4 more things I learned about the Seahawks last month

On Frank Clark, Devon Witherspoon, and gettin' healthy: Seaside Joe 1738

Two weeks ago, I noted four things that I had learned about the Seattle Seahawks in the previous four weeks and how those observations would impact the team moving forward. There were more observations I wanted to share than those and these are them.

Nobody remembers Frank Clark

Frank Capra directed a movie about a man who sees what his town would be like if he had never been born. Frank Clark plays defense as if fans could see what the team would be like he had never been born.

“Frank Clark to fill-in for Uchenna Nwosu”?

It’s a Wonderful Lie.

I don’t think Seahawks fans expected Clark to replace Nwosu or even to contribute at a starting caliber level, but the ninth-year defensive end has been a liability, looking lost, effortless, and every bit the player who has been released by the Chiefs and Broncos within the last 12 months.

In 135 snaps, Clark has six tackles and is credited with one preessure.

My first thought was that maybe he’s just old. However, Clark is 30, a perfectly normal age for a standout edge rusher. On Sunday, 36-year-old Bruce Irvin had a sack in his debut game for the Detroit Lions.

Doesn’t Irvin give Seattle every bit the same in intangibles and ability, even as he’s six years older than Clark? It would seemingly take a miracle—or a guardian angel—for Clark’s 2023 to catch up to Irvin’s 2022 contributions to the Seahawks.

Signing Clark was a defensible move. We all supported it. But is Pete Carroll past the point of expecting more from Clark and what’s the hold-up on Derick Hall (four snaps against the Cowboys)? If Clark is doing nothing, couldn’t Hall at least be expected to also do nothing? Or even practice squad’s Tyreke Smith?

There was an idea behind signing Frank C. that made perfect sense but now…I just don’t see him.

The best offense is a healthy offense

The return of Abraham Lucas coincided with Seattle’s best offensive performance of the year and the first time all season that Geno Smith was not sacked. Though Lucas only played in 59% of the snaps, splitting time with Jason Peters, it’s better that he’s back than out.

Now the Seahawks just need to get back Ken Walker III and Seattle would be very close to the offense they’ve wanted all year. The Seahawks are 5-1 when Walker plays in at least 50% of the snaps. Zach Charbonnet is hopefully developing as he gets more meaningful reps, but still averaging only 3.5 yards per carry in the last five games. And aside from his 39-yard catch against the Cowboys, has been anything bu ta threat in the passing game as he was expected to be coming out of UCLA.

Charbonnet had 23 catches for 103 yards prior to Thursday and 3.8 yards per target ranks 137th out of 137 players! His 4.5 yards per catch, again prior to the 39-yarder, ranks is also the worst in the NFL.

That’s some Charbonnet, some Geno Smith, some Shane Waldron. We know how bad Seattle has been with throwing to their backs for quite some time. But the Seahawks need Walker, point, blank, and the period. He is averaging 10.2 yards per catch this season and gives Seattle an alternative weapon in the backfield to Charbonnet. Kenny McIntosh has been active the last two weeks, but only played on special teams.

The Seahawks also finally had a healthy combination of every starting receiver and tight end against Dallas, with Jaxon Smith-Njigba leading the way with 11 targets. He only had 62 yards BUT easily could have been credited with 12 targets, 40+ more yards, and a touchdown if the review had gone Seattle’s way.

One starter missing in action against the Cowboys was right guard Phil Haynes. Whether Haynes or the man who took his place, Anthony Bradford, is the better option remains to be seen.

When the Seahawks last faced the 49ers, they didn’t have Lucas or Walker and has it has been since the start of 2022, the offense was terrible against San Francisco. Maybe with Lucas, with Walker, and with 10 days rest instead of 4, they won’t be bad again on Sunday.

Spoon me once, shame on you. Spoon me twice…you’re not gonna be spoonin’ anymore

In the last five games, teams have thrown at Witherspoon 31 times and he’s been blamed for 20 receptions allowed, 219 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT. He’s also blitzed 12 times, getting a sack.

But really his one great game was against the Rams: 3-of-6, 1 yards allowed, 0 TD, 1 sack/1 pressure.

All the rest of those numbers come in four statistical performances that are considerably worse than Witherspoon’s first six games in the NFL: Witherspoon’s passer rating allowed from the Panthers to Browns were 62.8, 62.5, 74.1, 74.3, and 39.6. It is fair to add that passer rating allowed is hardly a perfect measure of cornerback success (Witherspoon was good in his debut with the Lions but a single touchdown allowed on a flea flicker was enough to make his stats look “bad”), but it is also fair to say that the quarterbacks faced in those games were Andy Dalton, Daniel Jones, partial-Joe Burrow, Josh Dobbs, and P.J. Walker.

