Defense may not be a big concern in Seattle right now, but the team is always looking to improve and bring in talent. The Seattle Seahawks brought in a pass rusher for a tryout this week.
A fourth-round pick of the Los Angeles Chargers in the 2025 NFL draft, Kyle Kennard was hurt during a joint practice with the San Francisco 49ers and then waived from the Bolts’ injured reserve in September. 4.
Kennard was the SEC Defensive Player of the Year with the South Carolina Gamecocks in his final college season, as well as taking home the Bronko Nagurski Trophy as the top defensive player in the NCAA. The long-limbed EDGE rusher admitted to some frustration at not playing like he used to and said there was “a learning curve” in his rookie season.
When he arrived in Los Angeles, Kennard played in five games in his rookie season, recording 2 tackles. The Chargers took a pass rusher in the first round this past spring, in Ahkeem Mesidor.
The Seahawks are tied for the fifth-highest total sacks as a team so far (16), and have a strong rotation, but Connor O’Toole (2 tackles) is mostly a special teams player, while Jared Ivey was claimed by the Atlanta Falcons. Could Kennard be a developmental piece in the pass rush?
A tryout is just a tryout, but it’s nice to see the team committed to the bottom of the roster development.