2019 season, when he spurned efforts by Seattle, which had acquired him via trade, to retain him in free agency. After a down 2020 in Tennessee, a rejuvenated Clowney piled up nine sacks for the Browns, which would have made him the single-season leader on a Seahawks team that finished tied for 22nd in sacks last season.”
The knock on Clowney’s game has been his relatively-low sack numbers compared to other superstar pass rushers. He’s never had 10 sacks in a season and has 41 in 97 games. However, that narrative has always been overblown. Clowney makes a difference where it matters – he gets consistent pressure and disrupts the backfield regardless of the sack numbers. For his career he has totaled 105 quarterback hits and 86 tackles for a loss and last season he posted 53 total pressures in 14 games.
There are other better options for the Seahawks out there at this position, including Von Miller, Chandler Jones and Haason Reddick, but Clowney should at least be on Seattle’s radar.
