Last season, the Seattle Seahawks allowed 21.6 points per game (13th in the NFL) and 120.8 rushing yards per game (16th), but since then, they've lost some key pieces of their defensive front.
In free agency, Dre'Mont Jones left Seattle for a one-year, $8.5 million deal with the Tennessee Titans, and Roy Robertson-Harris moved on from the Seahawks in favor of a two-year, $9 million contract with the New York Giants. Johnathan Hankins, who played 33.5% of the team's defensive snaps, is also still unsigned.
While Seahawks general manager John Schneider selected Notre Dame defensive tackle Rylie Mills in the fifth round, they could use some more help in the form of a veteran signing.
On Sunday, For the Win's Cory Woodroff predicted that Seattle will sign defensive tackle Foley Fatukasi to address the need.
Fatukasi, 30, played collegiately at UConn from 2013-17, before the New York Jets selected him in the sixth-round (No. 180 overall) of the 2018 NFL draft.
He spent four seasons in New York, two with the Jacksonville Jaguars and last year with the Houston Texans. In his career, Fatukasi has appeared in 86 games over seven seasons and recorded 187 tackles (27 for a loss), 22 quarterback hits, seven passes defensed, 5.5 sacks, one forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
Pro Football Focus gave Fatukasi a 33.7 overall grade for his performance with the Texans last season, ranking him 211th out 219 interior defenders. He also received a 57.5 pass-rush grade (127th) and a 32.4 run-defense grade (208th).
At this point, Seattle's defensive front would include Leonard Williams, Bryon Murphy II, Jarran Reed and the newly-signed DeMarcus Lawrence. Fatukasi may be able to play a decent rotational role for second-year defensive coordinator Aden Durde.
Signing Fatukasi and drafting Mills might not make up for their losses at the position, but those moves could help.
