The Seattle Seahawks are considering making a big run at one of the better pass rushers in the National Football League. After the pass rush unit struggled mightily in 2011, many in the organization want to spend big in the offseason and at a top-tier defensive end through free agency. Mario Williams, the No. 1 pick in the 2006 Draft, is a free agent and will likely command more money than the Texans will be able to provide.
Here is the latest update with the Seahawks and Williams, courtesy of 710AM ESPN Radio:
"This is from teams in the division," John Clayton said. "They think that Seattle is going to be one of the main teams [pursuing] Mario Williams. They really do."
Clayton said he asked coach Pete Carroll at the scouting combine whether the Seahawks would consider adding a high-priced free agent to address their pass-rush woes. Carroll's answer, Clayton said, was ultimately yes.
The cash-strapped Texans appear unlikely to be able to afford Williams, whose resume and relative youth could put him in line for one of the richest deals for a defensive end in NFL history. Williams, 27, has 53 sacks over a six-year career.
He would come with health concerns, though. The former No. 1 overall pick has missed 14 games over the past two seasons with injuries, including a torn pectoral that limited him to five games in 2011.
If healthy, there are few defensive ends in the league better than Williams. He has the size, strength and speed to cause havoc in the backfield on a weekly basis. Despite his talents, there are still plenty of question marks with Williams, most notably the injury concerns, as the article mentioned.
This would be a considerable risk for Seattle, but the upside is undoubtably tremendous. A big factor in all of this may be whether or not the front office can find a pass rusher or two in the upcoming draft that they would consider instead of adding the expensive free agent.
For more on the Seahawks and to discuss the possibility of Williams coming to the team, head over to Field Gulls.