The Seattle Seahawks want even more from Byron Murphy II after his breakout second NFL season, and part of their plan appears to involve making it harder for opposing offensive lines to know where he is coming from.
Murphy said on August 25 that the Seahawks have been giving him pass-rush opportunities from multiple alignments as he prepares for Year 3, including both 3-technique and nose tackle.
“I’m getting opportunities playing at, you know, rushing from the three,” Murphy told reporters. He added that he is also getting opportunities from the nose and described himself as being “all around.”
That versatility could be an important part of Seattle’s effort to unlock another jump from the 23-year-old defensive tackle.
Murphy went from just 0.5 sacks as a rookie in 2024 to seven sacks in 2025, tying Leonard Williams and Uchenna Nwosu for the Seahawks’ regular-season lead. He also recorded 62 tackles and 13 quarterback hits, then added two sacks and a fumble recovery in Seattle’s Super Bowl LX victory.
And head coach Mike Macdonald has already made it clear he expects more.
“I really expect Murphy to have a spike in productivity rushing the passer,” Macdonald said during training camp. “He’s earned it.”
Byron Murphy Explains Why Alignment Matters
Murphy’s comments offered a window into how Seattle might help produce that spike.
Playing 3-technique — typically aligned on the outside shoulder of a guard — gives Murphy more room and more choices when attacking an offensive lineman.
“At the three, you know, you got a lot of space,” Murphy said. “You can just mix it up.”
The job changes considerably when he moves inside to nose tackle.
Murphy explained that the center and guard are both in position to account for him there, making individual matchups harder to find. He said he “hardly” gets one-on-one opportunities from the nose and that everything happens faster from that alignment.
That distinction matters for a player Seattle wants affecting quarterbacks more often.
Murphy is powerful enough to handle the traffic inside — he said dealing with double teams has become “second nature” after doing it for years — but giving him opportunities in more favorable alignments could allow Seattle to feature his explosiveness as a pass rusher as well.
And moving Murphy around creates another problem for offenses: Seattle already has other proven rushers demanding attention.
Williams and Nwosu each matched Murphy’s seven sacks last season, making the Seahawks one of only two NFL teams with three players who recorded at least seven.
Seahawks Want Another Leap From Murphy in Year 3
Seattle isn’t trying to manufacture production from a player who hasn’t shown he can deliver it.
Murphy’s seven sacks last season represented a massive increase from his rookie year, while his 62 tackles and 13 quarterback hits were also career highs.
He previously set double-digit sacks and an All-Pro selection among his goals for Year 3.
Reaching those numbers won’t simply come down to alignment. Murphy still has to beat NFL offensive linemen, and teams now have a full season of tape showing what he can do as a pass rusher.
But Seattle can dictate where those battles take place.
Murphy’s ability to line up at nose, 3-technique and other spots gives Macdonald options to hunt matchups, disguise where pressure is coming from and prevent offenses from treating Murphy the same way on every passing down.
For a defensive front that was already one of Seattle’s biggest strengths during its championship season, the goal isn’t a wholesale change.
It’s finding more ways to unleash one of its best young players.
Seahawks Have New Plan for Byron Murphy Ahead of Year 3