Pete Carroll: Seahawks pass rush still a work in progress

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With the late addition of Jadeveon Clowney right before the start of the regular season, the prospects for what the pass rush of the Seattle Seahawks could be this season took a significant leap forward. But through the first month of the season the group is still looking to find its footing.

Ziggy Ansah missed the first two games due to his continued recovery from shoulder surgery and Clowney has had to learn a new defense on the fly over the first four weeks. Additionally, defensive tackle Jarran Reed will be out another two games while serving a suspension for a personal conduct policy violation. While the upside of the group continues to be promising, the unit is still a work in progress.

“I don’t feel like we’re anywhere near where we’re going to get to,” head coach Pete Carroll said. “I think we can be a formidable rush and effect our defense. We’re still working to bring it together. I think the guys did better this week than last week. They were more forceful and more active and more involved. We’ll see how we go. I’m really counting on those guys. I’m feeling better. Game three for them [Ansah and Clowney together]. It’s the third game of the preseason. They’re doing the best they can. The guys have been great attitude wise, work habits, practice habits. They’ve really done everything they can do with the moments and the opportunities that they’ve had. We’re getting there.”

With the late arrivals of Clowney and Ansah it essentially has been an extended preseason look for the two over the last couple of weeks. The Seahawks are trying to figure out exactly what each player does best and how to marry those traits together to get the most from the group as a whole. So far, the Seahawks’ most effective pass rushers have been linebacker Mychal Kendricks and defensive end Quinton Jefferson, who each have two sacks through four games.

“What we’re doing is we’re learning these guys; seeing what they’re special talent is, where you can feel and you can start to adjust with them,” Carroll said. “Guys have been great attitude-wise about it. We’re the ones that have to do the learning, and you can see them as much as you want to in practice. But until you see them in full flight and games, you don’t really know. We’ve logged some good information; I think it’s going to be a couple more weeks before they’re at their best. I hate to say that because we need them right now but, they’re going for it. We’ll use them more effectively when we know them an even better, so we’re working at that.”

Seattle’s 10 sacks place them in a tie for 14th league-wide through the first month of the year.