And that among the worst receivers rooms in the NFL, you’ll find the Panthers, Giants, Cardinals, and Browns.

Against Lamar Jackson, Sam Howell, Brock Purdy, and Dak Prescott in recent weeks, the Seahawks defense has allowed an average of almost 34 points per game. Seattle’s defense got the job done against a Rams offense that has been hot the last couple of weeks, although Matthew Stafford was returning from injury and Cooper Kupp is simply not the same receiver he once was; Kupp is the worst receiver in the NFL over the last six weeks by yards per target and catch percentage.

However, all I’m doing is adding context to a situation, not saying that I’m worried about Devon Witherspoon. The difference between a good day and a bad day for a corner’s stats can literally come down to ONE PLAY and is not just Witherspoon’s fault that the Seahawks defense can’t get off the field: Witherspoon played 86 snaps against the Cowboys, which could be two games worth for most players. So out of 86 snaps, he allowed four catches, 65 yards, a touchdown, and he was tasked with blitzing three times.

If anything, I’m encouraged that Devon Witherspoon is getting the experience he needs—remember, he got a late start on football in high school and is still learning the ropes on the job, including how to be a nickel—and have even higher expectations that he can be an All-Pro caliber corner in the future. Consider the case of Derek Stingley, another “undersized” cornerback, a top-5 pick, a player who needed reps, and someone who now has four interceptions in his last three games.

Stingley is in his second year and had an inconsistent, injury-plagued rookie season. He’s missed time again this season, but has been one of the top corners when healthy.

There is no reason why Witherspoon couldn’t do the same.

Seahawks defense has potential to be youngest in NFL next season

If the Seahawks were to replace Bobby Wagner with Jordyn Brooks (again), they would be trading out a 34-year-old for a 27-year-old.

If the Seahawks were to replace Jamal Adams with Julian Love, they’d go from 29 to 26.

If the Seahawks were to replace Quandre Diggs with Jerrick Reed (for example), they’d go from 31 to 24. Coby Bryant will be 25.

Seattle’s starting corners could be Witherspoon (24 next season), Riq Woolen (25), and Tre Brown (27), while the defensive line/edge could feature Dre’Mont Jones (27), Uchenna Nwosu (28), Boye Mafe (26), Derick Hall (23), Cameron Young (24), and Mike Morris (23).

Keeping Jarran Reed (32) and Leonard Williams (30) are to me, the only two clear moves for over-30 players. Darrell Taylor, a pending free agent, will be 27, whereas Mario Edwards (30), Michael Jackson (27), Devin Bush (26), Myles Adams (26) are other options who have been on the 53-man roster this season and could return.

Essentially, the last month of games has only confirmed for me that the Seahawks could part ways with three of their oldest players on defense—Wagner, Adams, Diggs—after the season…

And that there are internal options available.

The Seahawks would need to re-sign Brooks, which has always been their plan and should stay within their budget, while Love was inked for two seasons and Seattle was already toying with moving Adams around and getting snaps for Bryant at safety. Someone like Bryant or Reed wouldn’t have to be great to give the Seahawks the same value that they’re getting from Adams.

And besides, the free agent safety market is always plentiful with options, while the best safety prospects are often available on day two of the draft.

If you’re apprehensive about the Seahawks parting with two big name players on the defense, two locker room leaders, two sources of energy and enthusiasm for football, I’ll say it again: $17 million. That’s the amount of cap money saved if Seattle just does a clean break with Diggs and Adams next offseason. If the Seahawks have a need for more cap space, then a post-June designation for Adams takes his savings from $6 million to $16.5 million.

Want to help support Seaside Joe and you’re already a Regular Joes member? Get a gift subscription for a Seahawks fan this holiday season! You’ll be doing something nice for three people at once:

If I learned anything from sending a harmless tweet about Adams celebrating plays more often than he makes plays, it’s that there are still some Seahawks fans who see him as the team saw him when sending two first round picks to the Jets. Look, nobody wishes that Seattle had THAT JAMAL ADAMS more than I do. I vehemently defended the trade and the contract extension against criticism and clearly did so to a fault.

I had blinders on to the fact that Adams has a lot of things that teams want in a football player…but none of them add up to him being the highest-paid safety in the NFL in 2024…and by almost $6 million more than second-place Minkah Fitzpatrick. The only other safety making over $20 million in 2024 is Diggs.

Not only does it not make sense to have two of the three highest-paid safeties in the NFL, it’s weird that Pete Carroll of all people didn’t think he could field a great defense with players on rookie contracts or average-sized deals. You can’t replace Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor by paying players like they’re the same as them. So I’ve learned that Seattle is well positioned to get younger, cheaper, and probably better on defense after the season.

30th in plays per drive, 27th in points per drive, 32nd in first downs allowed, and five more games giving up 30 points this year…it would hard to be worse.