Seahawks rebuilt defensive line but head into season without last major move

RENTON, Wash. – Throughout training camp and the preseason, the question lingered : The Seahawks have to be making a big move to add to their interior defensive line, don’t they?

Why else did the Seahawks create almost $3 million in cap space the day before camp began by extending the contract of Uchenna Nwosu?

But here we are, the season opener against the Rams on Sept. 10 a week away, and the Seahawks appear to be rolling with the same guys up front with whom they entered training camp.

That comes with the caveat that the “Always Compete” Seahawks will surely explore whatever opportunities become available as the season progresses.

Maybe, just maybe, the Seahawks think they are better up front than a lot of others seem to.

“We feel like we have a pretty good group,” coach Pete Carroll said this week of the defensive line.

It’s not as if the Seahawks didn’t recognize there was a problem when last season ended, a year in which the run defense was their biggest weakness, allowing 4.9 yards per carry, 26th in the NFL.

That was a drastic comedown from the year before, when they allowed just 3.8 yards per carry, second in the NFL. That came in the last year Ken Norton Jr. was defensive coordinator. He was fired following a 7-10 season in 2021.

Defensive line coach Clint Hurtt was promoted to defensive coordinator for the 2022 season, and the Seahawks changed to a 3-4 defense (though they’d used the 3-4 often before, and still sprinkle in some 4-3).

That helped the pass defense – which improved from 24th in yards allowed per attempt (6.5) to 15th (6.1).

But the run defense suffered, becoming prone to giving up embarrassingly long big plays (such as the 86-yard run by the Raiders’ Josh Jacobs to win a game in overtime), finishing 30th in total yards allowed.

And that led to a reconstruction of the defensive front.

Out are Al Woods, Poona Ford, Quinton Jefferson and Shelby Harris, all released or allowed to sign elsewhere as free agents.

In are veteran free-agent signees Dre’Mont Jones, Jarran Reed and Mario Edwards – Jones signed to a three-year deal worth up to just over $51 million, the most given to an external free agent in the Carroll era – and draft picks Cameron Young and Mike Morris.

What has emerged in camp is a starting three-man base line of Jones and Edwards at end and Reed at nose tackle.

And that makes for a different look.

Where Woods manned the nose last year weighing a listed 331, Reed checks in at an official 306.

Some have wondered if that meant a change in strategy, to wanting to be quicker and more athletic in the middle at the expense of size.

Carroll says no.

He noted this week that Young – a fourth-rounder out of Mississippi State who returned to practice this week after not playing in the preseason because of a calf strain – is bigger than his listed 304, and that Matt Gotel, signed to the practice squad this week after a strong preseason, weighs 341. The are hoping that Bryan Mone, listed at 345, will return to help at some point this season (he remains on the physically unable to perform list recovering from an ACL injury last December with no clear ETA).

“We weren’t trying to change our mode at all there,” Carroll said. “… Having Cam come back gives us that sense again. He’s 323 or something like that, so he’s a big kid, too. We’ll be all right.”

What the Seahawks think could make a difference is the return of Bobby Wagner in the middle setting the front seven – a few big plays last year were chalked up to miscommunication – as well as the hoped-for return of Jamal Adams and the addition of rookie Devon Witherspoon at nickel.

Adams has a physical presence and when he returns he figures to often play in the box. One of the biggest attractions of Witherspoon is his physical play and tackling ability, one reason the team likes him at the nickel where he can be a bigger factor in the running game. The Seahawks also like the run defense ability of free-agent signee Julian Love – the strong safety until Adams returns.

As coaches always make sure to note, run defense is an 11-man game, and while the line is at the front of attack, one of the biggest issues last year was the back seven too often allowing short to medium runs become long runs.

Reed – a Seahawk from 2016-20 before two years away – didn’t mince words Thursday when asked about the team’s plans for improving its run defense this year.

“Everything starts up front,” he said. “If you’re 30th in run defense, they’re going to blame the front. I can guarantee it’s not going to happen this year. We’re not going for that. We’re playing hard; we’re practicing hard. We’re very confident without being arrogant.”

Carroll noted this week that Morris – a fifth-round pick out of Michigan – is slated to be a key piece of the line. However, he has been out since the first preseason game with a shoulder injury.

“Part of the issue would be whether Mike could make it back or not,” Carroll said, adding the team hopes he’ll be back next week before the opener.

If he can’t make it back soon, the team might have to make a move. It likely wouldn’t be the kind of blockbuster many have anticipated.

“We’re always competing,” Carroll said. “We’re going to keep trying to figure out how to make it as good as we can possibly make it.”

But for now, the Seahawks may be willing to ride with they have.