Moore: If it’s between Matthews and Griffen, who should Seahawks get?
Aug 6, 2020, 10:35 AM
The Seahawks reportedly have interest in Clay Matthews, who spent 2019 with the Rams. (Getty)
(Getty)
Michael Silver of the NFL Network is reporting that the Seahawks have interest in signing Everson Griffen or Clay Matthews, two players who could improve the pass rush. Silver tweeted that a deal could happen soon and talked about the possibility with Danny and Gallant on 710 ESPN Seattle Thursday morning.
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This is another indication, and no doubt the final one, that the Seahawks have moved on from any thought of re-signing Jadeveon Clowney. The Seahawks are $17.2 million under the salary cap, enough to work with to re-sign Clowney, especially if they were to cut another player or two, but it appears that his asking price remains too high for general manager John Schneider.
We thought that maybe the Seahawks were moving on from Clowney with free-agent signings of Bruce Irvin and Benson Mayowa. Then when they drafted pass rushers Darrell Taylor and Alton Robinson, that reinforced that opinion.
Now with this latest report from Silver, you can scratch the idea of Clowney returning and consider which player you’d rather have, Griffen or Matthews.
Griffen, 32, has 74.5 sacks and 12 forced fumbles in his career. He has averaged 9.5 sacks in the last six years with Minnesota. I’m guessing he’ll cost more than Matthews since he’s younger and statistically more productive.
Matthews, 34, has 91 sacks in his career and was still productive last year at the age of 33, producing eight sacks, nine tackles for loss and 11 QB hits and two forced fumbles in 13 games with the Rams.
Money won’t be an issue with either player, not at this point. Whomever they sign looks to be a terrific bang-for-your-buck deal for the Seahawks.
When you add either one to a pass-rushing cast that also includes Irvin, Mayowa, Taylor and a blitzing Jamal Adams along with holdovers Jarran Reed, Rasheem Green and L.J. Collier, now you’re talking about a group that could be in the quarterback’s face more often than they were last year.
Which player do you want the most, Griffen or Matthews? Sign me up for Matthews. I like the idea of adding a guy who has tormented you for years. Let’s see if he can torment other teams now, even if it’s just for one more season.
And if you’re see-sawing back and forth between Griffen and Matthews, here’s my tie-breaker – the hair. I know it makes no difference whatsoever, but the thought of seeing Matthews in a Seahawks’ uniform inflicting damage with that long hair of his flowing out of the back of his helmet, gimme some of that this season.
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