Heaps: Why Seahawks should pass on both Clowney and Ngakoue

NFL free agency is, hopefully, starting up next week, as teams and players can start negotiating deals on Monday and can start signing on Wednesday. The Seahawks have one need that will likely be addressed in free agency that far and away stands out above the rest, and that’s pass rush.

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The Seahawks were one of four NFL teams without 30 sacks last year, and second-year role player Rasheem Green led the team with four.

Making things more difficult is that the team’s top defensive lineman, defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, is an unrestricted free agent who will have no shortage of suitors as he will be the top pass rusher on the open market due to most other top targets being franchise tagged by their teams, something Seattle agreed to not do with Clowney.

Another issue is Clowney could reportedly command one of the largest contracts ever dished out to a defensive player, and the Seahawks may be unwilling to break the bank for a player with a long injury history who only had three sacks in 2019.

One rumor swirling around was that the Seahawks could try and acquire Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Yannick Ngakoue, who has become one of the better and more consistent pass rushers in the league. The issue there is he will reportedly get franchise tagged, so Seattle would have to trade for him and then sign him to a wealthy contract extension.

Jake Heaps of 710 ESPN Seattle’s Tom, Jake and Stacy has said throughout the offseason that the Seahawks need to get at least on top edge rusher this offseason, but on Monday, he explained why he’s changing his stance.

“In terms of the need to sign Clowney or Yannick Ngakoue and get a top-tier edge rusher – although I would love it and would not be opposed to it if that’s the route they ended up going with the Seattle Seahawks – I am then concerned you would not be able to spread the wealth,” Heaps said. “(I’m worried) that you’re not going to be able to sign another edge rusher along with Clowney (or Ngakoue) that’s going to be able to draw attention and win their one-on-one battles on a consistent basis to then be effective.”

I’ve changed my stance on Clowney & Ngakoue. I have a hard time seeing the Seahawks agreeing to a record setting/top end market deal.

I would love to see either one in a Hawks uniform but the BEST move is to attack the mid/lower tier deals IN FA and acquire depth across the DL.

— Jake Heaps (@jtheaps9) March 9, 2020

One reason Clowney’s 2019 numbers weren’t that impressive is because he commanded so much attention from opposing offenses. He was regularly double-teamed, and the other members of the line failed to win their one-on-one matchups. Ziggy Ansah, a former All-Pro edge rusher with the Detroit Lions, signed with Seattle last offseason on a one-year “prove it” deal and failed to stay healthy and produce.

“Ziggy Ansah clearly did not work for them and you’re in somewhat of that situation (again),” Heap said. “You’re not going to, hopefully, sign an injury-plagued player, but you’re going in that lower-tier hoping that you can strike gold. A guy like (Buffalo’s) Shaq Lawson. A guy like (former Seahawk) Bruce Irvin. Those are the type of players you’re starting to dip into (if you sign a top edge rusher to a big deal) … Cheaper players and maybe potentially older players that have not produced at the highest level or are just getting up there in age.”

The Seahawks, after signing tight end Greg Olsen to a one-year deal worth up to $7 million, have the 17th-most cap room at just over $44 million per OverTheCap.com. Clowney and Ngakoue would both command salaries at or over $20 million, meaning there’s less resources going to other defensive linemen. Additionally, the Seahawks will need to go after offensive linemen as two starters and one proven backup are unrestricted free agents.

So how would Heaps like the Seahawks to address the pass rush in free agency?

“What I would rather see them do is get more mid-tier, quality players,” Heaps said. “More proven players, veteran players, that have the ability to be superstar players. Players like (Rams defensive end) Dante Fowler Jr. and (Cowboys defensive end) Robert Quinn.  Those guys year in and year out have shown that they can be high-quality, veteran players that have the ceiling to be superstar talents that can go and get 10-plus sacks in a season.”

Both Fowler and Quinn are former first-round picks who had great 2019 seasons.

Fowler, 25, was the No. 3 pick in 2015 by the Jaguars and Quinn, who turns 30 in May, was the 14th pick in 2011 by the Rams.

Fowler started his career slow, tearing his ACL in his first training camp, but has since had a solid career and had 11.5 sacks for the Rams last season.

Quinn’s best year was in 2013, when he racked up 19 sacks, but aside from 2015 and 2016, when he played in just 17 games combined, he’s played 14 games or more every season. Last year, he was with the Dallas Cowboys and he also had 11.5 sacks.

“To me, I would feel much more confident in (Fowler or Quinn) and then surround them and build out your defensive line from there,” Heaps said.

You can hear Heaps’ thoughts at this link or in the player below, and he also talked about this in the first hour of Monday’s show, which can be heard here.

Follow 710 ESPN Seattle’s Jake Heaps on Twitter.

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