The Seattle Seahawks, like clockwork, always add a veteran defensive tackle to help shore up the run-defense. Guys like Al Woods, Shamar Stephen and Sheldon Richardson have been brought in over the last few years to do exactly that, filling a niche role for one season before departing.
With Jarran Reed and Poona Ford locked into starting roles, the Seahawks are left with young, unproven guys like Bryan Mone and Demarcus Christmas vying for that third tackle role – making the likelihood of another addition very high.
While they could pony up a good chunk of their remaining cap space on a guy like Damon Harrison or Mike Daniels, or a reunion with Brandon Mebane, they could also opt to go a cheaper route and look at someone like journeyman Josh Mauro.
Mauro starred at Stanford from 2010-2013, and after going undrafted he has bounced around the league quite a bit over the past six seasons, playing for the Cardinals, Steelers, Giants and the Raiders.
He’s played all across the defensive line, a versatility that coach Pete Carroll will love, although he’s primarily succeeded at plugging holes and stopping the run, only tallying three career sacks and 11 quarterback hits in 72 games.
Mauro is not one of the flashier options remaining on the open market, but he’s an upgrade over Christmas and Mone and would provide Seattle with a versatile veteran who can plug holes up the middle and line up on the outside if necessary.
In an offseason that could look quite different thanks to COVID-19, an experienced veteran might be much preferred for a key area of need for the Seahawks, and Mauro is the best remaining option that won’t break the bank.
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