Seahawks Free Agent Primer: Can Bruce Irvin Ride Off Into Sunset?

Beloved in the locker room, it shouldn't come as a surprise youngsters Darrell Taylor and Boye Mafe elevated their respective games after Irvin returned to his old stomping grounds in October. The two players combined to produce 8.5 sacks and 27 pressures following his arrival, but the former first-round pick wasn't simply a coach in uniform either. Vaulting into the lineup in Week 7, Irvin amassed 20 pressures in 11 games, posting a respectable 11 percent pressure rate and 11.4 percent win rate. Showing he still packed a punch, his highlight play of the season came in a Week 8 win over the Giants when he tossed running back Saquon Barkley into quarterback Daniel Jones like a bowling ball striking a pin for a sack, firing up the troops on the sideline and sending the crowd at Lumen Field into a frenzy.

Why Seattle Should Let Him Walk

While Irvin played better than anyone could have anticipated after not participating in an offseason program or training camp, his play expectedly dipped as the season progressed in part due to being overworked as a starter. Opponents began to find success running the ball at him, as his over-aggressiveness got him in trouble at times losing contain, especially in two games against the Rams where they found success with jet sweeps his direction. According to Pro Football Focus, he missed 20 percent of his tackle attempts, the third-worst rate on the team. After producing eight pressures in his first three games, his pass rushing production also took a hit, as he finished with only 12 total pressures in Seattle's last eight games.

Ideal Contract

One year, $1.4 million

Prediction

Still playing with great energy and burst for his age, Irvin proved many doubters wrong last season and his arrival coincided with substantial improvement by Seattle's defense after a rough start. He outplayed all expectations and deserves kudos for the lift he provided the unit. Considering in his leadership intangibles and how much his teammates respect him in addition to his remaining skill, re-signing him on a one-year deal with an abbreviated training camp plan to keep him fresh would make sense.

At the same time, Irvin recently turned 36 years old and though he still can make an impact in a reserve rotational role, the Seahawks expect to have Alton Robinson and Tyreke Smith back from injuries after they missed the entire 2022 season. It's also possible the team could use an early draft pick on another high-upside edge rusher in April and/or sign a younger player in free agency. Another reunion shouldn't be completely ruled out, but if it does happen, he likely won't be signed until sometime after the draft or even into training camp or later when injuries strike.

Previous Seahawks Free Agent Primers

Rashaad Penny | Poona Ford | Austin Blythe | Cody Barton | Geno Smith