The Ramifications of Benson Mayowa’s Return to Seahawks' Defense

Benson Mayowa should return to the Seahawks’ defensive lineup in their crucial Week 4 game against the 49ers. The 30-year old, who re-signed to a two-year, $7.62 million contract in March, was a full participant in Wednesday practice. 

Mayowa, in his ninth-year of NFL football, missed Week 3's action in Minnesota after suffering a neck injury versus Tennessee the week prior. The presence—or absence—of Mayowa influences a number of other Seahawks players.

That’s because Mayowa is the first-string strong-side (SAM) linebacker in Seattle’s defense.

This is the role that Mayowa began his professional career at, all the way back in 2013  as an undrafted free agent. It’s important to note that 2020 SAM K.J. Wright was a defensive anomaly necessitated by injury at the position. Instead, the skillset and prototype for the SAM in Pete Carroll’s defense is most similar to a Bruce Irvin-type. The position mainly aligns down at the line of scrimmage as an edge-setting hammer in the run fit. The pass drops are relatively simple zone assignments, stuff that Mayowa has executed well in the couple of games he has seen action. 

Check this video out for a deeper explanation of the expectations of the SAM in pass defense.

With Mayowa back, Alton Robinson’s usage will likely regress to pre-Mayowa injury times.

Prior to playing 56% of the defensive snaps in Week 3, Robinson was struggling to get on the field despite promising flashes. The reason that Robinson’s play was not rewarded with more snaps was the men ahead of him on the depth chart. 

Mayowa’s experience has been valued ahead of the second-year Robinson, who has also been working at the SAM spot in the Seahawks’ defense. The 2020 fifth-round pick out of Syrcause also has a fellow sophomore ranked ahead of him in playing time: rusher Darrell Taylor has spent time rotating in at the on-ball linebacker spot and at LEO defensive end.

The other men impacted by Mayowa’s likely return are weak-side (WILL) linebackers Jordyn Brooks and Cody Barton.

Brooks has played poorly in consecutive games for the Seahawks, showing a worrying side to his game that we have not witnessed before. Barton has rotated in for Brooks in a weird, regular season linebacker competition.

Regardless, with both Brooks and Barton playing WILL, they are asked to play largely off-ball next to Bobby Wagner at middle (MIKE) linebacker. There is one crucial exception for the 2021 Seahawks: when Seattle runs nickel bear fronts—the defensive family called “falcon”—the WILL is asked to be the fifth player down at the line of scrimmage. This is due to the defense subbing from 4-3 personnel to 4-2-5, where the SAM linebacker leaves the field for the nickel defensive back to come in.

However, when the Seahawks hosted the Titans, Mayowa stayed on the field in nickel bear fronts and technically played the WILL role—a "bulky" falcon. This could be a case of Seattle not liking the play of Brooks or Barton. Or, it feels more likely that Seattle employed this strategy because of Tennesee’s run game and personnel. Mayowa, as a SAM, carries more weight and edge-setting presence than a WILL. He is also more of a rushing threat.