The Seattle Seahawks’ interior defensive line group took a big hit when it was announced that Jarran Reed would be suspended for the first six games of the season following a violation of the league’s personal conduct policy.
Without Reed, the team will have to find someone else to start alongside second-year Poona Ford, who had an excellent rookie season in Seattle.
Although there are still three preseason games to go, Seahawks coach Pete Carroll certainly has someone in mind already to fill that role while Reed is out.
“Al Woods has done a real nice job, playing great, and we’re really excited that we got him,” Carroll responded when asked who might replace Reed. “His experience, his mentality, the effort that he brings is really good, so he’s really been the guy that looks like he could be a factor for us. Really in kind of the typical big guy fashion that we have had.”
Woods is a nine-year veteran who spent the last two seasons lining up at nose tackle for the Colts. For his career, Woods has racked up 93 solo tackles, 16 tackles for loss, 11 quarterback hits and 4.5 sacks.
Known primarily as a run-stuffer, the presence of him and Ford would create major challenges for teams who want to run in between the tackles against the Seahawks.
Woods was not the only name Carroll brought up, as he also heaped praise on undrafted free agent Bryan Mone, who defensive coordinator Ken Norton believes has a good chance to make the team.
“Bryan Mone has also shown that he can contribute there too,” Carroll continued. “We need some more games from him to see what happens, but at 350 [lbs] or whatever he is, he’s a monster in there. The thing I like about him, he played for a really good college team and played great run defense, he was right in the middle of all that. He’s shown why he was a factor there, we’re excited to see if he can contribute.”
Woods and Mone may be the early favorites to replace Reed for Seattle’s first six games, but veteran Earl Mitchell and a trio of young guys in Jamie Meder, Nazair Jones and Jay-Tee Tiuli could factor in up front as well.
