Seahawks elect to take risky decision with trade of edge rusher Darrell Taylor to the Bears

The Seattle Seahawks made a second trade in as many days on Friday, dealing edge rusher Darrell Taylor to the Chicago Bears. That deal follows the Seahawks trading cornerback Michael Jackson to the Carolina Panthers in exchange for linebacker Michael Barrett.

Seattle will receive a sixth-round pick in return for Taylor, whom the Seahawks selected in the second round in 2020.

After missing the entirety of his rookie season through injury, Taylor tallied 21.5 sacks over the last three seasons, the most of any Seahawks defender in that time span.

Taylor's 15 sacks over the last two campaigns were also a team-high, as he outperformed every member of the Seahawks outside linebacker corps that they have elected to keep ahead of him, with Boye Mafe (12) his closet challenger.

By dealing Taylor, the Seahawks are putting a lot of faith in Mafe to build on his nine-sack season from last year, but that isn't the only bet they are making with this move.

The Seahawks are trying defensive lineman Dre'Mont Jones at outside linebacker in their 3-4 defense after the former Denver Bronco played 137 snaps in that role last season. On top of betting that Jones can successfully make that transition, Seattle is also hoping Uchenna Nwosu can rebound after his 2023 was ruined by injury and that last year's second-round pick Derick Hall can progress after a rookie season in which he did not register a single sack.

In other words, the Seahawks are banking on a lot of things to go right rather than backing Taylor to maintain the consistent production he has delivered when he has been healthy.

Given the talent the likes of Mafe, Jones and Nwosu possess, it's one that could pay huge dividends if the Seahawks are proven to have correctly assessed their outside pass rush options. But that pay-off is far from guaranteed and, if that quartet can't rise to the occasion, questions will be asked about why the Seahawks were willing to give Taylor up for such a scant return.

Related: Seahawks trade standout 2023 performer in deal to address depth at one of their biggest weak spots