Re-signing Quandre Diggs even bigger priority now for Seahawks

There was no question going into this offseason that a huge priority for the Seahawks would be to re-sign free safety Quandre Diggs.

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A Pro Bowler each of the last two seasons, the 29-year-old Diggs has been one of the best acquisitions in recent Seahawks history. Picked up in October 2019 from the Detroit Lions along with a 2021 seventh-round pick in exchange for a 2020 fifth-round selection, Diggs has made 13 interceptions in 38 games since coming to Seattle.

While Diggs is working his way back from an unfortunate broken leg suffered in the Seahawks’ season finale last month, bringing him back to play alongside strong safety Jamal Adams remains a key to Seattle’s offseason. And as ex-NFL quarterback and current FOX Sports football analyst Brock Huard explained, that became even more important with Seattle’s recent coaching shuffle.

“How and where are they with Diggs – to me, that’s a priority way up the charts, especially with the (Sean) Desai and Karl Scott defense,” Huard said to fellow former Seahawks players Michael Bumpus and Robert Turbin, who were filling in Tuesday morning on 710 ESPN Seattle’s The Mike Salk Show.

Desai is the Seahawks’ new associate head coach on defense, joining the team after a stint as Chicago Bears defensive coordinator – and it reportedly was a coup for Seattle to get Desai that required some assurances.

Scott, meanwhile, comes over as passing game coordinator following one year as Minnesota Vikings defensive backs coach. He previously had the same position for Nick Saban’s powerhouse Alabama team.

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While Desai and Scott will work under new defensive coordinator Clint Hurtt, who was promoted from defensive line coach, Huard expects the secondary to play a large role going forward based on what he knows about Desai and Scott.

“All the stuff that they want to do, to mix and match and disguise, Diggs is off the charts (at those things),” Huard said. “We saw that last year – and his ability to take the ball away, too. So I think that’s priority one. That’s what’s going on in the building (at Seahawks headquarters) and has for the last few weeks. ‘How do we want to prioritize our own (players hitting free agency) before we go out into the market?'”

In the final Pete Carroll Show of the 2021 season on 710 ESPN Seattle, the Seahawks’ head coach did indicate that the priority this offseason would be more on retaining players set to hit free agency rather than adding outside names. But he didn’t rule out a splash or two in free agency, and Huard expects once players like Diggs and running back Rashaad Penny are taken care of, the attention will turn to the line of scrimmage.

“I think defensive line, offensive line – that line of scrimmage… I think those will be the priorities after they take care of prioritizing their own guys,” he said.

Huard joins The Mike Salk Show at 7:45 a.m. Monday through Friday on 710 ESPN Seattle in addition to co-hosting the weekly Brock and Salk Podcast on Wednesdays. You can hear his full conversation with Bumpus and Turbin in the final segment of the podcast at this link or in the player below.

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