The Seattle Seahawks surprised a lot of people with their performance during the 2022 season. Many thought they would be among the worst teams in the NFL after seemingly embarking on a rebuild over the offseason.
Franchise icons in Russell Wilson and Bobby Wagner were moved on from as Wilson was traded to the Denver Broncos and Wagner signed a free-agent deal with the Los Angeles Rams. Coincidentally, the Seahawks outperformed both of those teams, winning nearly as many games as the Broncos and Rams combined.
Each of them won five games while the Seahawks went 9-8, earning the final Wild Card spot in the NFC. They were defeated handily by the San Francisco 49ers for a third time in Super Wild Card Weekend, but this season was certainly an encouraging one.
Life after Wilson on offense was not nearly as dire as projected as Geno Smith had a career renaissance, earning a Pro Bowl spot. The backfield is in good hands with Kenneth Walker III and D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett still getting the job done at wide receiver.
But, the situation defensively is not nearly as positive for Seattle. There are a few bright spots, such as Jordyn Brooks transitioning into Wagner’s starting spot and the performance of rookie cornerback Tariq Woolen, who made the Pro Bowl roster as well along with safety Quandre Diggs.
The Seahawks really struggled against the run, ranking 30th in yardage and 27th in rushing touchdowns allowed. Shoring that up would help the team catapult up the defensive rankings and one player that could help is Deion Jones.
Jones got a late start to the 2022 season, not getting on the field until Week 7 following a trade from the Atlanta Falcons to the Cleveland Browns. He was far from a full-time player with them as he was with the Falcons in years past but still produced.
In 11 games and 59 percent of snaps, Jones totaled 44 tackles, six of which were for a loss. He added 2.5 sacks, three quarterback hits, one interception and three passes defended. Adding that kind of impact player to the mix would be a nice upgrade for the Seahawks’ defense, especially if they are unable to re-sign Cody Barton, who is also a free agent.
Jones has been productive throughout his career, registering triple-digit tackles in every season he has played at least 15 games in. He is a proven playmaker, getting into the opponent’s backfield with some regularity and also holds his own in passing situations.
