Giants, Seahawks Agree To Leonard Williams Trade
The next major trade domino has fallen. The Giants are sending defensive lineman Leonard Williams to the Seahawks, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
In exchange, Seattle is sending a 2024 second-round pick and a 2025 fifth-rounder to New York. The deal marks an end to Williams’ time in the Big Apple and puts to rest long-running questions about his future with the organization. It will also give Seattle a signficant boost along the defensive front. 
As part of the agreement, the Giants restructured Williams’ deal. They will pay out $9.35MM of Williams’ remaining salary as a signing bonus, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. That will allow for proration into void years. As a result of that move – which will help the Seahawks absorb his remaining 2023 salary and his cap hit, and no doubt played a role in helping the price include a Day 2 pick – the trade will not be official until after 3pm today. Indeed, Albert Breer of SI reports the Giants will retain all but the veteran’s minimum before sending Williams westward. Another factor which drove up Williams’ price was the interest he generated amongst contending teams.
Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz notes the Giants had “several suitors” in on the 29-year-old. Seattle has outbid the other teams which showed interest, though, and they will now take on Williams for at least the remainder of the season (which calls for a 2023 salary of $18MM). The Seahawks will take on roughly $650K of that figure as Williams looks to contribute to a playoff contender ahead of free agency in March.
A three-year, $63MM extension signed in 2021 left Williams with the league’s highest cap hit amongst defenders this season. For that reason, many speculated that an extension or restructure would be worked out. The former Jets first-rounder made it clear he was open to another Giants contract, but general manager Joe Schoen insisted throughout the offseason no such move would be coming. After standing pat during the summer, New York has now swung a deal ensuring greater draft compensation than the team would have been due in the event Williams walked in free agency. As Pelissero’s colleague Ian Rapoport notes, the Giants knew the possibility of Williams departing in the spring was high.
The Seahawks entered Monday with less cap space than the roughly $10MM remaining on Williams’ deal. As a result, the Giants’ decision to retain essentially all of his outstanding compensation was necessary. While that will hinder their 2023 cap situation, it will provide some clarity moving forward with a number of other extensions on the team’s priority list. Seattle, meanwhile, will see another high-profile veteran join a new-look defensive front.
Uchenna Nwosu‘s season-ending injury helped bring about a Seahawks reunion with Frank Clark. The latter will help in the edge rush department, while Williams will aim to provide a starting-caliber presence along the interior. His 2023 performance (21 tackles, 1.5 sacks) has fallen short of his previous years in New York, but the USC alum will have the chance to boost his free agent stock on a Seattle front which underwent signficant changes this offseason.
Most significantly, that included signing Dre’Mont Jones to a lucrative pact in free agency. The former Bronco has registered a pair of sacks so far while logging a starter’s role on a defense which ranks eighth against the run. Seattle will look to upgrade in the interior pass-rush department with Williams now in the fold, though the team already sits in the top five in sacks (26).
While this will likely be the only major move made by the Seahawks ahead of tomorrow afternoon’s deadline, the Giants have been named as a team to watch in the seller’s category. They have made clear their intention of retaining Saquon Barkley, but other players could be on the move. It will be interesting to see how New York approaches its remaining deadline plans, and how much of an effect this deal has on the market for other notable defenders.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/30/23
Today’s practice squad transactions:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: LB Donavan Mutin
- Released: P Pat O’Donnell
Chicago Bears
- Signed: OT Aviante Collins
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: S Tyreque Jones
- Released: DT Ross Blacklock
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: CB Parry Nickerson
- Released: CB Mark Milton
New York Giants
- Signed: CB Stantley Thomas-Oliver
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: LB Mykal Walker
- Released: LB Caleb Johnson
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: C Joey Hunt
- Released: OL Greg Eiland
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: CB Derrek Pitts
- Released: LB Brandon Bouyer-Randle
Mykal Walker has found a new home after getting cut by the Raiders last week. The former fourth-round pick spent the first three seasons of his career with the Falcons, including a 2022 campaign where he collected a career-high 107 tackles in 16 games (12 starts). However, since that breakout season, the linebacker has struggled to hold a job. He was waived by Atlanta back in August and was claimed by the Bears, but Chicago ended up cutting him at the end of the preseason. Walker later joined the Raiders practice squad and spent about a month in Las Vegas.
