Gett Seahawks defensive end Mario Edwards Jr. is a potential cut candidate, says one analyst.
The Seattle Seahawks could be forced to make some tough cuts before the start of the season, says one writer.
As the Seahawks prepare for training camp, they’ll obviously have to make some tough decisions along the way. They’ll trim their current roster — which features up to 90 players — to 53 by the start of the regular season. While most of those guys will be young players and guys you’ve never heard of, there will be some notable ones along the way.
Why Seahawks Could Consider Cutting Mario Edwards Jr.
As noted by FanSided’s Lee Vowell of the site, 12th Man Rising, one of those “cut candidates” is none other than defensive end Mario Edwards Jr.
Vowell argues that the recently signed veteran is limited and has never really impressed during his eight-season career. Furthermore, he’s a journeyman, with the Seahawks being his fifth team since entering the NFL in 2015.
“Edwards has bounced around quite a bit in his eight-year career,” writes Vowell. “Beginning this season, the Seahawks would be his fifth team. It’s not that Edwards is bad, but he is limited. He won’t chase down many quarterbacks from his defensive end position – he has a career-high of 4 sacks which came in 2020. He did have 11 quarterback hits in 2022, but that was two better than his previous high so one shouldn’t expect the same kind of production in 2023.”
As Vowell mentions in the beginning of his article, Edwards might be one of those new Seahawks players “at risk” of being released.
“The Seahawks are a bit over two months away from having to finalize their 2023 roster, but some new Seattle players might already be at risk of being released,” writes Vowell.
Seahawks Signed Mario Edwards Jr. Due to Their Struggles in Run Game
Edwards certainly enters a situation in Seattle where he can find a role. The Seahawks have made a concerted effort to revamp the defensive line after it was a clear weakness throughout the 2022 season. Seattle made such an aggressive effort in revamping the defensive line that they allowed key holdovers such as Shelby Harris, Al Woods and Quinton Jefferson to walk in free agency. Furthermore, they brought in new defensive linemen such as Dre’Mont Jones and Jarran Reed.
The 29-year-old Edwards obviously isn’t as heralded as Jones and Reed, as both of those players are expected to jump into the starting lineup. However, there’s a reason why Edwards was signed. The former Florida State product won a national championship and was once a second-round draft pick of the Las Vegas Raiders. Dating back to his college days, he’s always been known for his ability to stop the run, as Jeoffrey Pagan of NFL.com noted in his scouting report of Edwards back in 2015.
“He’s a 3-4 defensive end or a 4-3 defensive tackle who has to make a living playing the run,” wrote Pagan. “Edwards failed to reach expectations while at Florida State and ended his career as a core defender rather than dominant force. His ‘level of ability’ is higher than his current level of play and could continue to be the case unless he finds more passion and effort from snap to snap.”
The Seahawks were atrocious when it came to stopping the run last season. They ranked near the bottom in all major categories, ranking 30th in rushing yards allowed, 27th in rushing touchdowns and 26th in yards per attempt. In other words, Edwards wasn’t signed for his pass-rushing prowess — he was signed for his ability to stop the run.
As Vowell notes, Edwards is coming off of a productive season stopping the run as a member of the Tennessee Titans.
“So Edwards is basically a decent run-stopper as a DE,” writes Vowell. “But according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), every other season since 2018 Edwards has either been good against the run or bad. He graded at a solid 72.7 in 2022 against the run, but an atrocious 47.4 stopping the run in 2021. With Seattle adding Mike Morris through the draft, Edwards might have a short stay in Seattle.”
Obviously, Edwards is no guarantee to make the roster. But if he can show off his run-stopping abilities in training camp and the preseason, there’s good reason to believe he’ll be on the 53-man roster considering the Seahawks’ flaws last season.
