Seahawks use inside connection to sign former first-round pass rusher that is a great fit for Mike Macdonald’s defense
The Seahawks needed to boost their pass rush depth and they did just that by signing former first-rounder Dante Fowler Jr. to a one-year deal on Tuesday.
The Seattle Seahawks have had a solid offseason, but Mike Macdonald’s defense lost an important piece of the pass rush in Boye Mafe during free agency.
The team still has DeMarcus Lawrence and Uchenna Nwosu leading the way, but it gets a bit dicey once we get past their names. On top of that, Lawrence turned 34 after the draft and while he played in 16 games last year, Nwosu’s recent injury history is a bit worrisome.
So, the Seahawks used their last roster spot to sign former first-round pick, Dante Fowler, on Tuesday. The key with Fowler is he was in Dallas during the 2022-2023 seasons when Seahawks defensive coordinator Aden Durde was the Cowboys’ defensive line coach. Durde was able to get 10.0 combined sacks and three forced fumbles out of Fowler over that span, which led to Fowler inking a deal with the Commanders in 2024.
Per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, it’s a one-year deal worth up to $5 million.
Aden Durde knows how to use Dante Fowler and he’s a great fit for Mike Macdonald’s defense
As we know, Macdonald is all about matchups and putting his defensive players in the right positions based on whatever the offense is doing. He’s not really a strict, 4-3, 3-4, 5-2, “guy”, so to speak. Meaning, he doesn’t adhere to running certain looks for the run of it.
Fowler Jr. can rush the passer from a two-, three-, and four-point stance and can kick inside on early passing downs, as well. Washington Commanders coach Dan Quinn utilized him in that fashion in 2024 and it led to a 10.5 sack performance from Fowler Jr. That led the Commanders’ pass rush that year and while he only recorded 3.0 sacks upon his return to Dallas in 2025, he played just 32% of defensive snaps.
Regardless, Fowler Jr. can come in and basically slide in wherever it makes most sense at the time. Durden is obviously very familiar with his game, which helps the transition into Macdonald’s defense.
No one is saying Fowler Jr. will lead the Seahawks in sacks or become a force of nature, by any means. But, at the same time, don’t be surprised if he produces some big moments over the course of the season; because the odds say he will.