Seahawks Were Prepared To Trade LB Darrell Taylor Prior To Uchenna Nwosu Injury
Before Uchenna Nwosu sustained a pectoral injury that will require season-ending surgery, the Seahawks were prepared to trade fellow outside linebacker Darrell Taylor, as Albert Breer of SI.com reports. Now, however, Taylor will be called upon to fill Nwosu’s shoes as the 4-2 Seahawks compete for NFC West supremacy.
Taylor, a 2020 second-round pick, missed the entirety of his rookie season due to a shin surgery that he underwent following his senior year at Tennessee, though he rebounded nicely to post 6.5 sacks in 16 games of work (five starts) in 2021. He opened the 2022 campaign as a starting OLB opposite Nwosu, but he struggled mightily against the run, and 2022 second-rounder Boye Mafe eventually saw more action on early downs.
Although he was not on the field as frequently, Taylor did excel as a situational pass rusher and recorded 6.5 sacks in the final six games of the 2022 season. He ended the year with 9.5 sacks and earned a strong 74.0 pass rush grade from Pro Football Focus (which also assigned him an abysmal 40.7 run defense grade consistent with his disappointing film).
Taylor, 26, has again been utilized in a rotational capacity this year (aside from Week 2, when he earned a start in place of an injured Mafe). He did post 1.5 sacks in Seattle’s victory over the Cardinals last week in relief of Nwosu, and rather than trade him, the ‘Hawks will count on him to continue getting after opposing QBs while demonstrating improvement in run support.
Such an improvement may be a tall order given his track record, and to offset a possible downturn in that regard, the Seahawks seem prepared to turn up the pass rushing heat. According to Breer, who published his piece after Seattle reunited with Frank Clark, the team is still interested in adding edge help. The Commanders’ Montez Sweat, who is strong against the run and pass, certainly qualifies as a good fit, but the Falcons have already offered Washington a third-round pick for Sweat.
Taylor is earning roughly $1.5MM in 2023, the final year of his rookie contract, and a strong performance down the stretch could help him land a multiyear deal in the offseason.
2023 NFL Cap Space, By Team
The countdown to this year’s October 31 trade deadline continues, and a number of deals have already been made. More will follow in the coming days, though, as contending teams look to bolster their rosters for the stretch run and sellers seek to offload expiring contracts and gain future draft assets. Much will be driven, of course, by each squad’s financial situation.
Courtesy of Over the Cap, here’s a breakdown of every team’s cap space in advance of the deadline:
- San Francisco 49ers: $39.89MM
- Cleveland Browns: $33.99MM
- Arizona Cardinals: $11.1MM
- Cincinnati Bengals: $10.78MM
- Tennessee Titans: $10.55MM
- Las Vegas Raiders: $9.16MM
- Chicago Bears: $9.06MM
- Los Angeles Chargers: $9.05MM
- Indianapolis Colts: $8.78MM
- Minnesota Vikings: $7.96MM
- Green Bay Packers: $7.55MM
- New York Jets: $7.17MM
- Seattle Seahawks: $7.16MM
- Carolina Panthers: $7.07MM
- Dallas Cowboys: $7.03MM
- Baltimore Ravens: $6.83MM
- Atlanta Falcons: $6.76MM
- Detroit Lions: $6.62MM
- Jacksonville Jaguars: $6.42MM
- New Orleans Saints: $4.67MM
- Buffalo Bills: $4.58MM
- Los Angeles Rams: $4.37MM
- Houston Texans: $4.26MM
- Washington Commanders: $3.78MM
- Kansas City Chiefs: $3.7MM
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $3.63MM
- Miami Dolphins: $3.49MM
- New England Patriots: $2.87MM
- Philadelphia Eagles: $2.81MM
- Pittsburgh Steelers: $2.55MM
- Denver Broncos: $1.22MM
- New York Giants: $991K
The 49ers have carried considerable space throughout the season, but general manager John Lynch made it clear last month the team’s intention was to roll over most of their funds into next season. Still, with San Francisco sitting at 5-2 on the year, it would come as little surprise if at least one more depth addition (separate from the Randy Gregory move) were to be made in the near future. 
