Two former Seahawks pass rushers among ESPN’s notable unsigned players

We’re just over a month away from the start of training camp and there are more than a few familiar faces who don’t have a team at the moment. ESPN’s Matt Bowen compiled a list of the top-11 free agents, and two of them are ex-Seattle Seahawks. In fact, one of them was essentially a direct replacement for the other, so I think you know exactly who I’m talking about.

From beyond the paywall, here’s Bowen’s write-up on No. 3 ranked Jadeveon Clowney.

2022 team: Cleveland Browns | Age entering 2023 season: 30

Clowney’s production dropped off in Cleveland last season, as he had just two sacks in 12 games. He’s a straight-line power rusher who can set a hard edge versus the run game given his physical tools. He has never fully turned those tools into production, though; the No. 1 overall pick in the 2014 draft has zero double-digit-sack seasons. Clowney could be a rotational addition by a contender.

Three spots later, here’s the brief analysis on two-time Super Bowl champion Frank Clark:

2022 team: Kansas City Chiefs | Age entering 2023 season: 30

Clark logged just five sacks during the regular season for the Chiefs, but the postseason numbers jumped again for the veteran edge rusher. In Kansas City’s playoff run to a Super Bowl title, Clark posted 2.5 sacks and six pressures. Clark, who will turn 30 this summer, can upgrade an NFL front, even if it’s in a nickel pass-rushing role.

Neither one of them is even the top-ranked pass rusher; that honor belongs to the nomadic Yannick Ngakoue, who’s presumably headed for his fifth team since 2020 despite recording 27.5 sacks during that span.

We’ve been through this before with The 33rd Team’s belief that Clark should reunite with the Seahawks, and I am pretty comfortable saying Seattle won’t bring him or Clowney back. The idea of Clowney vs. the reality of Clowney are pretty far apart, and for all of the lauding of his run defense Cleveland was one of the worst rushing defenses by DVOA last year. There’s also his deep injury history that makes me have zero interest in even a cheap flyer on him.

The other players on Bowen’s list include former Denver Broncos guard Dalton Risner, aging pass rushing specialists Melvin Ingram and Justin Houston, running backs Ezekiel Elliott and Kareem Hunt, safety John Johnson III, cornerback Marcus Peters, and quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. The fact that Julio Jones didn’t even crack a top-11 tells you that he’s reached his career sunset.

DeAndre Hopkins is a free agent but I assume this list consists of people who have been available since March/April.

Are there any players mentioned whom you believe the Seahawks should consider looking at signing? Sound off in the comments section by scrolling to the bottom of the page!