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The Seattle Seahawks could be looking to add more depth to the defensive line.
According to Field Yates of ESPN, the Seahawks hosted veteran defensive end Mario Edwards for a visit on Wednesday, March 22.
Mario Edwards Has Played for 5 Different Teams
The 29-year-old Edwards initially entered the NFL as a second-round draft choice of the Las Vegas Raiders back in 2015. After starting 10 games and playing in 59% of the defensive snaps in his appearances during his rookie season, Edwards has had difficulty replicating the playing time of his rookie season.
After essentially missing the entire 2016 season due to a hip injury — he appeared in just 35 defensive snaps in two games — Edwards did bounce back to start a career-high 14 games during the 2017 season. However, he has since started just eight games over the past five seasons, failing to exceed 17 tackles for four sacks in any single season since.
Edwards more recently spent time with the Tennessee Titans, actually starting seven games during the 2022 season. However, the production didn’t exactly show, as he posted just three sacks and 17 tackles while appearing 51% of the defensive snaps.
Why the Seahawks Would Sign DE Mario Edwards
According to Pro Football Focus, Edwards posted just a 56.0 defensive grade last season. One area where Edwards did excel in was in the run defense department, where he posted a 72.7 run defense grade. Among all defensive ends with at least 100 snaps, Edwards ranked 27th in run defense grade.
Outside of his most recent stint with the Titans, Edwards spent one season each with the New York Giants and New Orleans Saints before latching on with the Chicago Bears for two years (2019, 2020).
It was during his stint with the Bears that Edwards landed his biggest deal to date, signing a three-year, $11.5 million contract extension with Chicago during the 2021 offseason. The contract was signed shortly after Edwards posted a career-high four sacks during the 2020 season.
However, Edwards reverted back to more of normal production line during the 2021 season, posting just two sacks and eight tackles in 12 games. That lack of production led to the Bears releasing Edwards just one year after signing him to a contract extension.
While it’s hard to envision Edwards ever breaking out as a threat as a pass rusher, he does bring an element — run defense — that is sorely lacking in Seattle. The 2022 Seahawks ranked near the bottom of the league across the board in run defense categories, ranking within the bottom seven in rushing yards, touchdowns and yards per attempt.
Not only did Edwards turn in a good season when it comes to stopping the run in 2022, he’s done it consistently. During his 2020 season with the Bears, Edwards posted an even higher defensive grade (76.6), ranking 18th among all defensive linemen. He also posted a 74.2 run defense grade during his rookie season with the Raiders.
According to OverTheCap, Edwards’ contract valuation — based upon his performance last season — is at a shade under $2.5 million. Considering Edwards has never been a great player and when factoring in that he’ll likely be a signee of the second wave of free agents, the Seahawks wouldn’t have to break the bank to sign the veteran defensive end.
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