Meanwhile, Warriors winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak will also fight a contrary conduct charge to avoid a one-game ban so he can line-up for his 150th NRL game this weekend.

Watene-Zelezniak’s hearing will be at 6pm, followed by Api Koroisau at approximately 6.30pm.

The panel consists of Bob Lindner, Ben Creagh and Dallas Johnson.

CLEARY TO FIGHT FOR KOROISAU

Api Koroisau was hit with a grade one contrary conduct charge for his involvement in a scuffle with Roosters hit man Jared Wareara-Hargreaves last weekend.

The 28-year-old would have just received a fine, however two prior offences has him staring at a one-game ban.

Koroisau had only just returned for that Roosters game from a two-game ban for breaching Covid protocols while in camp for State of Origin.

The Sydney Morning Herald is reporting the Panthers were advised by high profile lawyer Nick Ghabar not to bother fighting the charge because it would be a difficult case to win.

However, they will go ahead with it with Cleary representing Koroisau via a Zoom judiciary hearing on Tuesday evening.

According to the Herald, the Panthers are struggling to understand why Koroisau was charged in the first place and will urge the judiciary panel members to uphold the virtues and values of rugby league.

The incident in question happened in the final 10 minutes of the first half. Koroisau took offence to Waerea-Hargreaves’ tackle on rookie Izack Tago and ran in to push the Roosters’ star prop.

Cleary obviously backs his player’s actions and so will defend him — with the blessing of CEO Brian Fletcher.

“It’s great he feels for our players and if he can help them in any way it will be his pleasure to do so,” Fletcher told the Herald.

“He’s untrained as a lawyer, but he’ll do a good job — he may even do a better job because he knows more about the game.”

It’s not the first time a coach has represented a player at a judiciary hearing, however it has been 18 years since it last happened.

Penrith are no strangers to it either, with Phil Gould representing Greg Alexander over 30 years ago.

“I was playing fullback back in 1990, (Balmain’s) James Grant made a break and chipped over the top, I went for the ball but coat-hangered him,” Alexander told the Herald.

“Gus played lawyer that night and got me exonerated.

“He was pretty good. Gus has done everything in the game, but not many would know he also acted as lawyer for his players on occasion. It’s worth Ivan having a crack, definitely. It’s only a minor charge, so it’s worth the fight.

“Ivan will be passionate about the cause. He’ll present a good case. He might do enough to sway the judging panel.”

DWZ’S FIGHT FOR MILESTONE MATCH

If Dallin Watene-Zekezniak can overturn his contrary conduct charge, he’ll be free to play his 150th NRL game when the Warriors take on the Bulldogs — ironically the team Watene-Zelezniak made a mid-season switch from.

The star winger was hit with the charge after kneeing Sharks centre Will Chambers in the head while playing the ball.

Watene-Zelezniak is one of three Warriors players that were slapped with charges over incidents involving Chambers.

The other two, Matt Lodge and Kane Evans, both accepted bans.

Watene-Zelezniak could have gotten away with a fine had he not had two prior offences on his record.

Warriors captain Roger Tuivasa-Sheck will fight his shoulder charge citing when he meets the NRL judiciary this evening.

The Warriors week went from bad to worse on Saturday after it was revealed Tuivasa-Sheck had been charged with a grade-one charge for a shoulder charge in his side’s 50-6 loss against the Storm the night before.

Tuivasa-Sheck would’ve copped a one-game ban had he entered an early guilty plea but will instead fight the charge which normally results in a two-game suspension if the player in question is found guilty.

However, with Tuivasa-Sheck’s seven-year clean record, he will benefit from a penalty reduction and still only face one week on the sidelines if he loses his case.

The incident in question happened in the 61^st minute where replays showed Tuivasa-Sheck tucked his right shoulder before making contact with Storm forward Felise Kaufusi.

Working in Tuivasa-Sheck’s favour is the fact the referee didn’t penalise the action at the time.

If Tuivasa-Sheck loses, he will miss Saturday’s game against fellow strugglers Brisbane.

The syndicate reportedly works in convincing lower-ranked players from South America and Europe to fix matches, while the group’s members then place bets with bookies accordingly.

