One reason to be wary of pass rusher Paul Kruger?

By Brady Henderson

We’ve looked at the possibility of the Seahawks pursuing free-agent defensive end Paul Kruger from a few different angles already.

Paul Kruger

First, it was whether he fits the description of the free agents the Seahawks have been willing to break the bank for.

The conclusion I came to was that while Kruger is young and coming off his first contract – like tight end Zach Miller, receiver Sidney Rice and quarterback Matt Flynn, for instance – signing him to a huge deal would be an unprecedented move for a team that hasn’t made such a significant commitment to a free-agent defender from another team. And if that trend is by design, it’s hard to imagine Seattle going all out for Kruger.

Next, we discussed how Kruger would fit schematically and how his skill set would appeal to the Seahawks.

Brock Huard noted that Kruger was often asked to drop into coverage as an outside linebacker in Baltimore’s 3-4 defense. Huard called Kruger “really intriguing” largely because of his versatility, a trait Seahawks coach Pete Carroll has historically favored in pass rushers.

On Tuesday, the conversation centered around a concern the Seahawks and other teams might have with Kruger should the Ravens opt to not re-sign him.

Elite players at premium positions like pass rusher rarely become available in free agency because their teams usually keep them at all costs. So if Kruger signs elsewhere, would that be an exception or an indication that the Ravens – who know him better than any team – don’t consider him elite?

Huard and Mike Salk share their thoughts on that question in the video below.

You can listen to Tuesday’s show here.