Here’s the defensive one, we’re in a better situation right now than the offense, but it can still improve ahead of Week 13
DC: Clint Hurtt: Honestly, I was calling for his head earlier in the season when we gave up like 30 to the rams, but he’s not as bad anymore. Certainly better than Ken Norton Jr ever was. The bend don’t break strategy works to a degree, but against elite offenses like the Cowboys, you can’t afford that. However, he NEEDS to make the defense learn how to tackle and be more consistent. One half they get gashed and allow a lot of points and yards, then the other half they are lockdown and don’t allow too much. The offense certainly doesn’t help by going 3 and out a lot making the defense tired, however, it can certainly be much better.
DLs/Edges
Boye Mafe: Man, I just LOVE the way he’s been playing. He can be a true game wrecker and has been playing out of his mind. 7 sacks in 7 games, one of the top pass rush win rates in the league, he has a real future with us. Just needs to improve his run defense a little bit.
Jarran Reed: Beginning of the season, he was HOT, was making plays left and right, and was a great run stuffer. Haven’t seen as much of him lately, especailly during the 49ers game where CMC dominated against us. Need to see more of that going forward
DreMont Jones: Really underwhelming FA sign. Has not been as productive as we wanted him to be. But he’s been doing better lately as an edge rather than an interior d-lineman.
Leonard Williams: Traded a little bit too much for him in my opinion, but the 49ers game really showed what he can do. He blew up some CMC screens and stopped a couple of big runs. He’s doing what we got him to do, just wish he and the rest of the d-line can step up in the run game.
Darrell Taylor: LIABILITY, we should NOT be starting him at all. Rotational pass rusher at best, liability on run defense and can’t sniff out a read option for shit. Hate that Nwosu went down for the year, otherwise this d-line would be even more stacked.
Linebackers
Bobby Wagner: The leader of the defense, Still got some left in the tank. I think he’s one of the highest graded run defender on PFF if I’m not mistaken, and he can still make tackles and stop big runs. However, his coverage NEEDS to be talked about. He’s not as fast as he used to be and constantly gets exposed in the middle of the field. Thats where teams are attacking us the most.
Jordyn Brooks: B-Wagz Junior, budding into a young leader of this defense and is one of the most underrated linebackers in the NFL. Contract year and he’s doing everything he needs to deserve that contract. Makes big time plays and is everywhere on the stat sheet. Still a liability in coverage, but not as much as his rookie and sophomore years. Need to keep him on the team
Cornerbacks (our best position group)
Riq Woolen: Man, he fell off a cliff since his rookie year. Still a great cover corner and still fast as hell, but that injury has him scared to tackle. That play where he pushed Tre Brown and allowed Jawaan Jennings to get the first down hurt my soul to watch. Needs to learn how to tackle properly. Hopefully he bounces back to the form that had all of us comparing him to Richard Sherman.
Devon Witherspoon: The best player on the Seattle Seahawks, there I said it. Every single Seahawks game I watch, this guy always pops out. I haven’t seen someone with his swagger and enthusiasm in a long time. He just makes big play after big play (Brandon Aiyuk touchdown saver, suplex tackle vs the Rams, forced fumble on Sam Howell, pick six vs the Giants, etc.). His sticky coverage combined with his ability to contribute to the pass rush and run game are unheard of. And also, HE’S A ROOKIE. He’s a top 5, probably top 3 CB in the league rn and deserves DROY.
Tre Brown: Great corner, loved him in the 2021 season (then again we had Tre Flowers starting at CB). Came back this year and has proved to be a valid CB3, but gets picked on more because of Witherspoon and Woolen starting.
Safeties
Quandre Diggs: He’s getting a little older, and it’s starting to show on the football field. He’s not a good tackler at all, and is starting to fall off a little bit in coverage. Still a leader of the defense and can rally up the troops when the time is needed, however, we might move on from him after this year to save on cap.
Julian Love: Started off slow but has improved since then. Makes clutch plays when we need him to.
Jamal Adams: Prez: The guy we gave up 2 first rounders for. He hasn’t returned on the investment as much as we wished, however, he’s not a complete bust of a player. He’s shown that he’s still got the ability to impact the game. He locked up George Kittle other than that 1 play where Kittle made a back shoulder catch. He’s still really good, just needs to finish his tackles more and rush the QB more.
Couldn’t have agreed more on this analysis. Good news is Nwosu and Mafe next season will be the OLB with Taylor likely not being on the roster. Hopefully we can extend Leonard Williams and the best way to make this Defense elite is much better tackling, limit the penalties on Defense, call a bit more blitzes since you have guys like Spoon and Jamal Adams who are great blitzers. But we also need a top tier Dlineman, which hopefully we can be lucky and draft one (but more likely we would need to find the cap space to sign one on FA)