Deals involving pick swaps for role players dominated the trade landscape for some time, but more noteworthy contributors have been connected to a potential swap recently. One of them – Titans safety Kevin Byard – has already been dealt. That has led to speculation Tennessee is open to dealing other big names as they look to 2024. Derrick Henry’s name has come up multiple times with respect to a deal sending him out of Nashville, but that now seems unlikely.
Several edge rushers are on the market, including Danielle Hunter (Vikings) and one or both of Montez Sweat and Chase Young (Commanders). Hunter nearly found himself with the Jaguars this offseason, and last year’s AFC South winners could be on the lookout for a pass rush boost. A mid-level addition in that regard would come as little surprise. In Minnesota and Washington’s case, however, it remains to be seen if they will be true sellers given their 3-4 records heading into tomorrow’s action.
A number of receivers could also be on the move soon. Both the Broncos’ pair of Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton and the Panthers’ Terrace Marshall have been involved heavily in trade talk. Jeudy and Sutton are on the books at an eight figure price tag next season, and the Broncos are unlikely to receive the draft capital they could have at prior points in their Denver tenures. Marshall, by contrast, is in the third season of his four-year rookie contract and could fit more comfortably into an acquiring team’s cap situation. The Panthers have allowed him to seek out a trade partner.
The Cowboys sit in the top half of the league in terms of spending power, but mixed signals initially came out with respect to their interest in making a splash. Owner Jerry Jones has insisted Dallas will not initiate negotiations on a trade, citing his confidence in a 4-2 roster which has been hit by a few notable injuries on defense in particular. Despite having more cap space than most other teams, the Bengals are likewise expected to be quiet on the trade front.
The past few years have seen a notable uptick in trade activity around the league, and it would come as a surprise if that trend did not continue over the next few days. Last-minute restructures and cost-shedding moves would help the teams in need of flexibility pull off moves, though sellers will no doubt also be asked to retain salary if some of the higher-paid veterans on the trade block end up being dealt. Given the spending power of teams at the top of the list, there is plenty of potential for the league’s landscape to change ahead of the stretch run to the playoffs.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/28/23
Here are the gameday elevations and other minor moves made around the league in advance of Week 8:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed to active roster: WR Andre Baccellia
- Placed on IR: G Elijah Wilkinson
- Elevated: DL Ben Stille, RB Damien Williams,
Atlanta Falcons
- Elevated: LB Andre Smith
Baltimore Ravens
- Activated from IR: WR Tylan Wallace
- Elevated: S DeAndre Houston-Carson, RB Owen Wright
Carolina Panthers
- Elevated: S Matthias Farley, OLB Eku Leota
Chicago Bears
- Activated from IR: DE Khalid Kareem
- Released: T Aviante Collins
Cleveland Browns
- Elevated: OT Ty Nsekhe, RB Jordan Wilkins
Dallas Cowboys
- Elevated: LB Rashaan Evans, TE Eric Saubert
Denver Broncos
- Elevated: WR Tre’Quan Smith
- Placed on IR: WR Brandon Johnson
Houston Texans
- Activated from IR: DT Hassan Ridgeway
- Released: LB Cory Littleton
- Elevated: CB D’Angelo Ross
Indianapolis Colts
- Elevated: DT McTelvin Agim, CB Chris Lammons
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Elevated: CB Tevaughn Campbell
Kansas City Chiefs
- Elevated: S Deon Bush
- Placed on IR: LB Nick Bolton (story)
Los Angeles Chargers
- Elevated: WR Alex Erickson
Los Angeles Rams
- Elevated: RB Darrell Henderson
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed to active roster: WR Trishton Jackson
- Elevated: LB Nick Vigil
New England Patriots
- Elevated: OL Conor McDermott
New York Giants
- Signed to active roster: WR Gunner Olszewski (story)
- Elevated: QB Tommy DeVito, OLB Oshane Ximines
New York Jets
- Elevated: WR Malik Taylor, OL Xavier Newman
Philadelphia Eagles
- Elevated: WR Julio Jones
San Francisco 49ers
- Elevated: CB Kendall Sheffield, WR Willie Snead
Seattle Seahawks
- Activated from suspension: WR Dee Eskridge
- Released: C Joey Hunt
- Elevated: OL Jason Peters
Tennessee Titans
- Signed to active roster: CB Eric Garror, DL Jaleel Johnson
- Waived: LB Chance Campbell, CB Shyheim Carter
- Elevated: LB Joe Jones, RB Jonathan Ward
Washington Commanders
- Signed to active roster: FB Alex Armah
- Elevated: CB Tariq Castro-Fields, LB Jabril Cox
Wilkinson’s loss will be notable for the Cardinals, given his status as an entrenched starter at the left guard spot. The 28-year-old joined Arizona on a one-year deal worth the veteran’s minimum in free agency after stints in Denver, Chicago and Atlanta. Trystan Colon replaced him in the starting lineup in Week 7, and that will likely continue for the time being. Wilkinson will be out for at least four weeks as a result of the IR move.
