Seahawks rookie Mike Morris hopes that more is more on defensive line

RENTON — After being named the Big Ten’s Defensive Lineman of the Year in 2022, Michigan’s Mike Morris entered the draft process hoping to show NFL teams that less might be more.

After weighing 285 pounds at the end of his final season with the Wolverines, Morris decided to drop to about 275 in preparation for the NFL combine and other pre-draft workouts.

“I lost weight so I could just look as versatile as possible to all teams,’’ Morris said Saturday after the second of two rookie minicamp practices at the VMAC. 

While many NFL teams looked at his weight and felt he might be best playing inside with his hand down, Morris wanted to prove to teams he could also be a rush end in the NFL, the position that had been his primary spot with the Wolverines.

He had nine sacks and 21 hurries last season when he had to take on a much larger share of the pass-rush responsibility in the wake of the departure of Aidan Hutchinson, the No. 2 overall pick of the Lions in 2022.

When the Seahawks looked at the 6-foot-6 Morris, they decided that maybe less of Morris was really just less of what they really wanted.

While Morris unquestionably thrived on the outside at Michigan, the Seahawks agreed with those who felt his best fit figures to be as an interior defensive lineman, someone who’d be best playing in the 290-plus range and going head-to-toe with guards and centers inside.

In the run-up to the draft, general manager John Schneider passed that message along to Morris’ agent, Mike McCartney, saying that if Morris was back in the 290-range, they’d try to take him with an eye toward playing him as an end in their base 3-4, a role similar to that of a tackle in a 4-3.

“He’s just kind of figuring out ‘You know what? I’m a big person. I’m a defensive end,’’’ Schneider said on draft day.

“John has a really good relationship with my agent and they said, ‘Bro, we want you to get bigger and we’ll draft you,’’’ Morris recalled Saturday.

The Seahawks knew of Morris’ desire to gain weight — he credited it mostly to “a whole lot of mom’s cooking’’ — and willingness to play inside for them.

The NFL draft being the high-stakes enterprise that it is, neither side wanted to take any chances.

After the second day of the draft, when Morris was still available, McCartney called Morris and told him that “the Seahawks really want you, but they don’t know if you’re going to play D-tackle.’’

McCartney gave Morris some last bits of advice to “go eat a big breakfast (Saturday morning, before rounds four through seven) and buy a scale and weigh yourself.’’

Morris did as told, taking a video of himself on the scale showing he was at 292 and sending it to McCartney to pass along to the Seahawks.

When the Seahawks’ first pick in the fifth round came around at 151 and Morris was still there, they did as they’d promised and called his name.

“I got bigger and they drafted me,” as Morris put it.

The Seahawks also made it clear how they want to use him.

“He’ll play on the guard and play on the tackle,’’ coach Pete Carroll said. “He’s going to have his hand on the ground for the most part.’’

That means that if all goes well, Morris will join a defensive-end rotation led by veterans Dre’Mont Jones and Jarran Reed. The unit was buffeted this week when the Seahawks reached an agreement with free agent Mario Edwards. Veteran returnee Myles Adams will also be in that mix.

It’s a spot where they needed reinforcements after releasing veterans Shelby Harris and Quinton Jefferson and with free agents Poona Ford and L.J. Collier moving on to Buffalo and Arizona, respectively.

The Seahawks decided to remake the defensive front in the wake of a disappointing defensive performance in 2022 in which they fell from third in rushing yards allowed per carry (3.8) the year before to 26^th at 4.9.

The immediate success or failure of that makeover rests mostly on the shoulders of veterans Jones — signed to a three-year deal worth more than $51 million — and Reed, a former Seahawk brought back on a two-year deal worth up to $9 million, and Edwards, who is expected to sign Monday.

If Morris shows he’s deserving of a significant role, they will surely give it to him.

While the two days of rookie minicamp — with no pads or contact — don’t necessarily reveal a whole lot, especially with linemen, Carroll liked what he saw of Morris.

“He looks great out there,’’ said Carroll, who said Morris weighed in at 294 this week.

The weight gain might be the easy part for Morris.

As noted, while Morris played some inside at Michigan, he was mostly on the edge — 321 snaps last season, according to Pro Football Focus, compared to 39 elsewhere.

Not everybody was convinced that Morris can make the transition to working mostly inside. PFF’s scouting report of Morris stated that at even 290 he might be too light to play in the trenches.

“Seeing 290 pounds (the weight PFF listed him at heading into the draft) makes your mind automatically go to defensive tackle,’’ PFF wrote. “But Morris is so high-cut that unless he puts on 20-plus pounds, it’s difficult to see him playing with the requisite leverage on the interior. He’s an edge.’’

Morris acknowledged his new role will require an adjustment.

“It’s a different world,’’ he said. “You’re going against bigger bodies, harder double teams. Usually familiar with double teams between the tight end and tackle. Now it’s tackle-guard, guard-center. So it’s a completely different world. Just got to embrace it and be a monster in there with a ‘you’re-not-going-to-block-me’ mentality.’’

And as Morris made clear Saturday, he’s been willing to do whatever the Seahawks desired.

Morris recalled good meetings he’d had before the draft with Carroll, Schneider and defensive coordinator Clint Hurtt 

“This is the place I wanted to be,’’ he said. “I just wanted to fit in and get to work.’’