I gotta be honest. I didn’t foresee the Seahawks making a big move before the NFL trade deadline. In fact, I didn’t really want them to.

For me, I have been singularly focused on this team continuing to build through the draft, and I wanted them to have a bunch of picks to select from next Spring. Specifically, I would love to see them add more to the offensive line, maybe add more at linebacker, defensive tackle, tight end, and definitely be in the market for drafting and developing a young quarterback.

When the team signed Frank Clark last week to replace the injured Uchenna Nwosu, I thought that was going to be the final piece for this defense. Apparently, I was grossly mistaken.

Pete Carroll isn’t in the mood to be fucking around with a methodical rebuild anymore. He wants this team competing for the division right now. That’s what this splash trade with the New York Giants for Leonard Williams means to me; a big ol’ war daddy DT affectionately known as The Big Cat.

With injuries and losses mounting for the San Francisco 49ers, and injuries and losses mounting for the Los Angeles Rams, Pete Carroll is an old tiger shark smelling blood in the waters of the NFC West. His defense is already looking pretty good these days, but adding Leonard Williams up front gives it a chance to be elite this year, if not wholly terrifying to opponents.

In Carroll’s own words, Big Cat is described as a classic three technique defensive tackle who is talented enough to play multiple positions on the defensive line, and is a player he has been monitoring for a long time. At 6-5 and 300 pounds, he as the length, strength, and athleticism to make life very difficult for pass blocking offensive linemen. He is one of the best interior pass rushers in the league, and he’s a big ol’ bad ass against the run, as well.

Adding Williams makes Seattle’s defensive line rotation significantly better, and it was already playing pretty decent with Dre’Mont Jones, Jarran Reed, and Mario Edwards. Now, Seattle has four quality veterans to rotate in with. I have been waiting for this sort of defensive line rotation to happen in Seattle for years, and it appears to be here now (I almost crapped myself with excitement writing that).

Seattle can now do pretty much whatever they choose to do with their defensive front. They can further feature the 3-4, if they want, and they can also shift back into Carroll’s big bodied 4-3 whenever they so choose. All four of those defensive tackles can play multiple positions. This is a huge benefit to the linebackers and edge rushers on this team.

I firmly believe that with Seattle making this move, Boye Mafe is probably going to get 15 or more sacks this season, if he stays healthy. He has been flirting with that trajectory prior to this trade, but I think Williams is going to solidify that likelihood. I think others on going to feast on this defense to because of The Big Cat, too.

The only downside to this trade is that Seattle gave up a second round pick in 2024 and a fifth round pick in 2025, and Williams is set to be a free agent after this season. That is a ton to give up for a ten game rental player, but I suspect that Seattle is fully intending to work out a long term deal with him.

Given the fact that he has played with both Julian Love and Jamal Adams on both New York teams, it’s reasonable to suspect that Seattle has pretty good intel on him, and I doubt they make this move if they don’t feel they have a pretty strong chance at keeping him around for the longer haul. If I am to guess anything, I think they have a good idea about Big Cat’s character, and they believe he will a great addition for years to come.

If he is signed to a three or four year deal, this trade will be a bargain. Williams is a rare game wrecking DT in his prime, and you aren’t likely going to find a player like him at the bottom of round two. Pete Carroll has never had a three technique of his caliber in Seattle before, and his long term addition would allow Jarran Reed to stay at the nose tackle position, and allow Dre’Mont Jones to further play on the edges as a five technique defensive end.

If he isn’t signed to an extension, however, and he walks after the season, the best that Seattle can hope for is probably a fourth round comp pick in the 2025 draft. That’s the risk this team is willing to take, and even with that, I think there is something exciting about that risk.

The bottom line is that these 2023 Seahawks are not content with competing for a playoff birth. They want to win the division this year, and host playoff games at Lumen Field. That is what this move means. They are going for it.

For this, I applaud the Seahawks. I don’t think they necessarily needed to add another defensive tackle, but if they feel like they are close to really kicking major ass this year, and a really good one is on the market, then I totally get it.

They did just that. Bravo. This is exciting stuff!

Onto Baltimore.

Go Hawks.