After declining Jordyn Brooks’ fifth-year option, the Seattle Seahawks have a developing situation at inside linebacker beyond 2023.
Earlier this week, the Seattle Seahawks declined Jordyn Brooks‘ fifth-year option. Had they picked it up, the middle linebacker would be due a one-year, $12.72M guaranteed contract for 2024.
Declining a fifth year is far from uncommon. Since the NFL adopted the rule, the Seahawks have done the same with all six players who were eligible. Of the 32 first round picks in Brooks’ 2020 draft class, only 37.5 percent had their fifth-year option picked up.
A torn ACL in Week 17 against the New York Jets last year didn’t help his case. Brooks is likely to miss some time at the start of the season while he rehabs.
Additionally, with this type of injury, it takes a while to get back to full strength. Brooks may not be at his tackling machine best until late in the year.
This was a shrewd but necessary course of action for the team. In 2023, $12.7M would be the seventh highest-paid linebacker in the NFL. As a matter of fact, only 10 linebackers are scheduled to make over $10M this season.
Head Coach Pete Carroll said despite declining the option and the injury, Brooks is very much in the Seattle Seahawks’ long-term plans. That’s great on his end, but is Seattle in Brooks’ long-term plans? If not, the Seahawks’ defense could resemble a donut in 2024 with a big hole in the middle.
Stop-Gap Measures
To replace last year’s starting inside linebackers, Brooks and departed Cody Barton (UFA-Washington), the Seattle Seahawks brought back Bobby Wagner and also added Devin Bush in free agency. Both men received one-year contracts from the team at a combined $10.5M.
The only other linebackers on Seattle’s roster with NFL experience are Jon Rhattigan, Vi Jones, and Nick Bellore. The trio is primarily special teams players, and among them, only Bellore has taken any snaps at linebacker, with a whopping total of 9.
Ignoring the problem
Since drafting Brooks in 2020, the Seahawks haven’t taken another inside linebacker. That means they have zero ILBs signed for 2024. Even if they sign Brooks to an extension, there is no one to play beside him.
With their looming hole, it would have been logical to select someone in this year’s draft. Unfortunately, the team passed on that idea.
After the Seattle Seahawks traded away their third round pick, 83rd overall, four linebackers, Daiyan Henley, Trenton Simpson, DeMarvion Overshown, and Dorian Williams went in the next seven picks.
Maybe the most glaring indifference to the situation came in Round 5. There is no argument about taking center Olu Oluwatimi at 154; Seattle needs a center. But drafting defensive end Mike Morris three picks early is ridiculous, especially when Noah Sewell and Owen Pappoe were still available.
The storm clouds are massing.
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