Ridgeway has been out since Week 1, his Texans debut. The former 49er joined the Texans in a move which allowed him to continue working under head coach DeMeco Ryans. Ridgeway ended last season on IR, so he will be looking for an extended run of availability in his new home. A veteran of 78 games (and 19 starts), he will aim to carve out a rotational role up front.
Peters was brought in by the Seahawks while they were dealing with injury problems at both tackle spots. Blindside blocker Charles Cross has since returned, so Peters’ most familiar spot will not be available if he is to make his Seattle debut on Sunday. The fact the latter is healthy and in game shape does mean, however, that he will be eligible to play in a 19th NFL season.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/26/23
Today’s minor moves around the NFL:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed to active roster: CB Bobby Price
Baltimore Ravens
- Waived: OLB Jeremiah Moon
Buffalo Bills
- Elevated: WR Andy Isabella, CB Josh Norman
- Placed on IR: TE Dawson Knox (story)
Las Vegas Raiders
- Designated to return from IR: LB Curtis Bolton
New England Patriots
- Signed to active roster: WR Jalen Reagor
Seattle Seahawks
- Placed on IR: OLB Uchenna Nwosu (story)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Elevated: CB Richard LeCounte, DT Deadrin Senat
Reagor has been called up as a standard gameday elevation three times now for the Patriots, the maximum under a single practice squad contract. It remains to be seen if he will stick on the team’s active roster, but if he’s going to see any more game action this year, the promotion was a necessary one. He’s obviously able to play while on the active roster, but if the team were to release him and re-sign him to the practice squad, he would have the ability to be elevated three more times on the new deal.
The Bills and Buccaneers are making their standard gameday elevations for Thursday Night Football tonight. Veterans Isabella and Norman will both be making their season debuts if they see the field tonight in Buffalo, as will LeCounte and Senat for the Bucs. Norman has a good chance to see the field with Kaiir Elam out and Tre’Davious White still on injured reserve. Senat likewise should get a chance to rotate in for Tampa with Vita Vea currently inactive.
Seahawks Sign Frank Clark
OCTOBER 26: Clark has passed his physical, Anderson reports. As a result, his Seahawks reunion is now official. Clark may be in Seattle’s lineup as early as Sunday, Anderson adds. With Nwosu out for the remainder of the campaign, a notable workload should await Clark in his return to the Emerald City.
Field Yates of ESPN provides a further report with contract details for the deal. Clark’s deal is a one-year, $1.17MM deal that will be prorated over the remaining 11 weeks of the season. This will be in addition to the $3.75MM Clark has already been paid by the Broncos this year.
OCTOBER 25: A Frank Clark reunion will end up taking place, just not the one previously rumored. The Seahawks will reunite with the veteran pass rusher, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero report.
The Seahawks drafted Clark back in the 2015 second round and franchise-tagged him four years later, but the team executed a tag-and-trade transaction to send the former Michael Bennett–Cliff Avril sidekick to the Chiefs. While the Chiefs were viewed as perhaps the lead candidate to sign Clark, the recent Broncos cut will make his way back to the Pacific Northwest. This marks the third defensive reunion to commence in Seattle this year; Clark follows Bobby Wagner and Jarran Reed back to town.
