Our lack of depth at DL isn't the result of avoiding the position in the draft. This FO has drafted 11 defensive linemen and signed 8 more undrafted free agents (counting Jeffcoat as a LB).
Seahawks draft picks (Defensive Line)
2010: EJ Wilson (#127), Dexter Davis (#236), Demarcus Granger (UDFA), Rob Rose (UDFA)
2011: Pep Levingston (#205), Ladi Ajiboye (UDFA), Pierre Allen (UDFA), Jarrett Crittenton (UDFA)
2012: Bruce Irvin (#15), Jaye Howard (#114), Greg Scruggs (#232), Monte Taylor (UDFA)
2013: Jordan Hill (#87), Jesse Williams (#137), Ty Powell (#231), Kenneth Boatright (UDFA)
2014: Cassius Marsh (#108), Jimmy Staten (#172), Andru Pulu (UDFA)
Despite this, our defensive line depth chart only has one player that we've drafted (Hill) - you can call it two if you count the snaps where Irvin lines up at DE. Staten is the only one on our practice squad.
2014 Depth chart against KC
DE: Bennett (FA), Avril (FA), Dobbs (FA), Schofield (FA), Irvin sort of (2012)
DT: Hill (2013), Williams (FA), McDaniel (FA)
Why haven't we been able to find and develop our own talent here?
1) Is it because we've been unlucky with injuries? Are we taking chances on injury prone players that haven't worked out?
2) Are we not devoting high enough draft position to this area? The two guys who are contributing in any manner are the two early picks. Maybe it's too hard to find diamonds in the rough here.
3) Are we just bad at scouting and developing the big guys? I like Pete as much as anybody as a defensive guru but his forte is clearly the secondary and as a developmental coaching staff that is clearly where they excel. I know almost nothing about Travis Jones.
4) Have we just been unlucky in general? Analysts thought we reached on many of these guys but we also "reached" in many other areas where we ended up with gems.
Seahawks draft picks (Defensive Line)
2010: EJ Wilson (#127), Dexter Davis (#236), Demarcus Granger (UDFA), Rob Rose (UDFA)
2011: Pep Levingston (#205), Ladi Ajiboye (UDFA), Pierre Allen (UDFA), Jarrett Crittenton (UDFA)
2012: Bruce Irvin (#15), Jaye Howard (#114), Greg Scruggs (#232), Monte Taylor (UDFA)
2013: Jordan Hill (#87), Jesse Williams (#137), Ty Powell (#231), Kenneth Boatright (UDFA)
2014: Cassius Marsh (#108), Jimmy Staten (#172), Andru Pulu (UDFA)
Despite this, our defensive line depth chart only has one player that we've drafted (Hill) - you can call it two if you count the snaps where Irvin lines up at DE. Staten is the only one on our practice squad.
2014 Depth chart against KC
DE: Bennett (FA), Avril (FA), Dobbs (FA), Schofield (FA), Irvin sort of (2012)
DT: Hill (2013), Williams (FA), McDaniel (FA)
Why haven't we been able to find and develop our own talent here?
1) Is it because we've been unlucky with injuries? Are we taking chances on injury prone players that haven't worked out?
2) Are we not devoting high enough draft position to this area? The two guys who are contributing in any manner are the two early picks. Maybe it's too hard to find diamonds in the rough here.
3) Are we just bad at scouting and developing the big guys? I like Pete as much as anybody as a defensive guru but his forte is clearly the secondary and as a developmental coaching staff that is clearly where they excel. I know almost nothing about Travis Jones.
4) Have we just been unlucky in general? Analysts thought we reached on many of these guys but we also "reached" in many other areas where we ended up with gems.