This season hasn't gone according to plan for the Seattle Seahawks. After winning the Super Bowl last year, they went into 2026 ready to prove they're still the team to beat. They started off with a bang, handing a loss to the New England Patriots, the same team they beat in Super Bowl LX.

Since then, it's been a tough ride as they enter a Week 9 showdown with the Arizona Cardinals sitting at 4-4. The good news for the Seahawks is that they're still in second place in the NFC West and there's plenty of time for them to catch fire.

That said, it's obvious that they haven't completely replaced some of the players they lost this offseason in free agency. One of those is Boye Mafe, and that hole on the edge is only going to grow in 2027. Not only is Dante Fowler set for free agency, but DeMarcus Lawrence has already announced his plans to retire. That's why Justin Melo of NFL Draft on SI is targeting a pass-rusher for Seattle in his latest 2027 NFL mock draft.

Round 1, Pick: Yhonzae Pierre, EDGE, Alabama

Melo has Seattle selecting 17th overall, which is where they pick Alabama's Yhonzae Pierre. Listed at 6-foot-4 and 251 pounds, Pierre broke out in 2025 with eight sacks. He hasn't done much to set himself apart this season, but is still viewed as a first-round prospect and could help Seattle stay strong on the edge should he be their selection.

"Yhonzae Pierre entered the season as the clear-cut favorite for EDGE3, but has cooled a bit. The Alabama standout is still roughly on track to match or surpass his 8.0 sacks in 2025. The Seattle Seahawks haven't appropriately replaced Boye Mafe, and both DeMarcus Lawrence and Dante Fowler Jr. won't be around much longer," Melo wrote.

While adding Pierre would be a huge help for their defense, the Seahawks could decide to go with more help on offense. Their biggest concern right now has to be at wide receiver, where they have hardly anyone outside of Jaxon Smith-Njigba making any noise this year.

In this mock, Jeremiah Smith and Charlie Becker were already off the board, but players such as Cam Coleman out of Texas and Nick Marsh from Indiana were still on the board. Unless Rashid Shaheed or Tory Horton finished the season significantly stronger than they have been during the first eight weeks, it would be tempting to select one of those wideouts over Pierre.