One year ago, the Legion of Boom saw its last remnant — Earl Thomas — sign with the Baltimore Ravens in free agency. An era had ended. It was a dominant period for the Seattle Seahawks’ defense and secondary, one that sparked attempts by teams across the NFL to capture some of Seattle’s Cover 3 magic. Truthfully, that magic has been gone for several seasons in Seattle.
The Seahawks’ defense posted mediocre finishes in yards allowed per pass play in three of the past four seasons, and despite having some success in the turnover department last year, they allowed more yards per pass play (6.6) than any other season in the past decade.
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It is worth noting that they improved over the back half of the regular season and postseason. Specifically, once Quandre Diggs entered the starting lineup at free safety in Week 10, the Seahawks allowed 6.3 yards per pass play (19th) and 0.01 expected points added (EPA) per pass play (13th) through the end of the postseason. Even taking that as the starting point, it’s a big jump to the top-five secondary that I believe they can be in 2020.
That’s the kind of effect that players such as Jamal Adams and Quinton Dunbar can have, though.
Talk all you want about whether the Seahawks gave up too much for Adams — they probably did — but the fourth-year safety figures to have a major impact on this defense. Few defenders in the NFL can impact the game like Adams can. His PFF WAR value of 1.4 over the past two seasons (second among all NFL defenders to only Stephon Gilmore) speaks to that.
Most Wins Above Replacement Since 2018 Among NFL Defenders
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