FanPulse, NFL Draft: Seahawks fans unsurprisingly see defensive end as biggest need

We have a quick offseason FanPulse for you as we approach the official start of a new league year.

As the NFL Draft approaches, fans across all 32 SB Nation NFL sites were asked what their favorite teams’ biggest draft need was. Seattle Seahawks respondents voted and to my surprise, it was not a total blowout in favor of defensive end.

47% of the vote went to DE, followed by 38% for offensive line, and then 10% for defensive line. The remaining votes were split between wide receiver and defensive back, although if you really see wide receiver as Seattle’s “biggest need” then I think you pressed the wrong button or just wanted to be different. Is it a minor need? Yes. Biggest need? Hell nah. Same applies to defensive back.

Seattle’s pass rush was embarrassing in 2019 and there’s a real chance they don’t re-sign Jadeveon Clowney. Even if they do, the Seahawks still need defensive ends and badly. This is a position I expect them to load up on in free agency plus the draft, as if to overcompensate for last season.

Offensive line is understandably second. Duane Brown is going to be 35 this year, the Seahawks might lose Mike Iupati, George Fant, and Germain Ifedi in free agency, and Justin Britt is both coming off an ACL tear and is considered a potential cap casualty. You damn well better believe this is a concern whether they re-sign some of these free agents or not.

Lastly, the defensive line seems to imply the interior positions, in which case Jarran Reed and Al Woods are free agents and Quinton Jefferson can play both DE and DT. Seattle’s porous run defense was quietly just as awful as the lack of pass rush, and while Poona Ford may be awesome, he is but one man. I’d love nothing more than to have a Brandon Mebane or a Clinton McDonald clogging up running lanes and collapsing pockets next season, because those guys had their own level of importance during Seattle’s dominant defensive line years while not getting nearly the attention of Cliff Avril or Michael Bennett.

It’s hard to disagree with the pecking order of the top three as chosen by Seahawks FanPulse respondents.