Two individuals of Indian ethnicity but residing in Melbourne, allegedly a part of the Australian branch of an international tennis match-fixing syndicate, have been charged by the Victoria Police for influencing at least two lower-level tournaments in Brazil and Egypt during the 2018 season, as reported by The Sydney Morning Herald. The head of the syndicate, revealed as Indian-resident Ravinder Dandiwal by police documents, however has not been charged as yet.

The syndicate reportedly works in convincing lower-ranked players from South America and Europe to fix matches, while the group’s members then place bets with bookies accordingly.

Dandiwal, according to his social media description reported in the SMH, is said to be the owner of India-based sports management company Ultimate Sports Management, and has promoted cricket tours in the past – such as the Willowfest Australian Cricket Championship in 2017 and the Asian Premier League T20, held in Nepal a year later. He has also been described as the ‘General Secretary of the Cricket Council of India’ and ‘Chairman of the Cricket Premier League.’

The case comes just a few days after Tunisian player Majed Kailani was found guilty by the Tennis Integrity Unit (TIU) of fixing matches played in 2016.

Match fixing, like in other sports, has been plaguing tennis especially since there are official tournaments taking place at the same time all over the world, making it difficult for authorities to police all the events.

Who are the two individuals arrested and what are the charges?

Harsimrat Singh, 22, (a relative of Dandiwal) and Rajesh Kumar, 32, have received nine and 16 charges respectively. Both are residents of Point Cook, a suburb in Melbourne. They have been charged with using information regarding a fixed match to place a total of 22 bets.

According to the charges reported by the SMH, the duo were given information about “one or more of the players… and had arranged with Ravinder Dandiwal to manipulate the result of the match” or of players who had been “recruited (by Dandiwal) to engage in corrupt conduct.”

With the information, the pair placed 22 bets ranging from AUD 8.70 to AUD 25,000 on lower-level tennis matches, with an estimate of AUD 320,000 (around 1.66 crore INR according to today’s exchange rate) expected in winnings. It is also alleged that a part of the winnings are then shared with the players involved.

The pair had been arrested in 2018 and charges have been filed now awaiting a court hearing scheduled for September.

At what level of tennis does match fixing take place the most?

The problem is rife at the lower levels, mainly in the Futures events. Countries like Egypt and Brazil conduct numerous events at the lower level – which is perhaps why the syndicate had aimed to fix matches at these venues. The South American nation also hosts at least one Challenger event, along with the ATP 500 event at Rio de Janeiro, but the higher the level of a tournament, the less likely it is to be involved in match fixing owing to obvious scrutiny.

Why is match fixing prominent at the lower levels?

The players that normally compete at these events are ranked quite low and cannot get an entry to the better prize money events. These players tend to be unknown on the circuit, and since the prize money at this level is not lucrative, they are easy prey. The investigation by the Victoria Police also found that all the players targeted by Kumar and Singh’s group were ranked lower than 200.

What is the pay gap between tournament tiers?

The winner of the M25 event (the highest for a Futures event) in Nussloch, Germany is USD 3600. The amount is doubled to USD 7200 for the winner of the USD 50,000 Bangkok Challenger (a step up from Futures). In both these cases, the winner of the event has to win five matches in knockout format. Meanwhile, the first round loser at the main draw of the Australian Open received AUD 90,000, which is just under USD 62,000. All these events took place in the same week, commencing January 20, 2020.

The disparity in prize money at different levels has been a keen point of discussion after the tour was suspended because of the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving lower ranked players in particular without an income.

Has there been a case of a high profile player being involved in match fixing?

In January this year, former world no 69 Joao Souza of Brazil was banned for life by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) after an investigation revealed that he had been involved in match-fixing at Challenger and Future events in Brazil, Czech Republic, Mexico and the United States. Souza was also charged with failure to report approaches to fix matches, and also failing to cooperate with the investigation.

Do tennis governing bodies coordinate with betting firms to keep track of illegal activities?

Yes. The most prominent case was in 2007, when then world no 4 Nikolay Davydenko pulled out during his match against unfancied Argentine Martin Vassallo Arguello, who was ranked 87 at the time. During their second round match at an ATP event in Poland, betting company Betfair noticed bets being placed on the match to the tune of, according to a BBC report, UK Pound 3.4 million, which was about 10 times the usual money put on second round matches. Crucially, the bet was on Arguello winning the match, despite Davydenko claiming the first set.

