What Cory Redding Brings To The Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks recently completed a trade that sent Pro Bowl LB Julian Peterson to the Detroit Lions (sorry, J.P., looks like no Playoffs for you) for Cory Redding, and a fifth-round pick. Hopefully, this makes up for the Colbert disaster (funny thing is, he played for the Lions last year). Redding is the type of player who can play every down, every game, and will go all out, he is versatile, can play all four line slots, stout against the run, and knows how to get after the QB (8 sacks in 2006), an all around effective player.

I was critical of this move until I realized its potential brilliance: By trading Peterson, we pick up a Quality DT with Pro Powl potential to pair with Brandon Mebane and Patrick Kerney and allow ourselves to slide projected starter Colin Cole, picked up in free agency, into a rotation with Craig Terrill and Red Bryant.

This trade turns a weakness into a strength. We now have a D-line that consists of Kerney, Mebane, Cole, Redding, Daryl Tapp, Lawrence Jackson, Craig Terrill, and Red Bryant. All but one of those guys has starting experience.

What most fans, critics, and writers don't seem to consider is that Redding started his career out as a DE, which the Seahawks lacked somewhat when the 'Hawks when Kerney was off the field.

I think a tandem of Jackson and Tapp at one side is somewhat effective, pairing Kerney and Redding as DEs or even keeping Redding at DT, while putting Mebane and Cole in the middle,  gives Seattle a very good defensive line. Cole is a 335-pound blob of a run stuffer who draws double teams, which will keep blockers off of our other lineman, and LB's. Then there's Mebane, who just continues to improve and is developing into a top-flight DT. The most important piece is Kerney who plays with an insane motor and relentlessly attacks the opposition, he is one of the leagues top DE's and commands every opposing teams respect.

One may look at Redding's performance, since he signed that nice, fat contract after his breakout year and may be thinking, is this guy crazy? a brilliant trade?

But you have to remember he was playing for the Detroit Lions, who would not have stayed with some NFL practice squads last year.

He did not have a supporting cast around him. Yes, he had Dewayne White who is a good player, and former Seahawk Chuck Darby. But Darby is no Mebane and is not as big and physical as Cole, and White is nothing compared to Kerney (not even close).

In Seattle, Redding will have more capable teammates around him, which should allow him to thrive, especially in a system that has fast players behind him. The defenses' plan to attack, attack, attack under Jim Mora suits Redding well.

And that's just what Redding brings to the table, I have yet to mention the full potential return here.

This trade might mean the 'Hawks take Wake Forest LB Aaron Curry with their top draft pick (No. 4 overall) and form the top trio of young, dynamic linebackers in the entire league.

That is, of course, assuming Curry does not pull a Lamar King, Rick Mirer, or Dan McGwire, (enter many various draft busts) and completely fail to live up to expectations.

Now, I expect people to disagree with me. If you choose to comment on this article, please justify to me a LB trio that would be, first of all—better, but more importantly—younger.

I'd like to see what you can throw up against Lofa Tatupu, Leroy Hill, and Aaron Curry.

In general, this trade is an interesting pick-up for Seattle that surely shakes up the draft and will surely have fans hoping for Roger Goodell to be calling out "Aaron Curry" and "Seahawks" in the same sentence come draft day.

If not, Derrick Brooks, anyone?