This is a one-year deal, per ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter, with NFL.com adding Clark will be added to the 53-man roster. CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson first reported Clark, 30, intended to sign if his visit went well. This process has accelerated quickly, and it almost definitely stems from Uchenna Nwosu‘s upcoming surgery. The recently extended outside linebacker suffered a pectoral injury that will require season-ending surgery.
While the two Super Bowls Clark won in Kansas City will tie him to that organization closely when his career wraps, the 2015 draftee’s best production came in Seattle. Clark went 0-for-4 in double-digit sack seasons as a Chief; his most recent 10-plus-sack slate came with the Seahawks in 2018. Clark registered a career-high 13 sacks in 2018, leading to the tag, and also posted 10 in 2016 despite mostly working as a backup. The Seahawks will likely move Nwosu to IR soon, but this Clark move will still ensure a four-second-rounder arrangement exists at outside linebacker. Clark will join Boye Mafe, Darrell Taylor and Derick Hall upon coming back to Washington.
Drafting Clark months after a domestic violence arrest led him off the Michigan roster, the Seahawks were leery of giving the former No. 63 overall pick a big-ticket extension back in 2019. They signed off on a trade that brought back first- and second-round picks, along with a third-round pick swap. The Seahawks chose hopeful D-end replacement L.J. Collier in the 2019 first round; that proved to be one of the John Schneider era’s worst picks. Seattle did better with the 2020 second-rounder, trading down with Green Bay to draft guard Damien Lewis. With the 2019 Round 3 pick swap, the team traded up for linebacker Cody Barton.
In the years since Clark’s Seattle stay, he became the NFL’s No. 3 all-time playoff sacks leader. His 13.5 postseason QB drops rank behind only Willie McGinest (16) and Bruce Smith (14.5). Clark’s regular seasons in Kansas City left much to be desired, as he did not quite live up to the five-year, $104MM extension he signed upon being traded to the Chiefs. Clark topped out at eight sacks in a Chiefs season; that came back in 2019. Clark accepted a pay cut to stay in 2022, and while he added 2.5 playoff sacks this past season, the Chiefs still made him a cap casualty in March.
Clark’s Broncos fit did not pan out. Denver gave the street free agent a one-year, $5MM deal but used him as a backup to start the season. Coming off the bench behind Randy Gregory and Jonathon Cooper, Clark soon suffered a groin injury in practice that sidelined him for three games. Upon returning in Week 5, he saw only 11 defensive snaps. Playing time became an issue for Clark, and after shopping the rotational edge rusher in trades, the Broncos agreed to cut him. Despite a rumor about a Chiefs return, Clark will attempt to help his initial NFL team back to the playoffs.
Nwosu agreed to a three-year, $45MM extension in July but is out of the picture for the 2023 Seahawks. Mafe has taken a step forward in his second season, having totaled a team-high four sacks. Taylor tallied 9.5 sacks last season but has worked as a backup behind Nwosu and Mafe this year. The Seahawks chose Hall 36th overall in April.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/25/23
Here are Wednesday’s minor moves from around the league:
Baltimore Ravens
- Designated to return from IR: WR Tylan Wallace
Denver Broncos
- Signed to active roster: WR Lil’Jordan Humphrey
Houston Texans
- Designated to return from IR: DT Hassan Ridgeway
Los Angeles Rams
- Designated to return from IR: TE Hunter Long
Miami Dolphins
- Designated to return from IR: WR River Cracraft
Seattle Seahawks
- Designated to return from IR: RB Kenny McIntosh
- Designated to return from PUP: NT Austin Faoliu
Tennessee Titans
- Claimed off waivers (from Cardinals): S K’Von Wallace
- Placed on IR: DT Taylor Stallworth
After being waived yesterday by the team who submitted a waiver claim for him at the start of the season, Wallace finds himself on the third NFL team of his career. While the trade that sent star Titans’ defender Kevin Byard to Philadelphia returned another safety in Terrell Edmunds, Wallace will come in and attempt to compete for some key playing time with Edmunds and Amani Hooker.