Betfair considered void all the bets because of the alarming irregularity, and duly notified the ATP about the unusual pattern. The ATP began its investigation, but after a year cleared Davydenko and Arguello of any wrongdoing.

Has the ATP put up measures to quell unfair betting?

Yes. Though most ATP events are broadcast, there is a lag that can go up to a minute between the live action and pictures coming up on the television screen. During the lag, people in the audience can message punters, who can alter bets immediately before a particular point is televised.

Accordingly, the TIU sends a security team to monitor the crowd at stadia during ATP Tour matches. The team keeps an eye out for suspicious activity – for example, a fan using the phone or laptop frequently during a match. In such cases, security officials investigate the situation, and it may result in the fan being banned from attending tennis events in the future.

Have the governing bodies been proactive in their investigations?

Not entirely. In 2016, the BBC and BuzzFeed News conducted an investigation and revealed that “16 players who have ranked in the top 50 have been repeatedly flagged to the Tennis Integrity Unit (TIU) over suspicions they have thrown matches.”

The report claimed that some of the players were former Grand Slam winners. Another report from 2008 alleged that 28 players had been involved in illegal activities.

None of the findings however, were followed up on by authorities as the ATP was reluctant to dig into cases going back 10 years, according to BBC.

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PUT-IN-BAY, Ohio (WTVG) An NFL player is likely in hot water after the car he was driving ended up in the waters of Lake Erie.

Jermiah Lamont Braswell, 23, of Toledo, was behind the wheel of a Chevy Camaro when it veered off the road, down the shoreline, and into the water off South Bass Island, according to Put-In-Bay Police. The crash happened at about 6:30 PM Friday, June 26, 2020.

Witnesses tell police the Camaro was traveling at a high rate of speed when it crossed over a long grassy area and “flew off the embankment into the lake.”

According to a news release from Put-In-Bay Police, “As officers went into the water and approached the Camaro, they found the driver was still in the driver’s seat trying to drive forward. He told officers that he was ‘stuck’ and didn’t know what happened. As officers spoke with the driver, they noticed that his speech was slurred and he was unable to explain how his Camaro ended up in the water.”

Braswell was arrested after a portable breath test showed his Blood Alcohol Content exceeded Ohio’s legal limit. He’s facing a charge of Operating a Vehicle Intoxicated.

According to the Arizona Cardinal’s website Braswell is a graduate of Central Catholic in Toledo.

No one else was in the vehicle at the time of the crash, and no bystanders were hurt.

SINGAPORE – All ActiveSG indoor sport halls will be closed for a day on Sunday (June 28) as a “time-out” and “to ensure that all users of ActiveSG’s indoor sport halls understand the rules and spirit of the safe management measures”, said Sport Singapore (SportSG) on Saturday (June 27).

This, after it was alerted to a positive Covid-19 case who had played badminton at the ActiveSG Jurong East Indoor Sport Hall on Monday (June 22) and had flouted SportSG’s safe management measures while doing so. This hall will be closed from Saturday till Sunday “for thorough disinfection and cleaning, and a review of the safe management measures in place”.

SportSG said it hoped that with the temporary closure of all its halls, “all users of our facilities will take this time to reflect on the importance of exercising individual responsibility for the collective good, so that we can overcome Covid-19, together”.

The national sports agency also warned that it would take action against errant users, and said it would implement new measures to ensure that users abide by the rules at all its indoor sport facilities.

SportSG noted in a statement that preliminary investigations found that the positive case and a large badminton social group that he played with had breached the safe management measures and rules put in place by SportSG.

The badminton social group had between them booked up to six badminton courts from 9am to noon that day.

During the sessions, there was cross-mixing of players across multiple courts, despite the physical partitions and clear rules that restrict the number of players on a court to four. Mingling with players on other courts is also not allowed. 

These rules that prohibit inter-group mixing are in force for all sports and not just badminton. They were introduced on June 19, the day sports facilities were given the green light to reopen following the easing of circuit breaker measures.

The statement said: “SportSG views any violation of safe management measures very seriously as they compromise the entire national effort to minimise the risk of community transmission.

