The Seattle Seahawks did a decent job of chasing down opposing quarterbacks during the 2024 season. The team ranked eighth in sacks with 45. The team was also eighth in pressure percentage at 24.8. A big part of those numbers, though, were two 30-something-year-old players, Leonard Williams and Jarran Reed.
Plus, among Seattle's top five in quarterback hits was Dre'Mont Jones, and he is likely to be released this offseason because his cap hit next year is massive ($25,645,418), and the team could save $11.5 million by releasing the underperforming edge rusher. If that happens, and Williams and Reed, who will need to be re-signed this offseason, regress, Seattle's pressure number will greatly decrease.
The defense is likely what is going to be the driver of any near-future Seahawks success. The offense has good skill position players, such as Jaxon Smith-Njigba and DK Metcalf, but the poor offensive line is going to keep making the unit less efficient than it should be. Head coach Mike Macdonald was hired, in part, to revamp the defense, and that appeared to be happening by midway through the season.
Seattle Seahawks should explore a trade to add Myles Garrett
But if any two of the three players among Williams, Reed, and Jones are either no longer on the team or diminish, the defense is going to have issues. Young edge rushers Boye Mafe and Derick Hall look promising, but Mafe is entering the final year of his rookie contract and could leave in free agency in 2026.
Seattle needs to find some help, and one of the best players in the NFL might have just become available in a trade. Myles Garrett of the Cleveland Browns reportedly requested a trade on Monday. He is still just 29 years old, plays the run exceedingly well, and has had at least 14 sacks in each season since 2021. In four of the last five seasons, he has been named First-Team All-Pro.
He wouldn't be cheap, though. If the Seahawks were to acquire him, he would cost the team $19.8 million. Seattle doesn't have that, though it could create space by releasing players such as Jones and Tyler Lockett. Garrett in Macdonald's system would be a perfect fit as well. The head coach would be able to move the defensive end around, requiring teams to account for him, and this would give Williams even more space.
While Seattle doesn't have any cap room (yet) this offseason, beyond next year the team is in decent shape against the projected cap. Enough to sign Garrett to an extension.
The addition of Garrett would elevate Seattle's defense from good to near-elite, and that might be enough to get the Seahawks a couple of more victories in 2025. That would surely put the team in the playoffs and they would be dangerous once there.
Seattle would certainly have to give up their 2025 first-round choice to get Garrett, as well as a second-round choice or two third-round picks (one this year and one next). Perhaps Seattle could send the Browns DK Metcalf and a first-round pick for Garrett.
