The Seattle Seahawks made a slightly surprising move before the new league year opened in releasing three-time Pro Bowl safety Quandre Diggs, but the replacement they have secured to likely start at free safety could well prove to be an upgrade.
The Seahawks on Wednesday confirmed a raft of moves, including the signing of safety Rayshawn Jenkins. Jenkins’ arrival on an two-year deal is unlikely to create much fanfare, but for a Seahawks defense that struggled to defend the pass last season, he could prove to be a key acquisition.
Jenkins was the best safety in the NFL in 2023 by NextGen Stats’ receptions over expected metric. The 30-year-old had minus 5.6 receptions over expected last season, reflecting strength in coverage that is further illustrated by efficiency numbers that are far superior to what Diggs, 31, produced in his final year in Seattle.
Jenkins was the sixth-most targeted safety in the NFL last season, per Sports Info Solutions. He was thrown at 41 times, yet he allowed the fifth-lowest completion percentage (41.5%) and his passer rating against of 50.3 was the eighth-best among safeties with at least 20 targets. Diggs, meanwhile, allowed a completion percentage of 55 and had a passer rating against of 115, the ninth-worst for the position.
Only four safeties performed better than Jenkins by positive play rate allowed (31.7%), while he was seventh in Expected Points Added per target allowed. Diggs gave up a positive play rate of 40% and was 40th by EPA per target.
With at least two interceptions in all but one of his last five seasons and 21 pass breakups over the last two seasons, Jenkins also has a track record of on-ball production, albeit not as impressive as that of Diggs, who had 18 interceptions in over four seasons in Seattle and also had 32 pass breakups for the Seahawks.
But in Jenkins the Seahawks have acquired a slightly younger but still extremely experienced safety who was one of the best coverage players at his position last season, a year that represented a step back for Diggs, and who can serve as a playmaker in the defensive backfield.
Replacing Diggs with Jenkins might not initially have seemed like an upgrade when the move was announced, but the numbers suggest Seattle fans could be very happy the swap was made by the time the 2024 season comes to a close.
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