“SportSG is investigating this incident and will take strong action against the individual and the other players who have infringed the regulations, including barring them from the use of ActiveSG facilities henceforth.”

Among the new measures it will implement to ensure users adhere to the rules are the issuing of coloured wrist bands to be worn by players to identify different groups for each badminton court and to remind players to act responsibly. 

It added that SportSG will be scrutinising badminton social groups who plan to congregate in a large group at any venue. Individuals involved with such groups, as well as those who play and mix across different courts, will have their bookings cancelled and/or ejected from the indoor sport hall, as well as barred from the future use of ActiveSG facilities.

SportSG chief executive officer Lim Teck Yin said: “It is very disappointing that some members of the public had not adhered to the rules and circumvented the measures that were put in place by SportSG.

“Such irresponsible behaviour will jeopardise everyone’s efforts to minimise Covid-19 transmission within the community. SportSG will enhance its measures and enforcement to stop such irresponsible behaviour.

“We hope that this ‘time-out’ helps all of us to reflect on how we should work together. As much as we are excited to catch up with our friends and to keep active, we must do the right thing and abide by the rules and the spirit behind them. This way, we can ensure that our sport facilities can remain open, so that the community can continue to participate in sport and stay healthy.”

Sports facilities resumed operations from June 19, which marked the start of the second phase of Singapore’s reopening.

The Singapore Badminton Association also issued a statement urging the fraternity to comply with the regulations. It said it was “disappointed by the irresponsible behaviour of the individual (and other individuals) involved in this incident”. 

It added: “SBA had earlier outlined a set of safe management measures specific to the badminton fraternity in accordance with SportSG’s advisory on safe return to sports in Phase 2. We strongly urge all in the badminton community to show true sportsmanship in adhering strictly to the measures in place. This is about minimising the risk of community spread. Let’s be responsible to our loved ones and the community. Their safety and well-being is our priority.”

When contacted, the organiser of the session said the group did not intend to breach the safe management rules and did so only “because we did not understand the inter-mingling rule properly and the ActiveSG staff present did not inform us”.

He added the group would cease organising such sessions “until the rules are clear to everyone”. He also revealed 29 people were at the Monday session, including himself. 

While disappointed, members of the badminton community and users of the ActiveSG indoor sport halls said they understood the reasons for the one-day closure.

Badminton coach Danny Aw, who had to cancel a coaching session at the Choa Chu Kang sport hall on Sunday, said: “The closure is for a day and it’s for the safety of those using the hall, so this can reassure (users) and clearer safety measures can be issued, and the place can be disinfected as well.”

The 39-year-old, who would have made between $90 to $120 for his scheduled two-hour session, added: “Income will definitely be affected, but it’s fair because we don’t want another cluster to form and harm everyone including my students, myself and our families.”

IT engineer Yong Hon Chong, who used to play badminton regularly before sports facilities were shut due to the coronavirus, felt there was “no choice” but to close the venues this weekend.

The 45-year-old is resuming his weekly game at the Toa Payoh Sport Hall with four friends next Saturday as he could not secure bookings this week due to high demand.

“It’s necessary and we have to live with it. There’s a risk and that’s why (sports facilities) had to be closed for such a long time, and (a positive Covid-19 case) still happened even after they opened,” he added. “Hopefully the closure doesn’t extend till next week. We’ll definitely check the guidelines before playing so that we are clear.”

Of the 18 ActiveSG indoor sport halls, only 11 are open. 

Badminton courts are ActiveSG’s most popular sports facilities – there were over 810,000 badminton court bookings last year, the highest in comparison to all other sports and facilities. Over 90 per cent of about 3,000 slots for public badminton courts from June 19-21 were taken up when sports facilities reopened on June 19.

SportSG’s advisory, issued on June 17, states that the use of sports facilities are subject to the following safe management measures:

(1) individuals to maintain a safe distance while exercising

(2) a rule of maximum five persons in group activities with no mixing between groups

(3) a minimum safe distance of 3m between groups

(4) facility capacity limited according to its gross floor area based on 10 sq m per person or 50 persons, whichever is lower. In the case of ActiveSG badminton courts, the maximum number of people allowed is capped at four per court. Cross-mixing of groups is not allowed.

