![](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,<svg height="439" width="780" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" version="1.1"/>)
One of the Seattle Seahawks’ key veterans could be a bust in 2023 after a career year.
As predicted by Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine, edge rusher Uchenna Nwosu could turn out to be the Seahawks’ biggest bust for the 2023 season. He tied for the team lead with a career-high 9.5 sacks. However, Ballentine argues that the overwhelming majority of Nwosu’s pressures were on the “low-quality” scale.
Majority of Uchenna Nwosu’s Pressures Were on ‘Low-Quality’ Scale
“The metric is not kind to Uchenna Nwosu,” writes Ballentine. “He was tied for the team’s lead with 9.5 sacks last season, but Thorn’s charting revealed that Nowsu had 49 total pressures but 38 of them were in the low-quality bucket. He had one of the worst high to low quality ratios, giving evidence that his sack total may have been a bit inflated last season. That could prove to be true in 2023.”
According to Brandon Thorn of Trench Warfare, a low-quality pressure is generated because of a mistake or poor blocking. With 38 of Nwosu’s 49 pressures being considered a low-quality pressure, that could indicate that his 2022 season was more of a fluke than anything else.
Ballentine explains Thorn’s metric in greater detail and what exactly constitutes a “high-quality” pressure.
“In his film study, he attempted to categorize pressures as either low-quality or high-quality pressures,” writes Ballentine. ‘Low-quality’ are ones generally generated because of a mistake or poor blocking. A ‘high-quality pressure’ is considered to be one that came against average or better blocking and was a result of the rushers skill.”
Uchenna Nwosu Posted Career Season in 2022 With Seahawks
Prior to the 2022 season, Nwosu had never registered more than five sacks in a single season. In fact, he had just 15 sacks over the course of his first four seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers. Furthermore, while Nwosu generated 26 quarterback hits last season, his career high in a single year prior to last season was 17.
It’s worth mentioning that Nwosu didn’t exactly have much help along the Seahawks’ defensive line last season. While he was aided by fellow linebacker Darrell Taylor’s 9.5 sacks, Seattle’s defensive line ranked among the worst in the NFL. The Seahawks ranked 30th in rushing yards, 27th in rushing touchdowns and 26th in yards per attempt allowed.
In fact, Seattle made an aggressive effort to replace their defensive line from last season, allowing key holdovers from last season such as Shelby Harris, Poona Ford, Al Woods and Quinton Jefferson to walk in free agency.
Head coach Pete Carroll made it clear at the end of the season that the Seahawks needed to become more “dynamic” up front.
“It’s killing me, yeah, it’s killing me.” Carroll said in his end of season press conference. “We are going to have to become more dynamic up front, we have to. We’ve kind of been in the same mode, we have to get more production out of the guys, they have to be more of a factor. We need to make the position really competitive, if we can. We will see what we can do.”
According to Pro Football Focus, the Seahawks ranked 19th in run defensive grade and 28th in pass-rushing grade. One could argue that Nwosu succeeded despite his lackluster supporting cast.
With the 26-year-old entering the final year of a two-year, $19 million contract he signed with Seattle during the 2022 offseason, Nwosu will need to prove that last season was no fluke if he wants a new deal.
0 Comments