THE CHEAP SEATS with STEVE CAMERON: Seahawks in a rush to improve defense

Nothing says “Win now” like…

Tom Brady?

Yeah, a 43-year-old quarterback making one last stop ahead of the Hall of Fame is clearly in town to tack on one final Super Bowl.

It’s not like Tampa Bay is building around the guy for a decade down the road.

The formula can work, as Denver proved with a savvy but arm-dead Peyton Manning in 2015.

There is another, completely different approach to winning immediately, however.

It’s one thing to have a whole lot of terrific pieces and feel like bursting into tears for lack of that big-time quarterback.

Talk to the Chicago Bears about that.

The reverse problem occurs when you do have that superstar QB running the show, and you’re clearly a Super Bowl contender — but somehow, an obvious and almost certainly fatal weakness is going to undermine the whole show.

In THAT situation, feel free to chat up the Seahawks.

NOBODY planned it this way — I mean, why would you?

But the Hawks, a franchise so recently built on defense, can’t stop anyone.

After six games and a rather amazing 5-1 record, Seattle is on pace to shatter the NFL record for most yards allowed in a season.

Not just get tagged with this unwanted title, but put a number out there to last forever — a stat that looks like something from the Arena League annals of insanity.

Considering the offenses they’re about to face in the next four weeks (San Francisco, Buffalo, L.A. Rams and Arizona), the Seahawks actually could hit the 10-game mark this season while yielding more than FIVE HUNDRED yards per outing.

I mean, that’s…

That’s…

Offense like you dream up down at the park, with 11-year-old Cousin Judy forced to play cornerback while tripping over the family dog.

We mentioned that this “Remember the Alamo” defense wasn’t in the plans — and to be fair to Hawks GM John Schneider and the old stopper, Pete Carroll, they’ve done almost everything possible (under a rugged salary cap) to give Davy Crockett and his gang some extra bullets, knives, rocks, coffee spoons and whatever else might help.

THIS IS how, in the crazy, car-crash NFL, you’re an injury or two from looking unbeatable to resembling a M*ASH unit.

The Seahawks had problems rushing the passer a year ago, so they went out and re-signed two of their own very useful alums, Bruce Irvin and Benson Mayowa.

Then to tie the whole thing together, they spent a couple of first-round draft choices to land Jamal Adams — a strong safety who can play several roles and is simply one of the best all-around defenders in pro football.

And now…

Adams is hurt, suffering from a groin strain that’s lasted a month.

Irvin tore up his knee and is gone, period.

Mayowa is playing like a madman, but with no help or rest, he winds up gasping for breath.

Left corner Shaquill Griffin is hurt now, too — oh, and all-purpose defender Ugo Amadi, as well.

This is the chaos that greets Carlos Dunlap.

Cincinnati’s second-leading career sack leader, the 31-year-old Dunlap was almost a mandatory trade target for Schneider and Carroll.

AND YES, it could turn out to be an inspired deal.

The Bengals are rebuilding, have no further use for Dunlap and his 86 1/2 sacks, and were glad to take backup offensive lineman B.J. Finney in exchange for moving Dunlap’s salary off the roster.

This trade was almost the very best the Seahawks could have imagined as they try piecing a defense back together.

If they can get healthy and make a few stops, the Hawks still have Russell Wilson and all sorts of offensive weapons to make a deep playoff run.

Dunlap, by the way, cannot play until the Buffalo game on Nov. 8 due to Covid protocols — but he appears healthy and motivated.

The guy had 9 1/2 sacks, along with 21 quarterback hits, just a year ago.

His 6-6, 285-pound frame seems wholly intact, and he claims to be thrilled with this chance to play competitive football again.

It’s not too late for the Seahawks to glue things back together.

Dunlap can be a huge help, but they absolutely must get Adams and Griffin back on the field.

Yes, it’s a goofy league.

But we already knew that.

Email: scameron@cdapress.com

Steve Cameron’s “Cheap Seats” columns appear in The Press on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. “Moments, Memories and Madness,” his reminiscences from several decades as a sports journalist, runs each Sunday.

Steve also writes Zags Tracker, a commentary on Gonzaga basketball, once per month during the offseason.