Antonio Brown pleaded no contest Friday to a felony burglary with battery charge and two lesser misdemeanor charges related to a January incident with a moving truck company outside his home in Hollywood, Florida.

Brown will face no jail time, though he will have two years of probation and 100 hours of community service as part of the plea. The free agent wide receiver will also have to undergo a mandatory psych evaluation and attend a 13-week anger management program as part of the plea. He was also ordered not to have contact with the victims in this case.

The no-contest plea means he’s accepting the punishment without formally admitting guilt in the case.

His lawyer, Carson Hancock, says the case was a civil dispute that led to an overcharged criminal case. He had been working with Broward County prosecutors for an acceptable conclusion to this case, and it would have been settled earlier if not for the coronavirus pandemic slowing down court proceedings.

Hancock says adjudication was withheld in the case, meaning Brown will not have a felony record as a result of the plea.

“Antonio’s case resulted from a misunderstanding concerning the payment of costs for the moving of Antonio’s family from California to Florida,” Hancock said in a statement Friday.

Hancock says that after Brown paid the fee, the moving truck driver demanded an “extra time” fee, and while they were discussing that, Brown’s friends started unloading boxes from the van, including some that were not Brown’s goods. Hancock says they put them back but were still charged with burglary and battery. Hancock says that Brown decided to resolve the matter quickly rather than have it be a “protracted legal case.”

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Jeremy Fowler breaks down what Antonio Brown’s no-contest plea in his Florida case means for his future in the NFL.

Brown wants to return to the NFL in 2020, and he’s been working out with several NFL stars in South Florida this offseason in preparation for if/when a team calls him.

An NFL spokesman said Brown’s conduct remains under review and is still being investigated. He could still be subject to league discipline in the form of a fine or a suspension.

Brown, 31, will be allowed to travel around the country for work purposes, provided he checks in with his probation officer. He last played for the New England Patriots in September 2019, before he was accused of sexual and personal misconduct. The Patriots released him one week later, and he hasn’t been signed by a team since.

The seven-time Pro Bowler appeared to hint at a return Thursday with an Instagram post that read, “big 4x soon.”

Brown was accused of throwing a rock at the driver’s moving truck, then later forcing his way into the driver’s side of the main cabin of the truck and striking the driver after a disagreement over payment escalated outside of Brown’s home. The arrest warrant obtained by ESPN says Brown “physically pulled and grabbed” the victim, causing multiple abrasions and a ripped shirt.

(AP) A Lebanese American businessman who was a key witness in special counsel Robert Mueller’s report and who helped broker the release of American hostages was sentenced Friday to 10 years in prison sentence on child sex charges.

George Nader pleaded guilty in January to bringing a 14-year-old boy from the Czech Republic to the U.S. 20 years ago to engage in sexual activity. He also acknowledged possessing child pornography.

Nader’s name appears more than 100 times in the Mueller report. It details Nader’s efforts to serve as liaison between Russians and members of President Donald Trump’s transition team.

Editors Note: The AP article left out the FACT that : In December 2019, Nader was charged in U.S. federal court with violating campaign finance laws by allegedly also using over three and half million dollars to reach out to Hillary Clinton‘s 2016 campaign for the U.S. Presidency, through a front, WSJ report 

In the 1990s, Nader served as a broker to facilitate the release of American hostages held in the Middle East.

The convictions carried a 10-year mandatory minimum. The judge could have imposed a longer term, though prosecutors also recommended a 10-year sentence.

Nader also agreed to pay $150,000 in restitution to the Czech boy he abused, who is now an adult and testified at Friday’s sentencing hearing in U.S. District Court in Alexandria by phone.

“George destroyed practically my entire life, and I am trying to put it back together piece by piece,” he said through a translator.

Nader’s interest in children and his status as a behind-the-scenes power player both extend back decades. And there’s at least some indication that the latter shielded him from the consequences of the former.

Almost 30 years ago, Nader was caught by customs officials transporting two films, hidden in candy tins, of minor boys into the U.S. He received a six-month sentence, a term that prosecutors in the current case acknowledge is “far below what would be expected of such a crime today.”