Humphrey has been promoted as a standard gameday elevation three times already, the limit for a practice squad contract, so in order to see any further game action, he needed to be on the active roster. If he is released and re-signs to the team’s practice squad, he’ll be able to be elevated three more times under a new practice squad deal.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/24/23
Here are Tuesday’s practice squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Released: CB Quavian White
Carolina Panthers
- Released: OL Justin McCray
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: RB Jordan Wilkins
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: G Chris Glaser, LB Buddy Johnson, G Adam Pankey, TE Eric Saubert
Detroit Lions
- Signed: RB Jermar Jefferson
- Placed on practice squad IR: RB Mohamed Ibrahim
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: DT Ross Blacklock
- Released: S Henry Black
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: QB Nathan Rourke
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: DT Mike Pennel
- Released: WR Daniel Arias
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: LB Darius Harris, K James McCourt
- Released: TE John Samuel Shenker, LB Mykal Walker
- Released from practice squad injured list: TE Noah Togiai
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: LB Blake Lynch
- Released: LB Ty Shelby
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: OL Tommy Kraemer
- Restored from practice squad injured list: LB Ryan Connelly
- Released: TE J.P. Holtz
New York Jets
- Signed: WR Lance McCutcheon
- Released: S Tyreque Jones
New York Giants
- Signed: OLB Justin Hollins
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: DT Noah Elliss, LB Brandon Smith
- Released: CB Mario Goodrich, DB Tiawan Mullen
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: LB Caleb Johnson, TE Scotty Washington
- Released: OL Obinna Eze, TE Noah Gindorff
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: S Tayler Hawkins
- Released: CB Tre Norwood
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: G Ben Brown, RB Bryant Koback
- Released: WR Cody White
Tennessee Titans
- Released: RB Jacques Patrick
Seahawks’ Uchenna Nwosu Out For Season
The Seahawks will be without one of their top pass rushers for the rest of the season. While Pete Carroll said earlier today (via the Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta) that Uchenna Nwosu suffered a pectoral strain and would miss time, a later update confirmed a long recovery timetable.
Nwosu will need season-ending surgery to repair the issue, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. This news comes nearly three months after Nwosu signed a three-year, $45MM extension to stay in Seattle through 2026.
Last season rewarded the Seahawks for a midlevel investment on the edge; Nwsou posted 9.5 sacks and notched 26 quarterback hits. The Seahawks had given the ex-Joey Bosa Chargers sidekick a two-year, $19.1MM deal in free agency. Despite never finishing a season with more than five sacks in Los Angeles, Nwosu hit the ground running in Seattle, making a big difference in the team securing a wild-card berth despite the Russell Wilson and Bobby Wagner departures.
Nwosu ended up passing on the chance to use this season as a platform for a 2024 free agency audition, opting to sign an early extension that locks him down throughout the mid-2020s. That now looks like a smart move. The Seahawks guaranteed Nwosu, 26, $16.6MM at signing, according to OverTheCap. Nwosu will see an additional $6MM guaranteed, with money moving from an injury guarantee to a full guarantee, in February 2024. That represents part of his 2025 salary ($14.48MM).
Although the Bolts chose Nwosu in the 2018 second round, they kept their Bosa-Melvin Ingram pair in place for much of the USC alum’s rookie contract. Ingram did not move on until 2021, and the Chargers bumped Nwosu into their starting lineup. Nwosu notched 17 QB hits that season, displaying some upside during the five-sack contract year. That was enough for the Seahawks, who were in the process of remodeling their defense to a 3-4 look under then-new DC Clint Hurtt.
Hurtt’s unit struggled in his first season, ranking 25th in points allowed. The Seahawks operated more aggressively this offseason, adding Dre’Mont Jones and bringing back Wagner to replace the departed Cody Barton. The team has also used second-round picks on edge players in each of the past two years, drafting Boye Mafe in 2022 and Derick Hall this year. This gave Seattle a rare four-second-rounder OLB corps. Both Mafe and Hall arrived via picks obtained in the Wilson trade, and each will become a more prominent figure in the wake of Nwosu’s injury.
This year, Hurtt’s defense ranks 12th in scoring and yards allowed; Mafe has taken a step forward, with his four sacks tied for the team lead. The team also rosters Darrell Taylor, a 2020 second-round pick who fared well last season (9.5 sacks). Taylor has only started one game this year, working in a rotational role behind Nwosu and Mafe, but should now have a chance to log more playing time in a pivotal stretch for his earning potential.