Red Bryant was drafted by the Seahawks in the fourth round of the 2008 NFL Draft out of Texas A&M and was originally projected to play on the inside at his college position of defensive tackle. He struggled the first couple years of his career to find playing time and was bordering on a missed pick by the team when Pete Carroll and John Schneider took the reins to start the 2010 season. In training camp and the summer run-up to the season, Pete and his defensive snaff had an interesting idea - why not move Bryant, who was struggling on the inside, to the strong side defensive end spot? Bryant's natural quickness coupled with his immense size provided the Seahawks with an interesting option at the 5-tech position. They ran with the idea. By most accounts, it has worked.
Bryant has become a defensive mainstay for the team in the two seasons he's been at the end spot, and has become a vocal leader of the team on the field and in the locker room. He was rewarded with a new contract this offseason, a deal that will pay him $35 million over five years, and also makes him one of the highest paid players on the team's defense this season. This was apparently not lost on his teammates.
Lol big red just got paid this is his new locker...lol lockerz.com/s/201020614
— Earl Thomas (@Earl_Thomas) April 13, 2012
Picture here, courtesy of Earl:
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