In 1991, as he awaited sentencing, his case was twice delayed so he could continue his work on hostage negotiations. Court records cited by his current defense lawyers indicate that British hostage Jon McCarthy and American hostage Edward Tracy were released in July of that year and that Nader played an outsized role in securing the release. Participants in the negotiations wrote letters to the judge on Nader’s behalf.

Later, in 2003, Nader sentenced to a 1-year prison term in the Czech Republic after being convicted there on 10 counts of sexually abusing minors and sentenced to a one-year prison term in 2003.

Prosecutors say the abused boys were largely child prostitutes. The 14-year-old boy brought to the U.S. also alleged he was victimized by Nader int he Czech case, though Nader’s lawyers say he wasn’t convicted there. The two sides dispute the extent of abuse inflicted on the boy in the U.S. but Nader has admitted to one sex act.

Nader “used his contacts and his wealth to accomplish” bringing the Czech boy into the U.S., prosecutor Jay Prabhu wrote.

The current case against Nader began in 2018 when images were found on his phone after it was confiscated under a search warrant connected to the Mueller probe.

The images found in Nader’s phones at Dulles International Airport ended up not being the basis for the child-pornography conviction. Instead, prosecutors relied on images and videos he received via email in 2012 that in some cases involved sadistic depictions of infants or toddlers.

Even though it had no bearing on the sentence Nader received, defense lawyers and prosecutors continued to argue at Friday’s sentencing hearing as to whether the images found on the phone were child pornography. Nader’s attorney, Jonathan Jeffress, acknowledged that the photos showed naked children and were obscene, but said they amounted to “dirty jokes” and that Nader had put his struggles with child pornography behind him in 2012.

Prosecutors say the images included clear depictions of child pornography and bestiality and show that Nader is a lifelong recidivist.

Parts of the sentencing papers detailing Nader’s testimony to the special counsel remain blacked out.

Nader, for his part, apologized for his actions at Friday’s hearing.

“I have listened to what’s been said about me,” he said. “I can say I am sincerely, deeply sorry for the suffering I have caused.”

Jets defensive end Quinnen Williams will have his day in court next month.

Williams, who was arrested on March 5 at LaGuardia Airport for trying to board a plane with an unlicensed Glock 19 handgun, will appear in court on July 23, according to ESPN’s Rich Cimini. His original court date, March 25, was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to reports citing Port Authority officials, Williams had the gun in his bag when he arrived at the Delta Airlines check-in counter. When the Delta employee responsible for Williams found out about the gun, a license check was made with the Port Authority police. Since Williams’ permit was valid in Alabama, but not New York, he was charged with criminal possession of a weapon.

The 22-year-old was scheduled to be formally charged during his first court appearance on March 25. Since he did not have ammunition on him when he was arrested, he cannot be charged with unlawfully possessing a loaded weapon — the same charge that sent former Giants and Jets wide receiver Plaxico Burress to prison for 20 months following an accidental self-inflicted gunshot wound at a Manhattan nightclub in 2008.

The Jets selected Williams third overall out of Alabama in the 2019 NFL draft, making him the highest-drafted defensive player in franchise history. The defensive lineman’s rookie season wound up being somewhat of a disappointment, though, as he battled injuries and stretches of inconsistent play throughout 2019. In 13 games, Williams recorded only 28 tackles and 2.5 sacks.

Williams’ court date comes before the beginning of training camp, meaning he will not miss any practice because of the gun charge. Regardless of the outcome of his case, Williams is subject to punishment under the NFL’s personal conduct policy.

For all of the well-earned scrutiny over the Seattle Seahawks’ 2019 pass rush and whether they’ve done enough this offseason to improve it, their defensive struggles went beyond their inability to get after opposing quarterbacks.

Just look at the 4.85 yards the Seahawks allowed per carry. That was the fifth most in the NFL last season, and it was Seattle’s second-worst mark in 10 seasons under Pete Carroll.

Seattle’s defense underachieved pretty much across the board, with the exception of forcing turnovers. It’s why general manager John Schneider made notable — even if not marquee — additions at every level. That included trading for Quinton Dunbar, signing free agents Bruce Irvin and Benson Mayowa, and spending the first two draft picks on Jordyn Brooks and Darrell Taylor.

