The Seahawks have improved their defense over the past week, signing free agent Frank Clark on Wednesday and trading for Leonard Williams on Monday.
The Seahawks gave up a 2024 second-round pick and a 2025 fifth-round pick to get Williams, and the Giants are taking on most of the $10 million owed to Williams, ESPN reports. Seattle will owe Williams $647,000 for the rest of the season, or the prorated amount of the veteran minimum base salary of $1.165 million.
Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said Monday that he likes “everything” about Williams.
“We’ve watched him for a long time and have known him for a good while, a [USC] Trojan and all that,” Carroll said, via ESPN. “He’s a fantastic football player. He’s the kind of guy that can make a difference in games. He’s really a nice player.”
Carroll said Williams can play anywhere along the defensive line but noted he’s a “class 3-technique.”
“He’s been doing that for a long part of his career, and he’s really good at it,” Carroll said. “He’s an all-around player, versatile, run and pass, can rush the passer, cause issues and problems for your opponent. He’s a terrific kid. He’s a leader and a competitor and just the kind of guy you’re fortunate to have on your team.”
The Seahawks’ last trade deadline acquisition was safety Quandre Diggs in 2019. Williams, who has 21 tackles and 1.5 sacks in eight games this season, will help this year.
Seattle is 5-2 and alone atop the NFC West standings and have improved the defensive significantly.
“We’re competing,” Carroll said. “That’s really what this is about, is trying to get better and help our team, and this is one of the late opportunities to do something like that, and [G.M.] John [Schneider] did a beautiful job of figuring it out and how to work it and pick out the guy that really fits and can be a part of this team. I’m really excited for our guys to get to know Leonard and see who he is and what he’s all about. His competitiveness is really very similar to guys that we have in this program, and it’s going to fit in great.”
