Seahawks acquire Quandre Diggs from Lions, bolster secondary for run at NFC West title

The Seahawks traded a low draft pick for Diggs, hours after the 49ers traded for Emmanuel Sanders

By Jeff Kerr

Oct 22, 2019 at 5:34 pm ET • 1 min read

The Seattle Seahawks have bolstered their secondary, trading a 2020 fifth-round pick to the Detroit Lions for safety Quandre Diggs. The Lions will part with Diggs and a 2021 seventh-round pick in the trade with the Seahawks. Diggs, a former sixth-round pick, has 229 tackles, six interceptions and three forced fumbles in five NFL seasons. He has just 20 tackles and no interceptions in five games this season and was a captain on the Lions defense.

Seattle has been hampered at the safety position since losing Earl Thomas in free agency, having Tedric Thompson and Bradley McDougald in the back. Thompson has 18 tackles and two interceptions while McDougald has 25 tackles, an interception and a forced fumble. McDougald missed the Seahawks' loss to the Ravens in Week 7 with a back injury, but could return for Sunday's game against the Falcons. Backup safety Lano Hill has been out with an elbow injury.

Diggs adds an instant impact to a defense that could use a box safety. Diggs played strong safety for the Lions, with his speciality coming against the run. Seattle's run defense allows 108 yards per game, good for 17th in the NFL. The Seahawks defense is allowing 25.1 points per game, their highest since the 2010 season. Seattle also allows 249 pass yards per game and 6.0 yards per play (25th in the NFL).

The Lions have two fifth-round picks in the 2020 draft, having at least one pick in the first six rounds. Diggs is in the first year of a three-year, $18.6 million contract extension he signed in 2018 that will keep him in Seattle until the 2021 season. Quite a bargain for the Seahawks, who have a 28-year old safety locked into their defense for the next 2.5 seasons.

Seattle made the move for Diggs hours after the 49ers added a No. 1 wide receiver in Emmanuel Sanders from the Denver Broncos. The Seahawks currently sit 1.5 games behind the 49ers for the NFC West lead. The Rams have also improved their roster by trading for All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey last week, showcasing how the division contenders are all in for the crown.