So where does Seattle’s defensive personnel stand now, relative to last year? After examining the offense last week, here’s a look at the defense and a verdict on whether each position group is better, worse or the same.

Defensive line

Additions: Benson Mayowa (Oakland Raiders), Darrell Taylor (second round), Alton Robinson (fifth round), Eli Mencer (undrafted free agent), Marcus Webb (UDFA), Josh Avery (UDFA), Cedrick Lattimore (UDFA)

Losses: Jadeveon Clowney (unsigned), Quinton Jefferson (Buffalo Bills), Al Woods (Jacksonville Jaguars), Ziggy Ansah (unsigned)

Returners: Jarran Reed, Rasheem Green, Poona Ford, L.J. Collier, Branden Jackson, Bryan Mone, Demarcus Christmas

Better, worse or the same? The same

It’s understandable why the Seahawks didn’t/won’t break the bank to re-sign Clowney given his injury history and asking price. But it’s hard to imagine their defensive line being much better without its most disruptive member.

Then again, it’s hard to imagine the Seahawks generating fewer than the 28 sacks they managed last season, finishing in a tie for the second fewest in the league. Mayowa (7.0) set a career high last year, as did Irvin (8.5), who might play linebacker on early downs but will rush in passing situations. It’s reasonable to expect Reed to top the two sacks he produced in 10 games, even if he doesn’t match his 10.5 from the year before. Green, who led Seattle with four sacks after an underwhelming rookie season in 2018, looks like an ascending player.

Reed’s suspension for the first six games — and whatever effect that layoff had — likely contributed to Seattle’s struggles against the run.

A decade’s worth of data suggests that the Seahawks can’t count on getting significant pass-rush production this season from their draft picks, Taylor and Robinson. A condensed offseason won’t help. They’ll have to rely more on Irvin and Mayowa replicating their career seasons, Reed regaining his 2018 form, Green continuing on his upward track and Collier following in Green’s path. Their hope is that Collier, last year’s first-round pick, can make the same second-year jump they just saw from Green.

Ford is another player to watch. Not signing a veteran defensive tackle to replace Woods or Jefferson means Ford is in line for more snaps alongside Reed.

As for the possibility of bringing back Clowney? The Seahawks haven’t ruled it out, but it would require him taking significantly less money than what he already turned down from Seattle.

Linebackers

Additions: Bruce Irvin (Carolina Panthers), Jordyn Brooks (first round)

Losses: Mychal Kendricks (unsigned)

Returners: Bobby Wagner, K.J. Wright, Cody Barton, Ben Burr-Kirven, Shaquem Griffin, Emmanuel Ellerbee, Sutton Smith

Better, worse or the same? Better

Irvin could be an upgrade over Kendricks at strongside linebacker if he were to start there. But even if that swap is a wash, the group as a whole looks better with the addition of a first-rounder in Brooks.

That assumes Wright has a season more like 2019 (which included a career high in tackles and no missed games) than his injury-filled 2018. He had offseason shoulder surgery and said recently that he plans on playing in Week 1.

Where Wright plays isn’t certain. He has long been the starter on the weak side, which is where Seattle likes Brooks. That could mean Wright moving over to the strong side, where Irvin played on early downs in his first Seattle stint and where he was projected to start until Brooks entered the mix.

Wagner playing in the middle is the only certainty in terms of who will start where. The five-time All Pro could use better play in front of him — and perhaps less on his plate — to get back into the Defensive Player of the Year conversation. The Seahawks relied heavily on their linebackers last season while running an abnormal amount of base 4-3 defense, even in typical nickel situations. Carroll is undecided on whether he’ll continue that approach.

Having four starting linebackers — and arguably a fifth in Barton — for only three spots is a good problem to have. That type of depth suggests Griffin is no lock to make the team. He worked his way into the pass-rush rotation last season and showed flashes in that role. That’s his best path to defensive snaps in 2020.

Secondary

Additions: Quinton Dunbar (Washington), Linden Stephens (waivers), Jayson Stanley (waivers), Gavin Heslop (UDFA), Debione Renfro (UDFA), Kemah Siverand (UDFA), Chris Miller (UDFA), Josh Norwood (UDFA)