By james art 
After a 2023 campaign in which the Seahawks had a leaky defense, Seattle cut ties with longtime head coach Pete Carroll in favor of young defensive guru Mike McDonald. In that one year since, Seattle’s frustrating defense has turned the corner and started to be the team’s strength. In 2023 the Seahawks’ Achilles heel has been defending the run, as that team has surrendered the second-most yards in the league with 2,352.
In 2024 Seattle’s defense tightened up, allowing 300 fewer yards and 13 fewer touchdowns. In fact, almost every major statistic improved immediately from 2023 to 2024. Seattle allowed 329 fewer passing yards, gave up nine fewer explosive plays and allowed three fewer points per game in 2024.
And Seattle’s pass rush generated pressure at a very high clip, but failed to come up with sacks. Seattle actually finished with two fewer sacks in 2024 than in 2023, even if it didn’t look like it. The main problem was finishing pressure in sacks. And I can think of an upcoming free agent that could alleviate that problem.
Khalil Mack could make a great defense for the Seahawks
Khalil Mack, 33, in the prime of his Hall of Fame career, appears to be done in Los Angeles after three years with the Chargers. In those three years, Mack racked up 31 sacks, nine forced fumbles, 21 pass breakups and 31.5 sacks. In fact, in 2023, long after his Defensive Player of the Year accolades, Mack set his personal best for sacks with 17.
Mack shows no signs of slowing down as he fully intends to play through the 2025 season, which will be his 12th in the NFL. He continues to be brutal as a pass rusher, but over the past few seasons, Mack has shown the ability to adapt and become a more dynamic pass rusher. Mack showed an element of finesse, as opposed to raw violence, as he aged, leading to his sudden resurgence late in his career.
Seattle, who may have a void to fill in the pass-rushing department this offseason as both Uchenna Nwosu and Dre’mont Jones could be covers, should seriously consider calling Mack’s agent. Top-notch pass rushers, especially ones as proven and reliable as Khalil Mack, are hard to come by.
In 2024 Mack finished with 15 QB hits, six sacks and an absurd 90.4 Pro Football Focus grade (subscription required) in 16 games. He would provide an immediate spark against Boye Mafe.
However, Mack is not just a pass specialist. Mack is a force against the run, an area where Seattle has improved but could certainly use some help. According to PFF, Mack earned an 88.0 defensive grade, which ranked second out of 211 pass rushers. Mack recorded 23 stops (coverage made at or near the line of scrimmage) in 2024, as he showed he remains one of the league’s best defenders.
The former Defensive Player of the Year was also selected to eight Pro Bowls, missing just one since 2015. , and earned three first-team All-Pro selections. Khalil Mack would be an instant upgrade for any team that wins the bid for his services this offseason. And while Seattle doesn’t usually go for flashy free agent signings, Mack should certainly be an exception.