The Seahawks have a Dante Fowler Jr. problem, and the cleanest fix might be sitting in Los Angeles.
Seattle’s edge rotation was one of the defining strengths of last season. Mike Macdonald could keep rolling bodies through the front without the level of drop-off most teams live with, and that helped make the defense so hard to deal with. DeMarcus Lawrence, Uchenna Nwosu, Derick Hall and Boye Mafe gave the Seahawks four legitimate answers off the edge.
That hasn’t been the case with Fowler. The free-agent addition has barely made a dent, and in Seattle’s ugly Week 8 loss to the Chicago Bears, he was on the field for just eight snaps and did nothing statistically. With Nwosu out injured, Hall and Lawrence held up, but Fowler again looked like a player the staff doesn’t trust to lean on.
The usage tells the story. Fowler’s high-water mark was 21 snaps in Week 4, and since then he hasn’t reached more than nine in a game.
Through eight games, he has six total pressures, one tackle, and a missed tackle to go with it. For a team that expected more from that spot, that’s a bust.
That is why Khalil Mack makes so much sense.
Mack is on the winless Los Angeles Chargers, and this could be his final NFL season. He likes the organization, but he would presumably be open to joining a team with playoff hopes.
He’s also still producing at a high level. Through seven games, he has 16 total pressures, three sacks and five tackles for loss.
What makes Mack especially appealing for Seattle is that he’s not just a pass-rush specialist. He’s been a complete edge defender for years, someone who can bother quarterbacks and also hold up against the run. That would matter in Seattle, where his presence would raise the floor of the entire group.
If Nwosu doesn’t miss much time with his ankle injury and the Seahawks make a move, they could get back to the kind of edge group they had last season: four strong options instead of three good ones and Fowler struggling to stay involved.
And the price might not be prohibitive. A fourth-round pick could be enough, and Seattle is projected to have as many as 10-11 draft picks in 2027 once comp picks are included. John Schneider has the draft capital to make it happen.
Mack would also fit as a plug-and-play addition for Macdonald right away. Seattle’s defense has slipped from where it was a year ago, and the season is starting to drift. Mack could be the kind of move that changes the feel of it.
In Other News...
Seahawks Suddenly Have A Bigger Sam Darnold Problem Than One Loss
The Seahawks Monday night loss to the Bears did more than knock Seattle back to .500. It put Sam Darnold right back at the center of the conversation, after a night in which he finished 17 of 34 for 188 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. For a team trying to steady itself in a crowded NFC race, the issue is no longer just one rough result, but whether the quarterback position is giving Seattle enough certainty moving forward.
Darnolds uneven season has already prompted bigger-picture questions about how long the Seahawks will stay committed to him, and the timing only sharpens the discussion. Seattle is sitting at 4-4, and with the organization already being linked to the idea of finding a future answer at quarterback, the next few seasons could determine whether Darnold remains part of the plan or whether the Seahawks eventually look to the draft for a successor such as LaNorris Sellers. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Suddenly Have A Jaxon Smith-Njigba Problem They Must Solve
Jaxon Smith-Njigba did his part in Seattles 34-17 loss to the Bears, turning in a strong showing while the rest of the Seahawks receiving group struggled to keep pace. It was the kind of game that can sharpen a front offices focus, because when one pass catcher is carrying so much of the load, the imbalance becomes hard to ignore.
With the November 10 trade deadline approaching, Seattle is reportedly weighing whether to add another wide receiver to give the offense more reliability and depth. Names such as Josh Downs, Brian Thomas Jr., Calvin Ridley, Rashod Bateman, Jerry Jeudy and Jauan Jennings have surfaced as possible targets, and the Seahawks now have to decide how aggressively they want to address a problem that showed up clearly in Chicago. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks May Not Be Done After Their Biggest Trade Yet
The Seahawks already made their biggest splash of the deadline by landing six-time All-Pro guard Quenton Nelson from the Colts, a move that instantly changes the look of the offensive line. It was the kind of aggressive addition that signals Seattle is serious about pushing for more than just a short-term fix, and it also fits the broader approach John Schneider has taken when the team sees a chance to upgrade in a meaningful way.
Schneider confirmed the Seahawks are still active in trade talks as the deadline approaches, which keeps the door open to more help in the days ahead. Running back, wide receiver and edge rusher remain the clearest areas to watch, and ESPN has already identified several candidates who could make sense for Seattle if the front office decides Nelson should be the first move, not the last. [Read more 🡒]