Seahawks Position Battle: Defensive Line

In order for a team to succeed on both sides of the ball, they have to get after the quarterback.

The Seahawk's defensive line played a factor in the team's decline in overall productivity. Last season, they finished with only 35 sacks, 10 fewer than the amassed in 2007. Thirteen of those sacks (more than one-third) came in two games against the San Francisco 49ers.

Pro Bowl defensive end Patrick Kerney missed nine games in 2008. His presence was sorely missed, as he is known for drawing constant double teams and opened up the rest of the defensive line to make plays. He was on pace to finish with 12 sacks before he was injured.

Former first-round pick Lawrence Jackson was a disappointment at defensive end last season for the 'Hawks, only tallying two sacks in 14 starts. The team also acquired defensive end Cory Redding this offseason partly because of his 2008 performance.

The four starting defensive line spots appear to be set.

Patrick Kerney and trade-acquisition Cory Redding are slated to start at the two defensive end positions. The interior positions will be manned by defensive tackle Brandon Mebane and free-agent addition Colin Cole. The latter brings much needed size (330 pounds) to a unit known to be undersized.

The main position battles along the defensive line will ensue at the backup positions.

Early draft picks, Lawrence Jackson and Darryl Tapp, should both vie for the primary backup defensive end position. Both figure to be a factor in a deep defensive linemen rotation, and Jackson has a lot to prove after his largely unsuccessful 2008 campaign.

The team would not have added defensive end Cory Redding if it were confident with who they already had at the position. Darryl Tapp saw time as a replacement for the injured Patrick Kerney, yielding a mediocre five and a half sacks in 11 starts.

The primary backup position for the interior defensive linemen should come down to defensive tackles Craig Terrill and Red Bryant. Terrill provides needed insurance in case a starter does go down and can fill the role competently.

Bryant brings additional size to the interior, weighing in at 320 pounds. He was hampered by injuries in his rookie campaign, only appearing in four games and recording eight tackles. Look for Terrill to have the edge as the main rotational backup for the interior defensive linemen.

Two new starters have been added to an underachieving 2008 unit, and along with depth of former starters as backups and the return of Pro Bowl defensive end Patrick Kerney from shoulder surgery, this unit is poised for a much-improved 2009 campaign.

The Seahawks front four must provide effective pressure, or 2009 will be another lost cause in the Rainy City.