Getty The Seahawks could pursue a pass-rushing specialist such as Cameron Jordan.
The Seattle Seahawks could be a possible trade suitor entering the offseason.
As the Seahawks continue to reload rather than rebuild, Seattle will have to make some improvements to their roster heading into 2022. Coming off of a 7-10 campaign and finishing with just a 6-8 record in games that Russell Wilson started is enough of a sign that some things need to change.
One area of improvement that the Seahawks should look to target is their pass rush. While Seattle saw an improvement in overall defense as the unit ranked 11th in the league in points allowed, their pass rush was nothing special. Carlos Dunlap led the squad with 8.5 sacks, while the unit itself ranked 22nd in sacks.
According to NFL.com’s Nick Shook, the Seahawks could target the New Orleans Saints’ Cameron Jordan. With the Saints in full-scale rebuild mode and $74 million over the cap, New Orleans will be forced to trade key players in the offseason.
“Jordan has been a pillar in New Orleans since the franchise selected him 24th overall in 2011, and he’s assembled a career worthy of induction into the team’s ring of honor (107 career sacks, seven Pro Bowls, one first-team All-Pro),” says Shook. “Parting with him might be agonizing for both sides, but not as painful as keeping his 2022 cap number on the books. New Orleans would clear $15 million by trading him with a post-June 1 designation, and could get a decent haul in return, considering he’s still an effective player (12.5 sacks in 2021).”
Jordan Remains Elite Defensive End
Jordan’s age is a concern as he turns 33 years old in 2022, but his performance has yet to see any sort of decline. The veteran defensive end remains as good as he’s ever been, appearing in 16 of the Saints’ 17 games in 2021 and posting an 83.7 defensive grade, according to Pro Football Focus. That’s the exact grade he posted during the 2020 season. Making matters even more impressive, that grade ranked 10th among all defensive ends in the league.
By comparison, Dunlap posted the highest defensive grade of any Seahawks defensive end at 72.1, ranking 29th in the NFL. However, no other Seahawks defensive end posted higher than a 59.4 defensive grade.
Considering his age and the Saints’ desperation of trimming contracts, the Seahawks could acquire Jordan for a low asking price. Jordan’s $22.9 million cap hit for the 2022 season is the fourth-most of any Saints player.
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Wilson Trade Still a Possibility
While Wilson and the Seahawks have yet to publicly declare that they’ll seek a trade in the offseason, the possibility is there.
Without actually saying it, head coach Pete Carroll left open the idea when he refused to shut down the notion that the Seahawks won’t go through an offseason of Wilson trade rumors.
“I don’t know that,” Carroll told Seattle’s FOX 13 TV on January 13.”I don’t know that. I don’t want to give you false hopes because there’s just so much stuff that can happen in the offseason. There’s unpredictable stuff. But we’ll do everything that we can to keep it in order and all that.”
“But let me say this: We’re going to compete at every turn,” Carroll continued. “That’s all we know we know how to do. That’s all John and I have been doing since we got here, and we’re not backing off that. Whatever is there, we’ve got to exhaust the opportunities for our club. And right from the owner, Jody [Allen] wants us take a look at every single opportunity to better the franchise and to help us. So that’s what we do.”
If the Seahawks do trade Wilson, that could change their entire approach to free agency and possible trades.