Seahawks Analysis: Biggest Remaining Needs After First Week of Free Agency
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="2500"]
Chicago Bears defense squares up against the Seattle Seahawks offense during an NFL football game on Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024 in Chicago. Credit: © Mike Wulf/Cal Sport Media [/caption]
Free agency may have just started in the NFL last Wednesday, but as evidenced by a quiet weekend with minimal news to report, the market has already been picked down significantly with the majority of big name players already off the board and teams such as the Seattle Seahawks transitioning into bargain shopping mode.
Unlike most offseasons, Seahawks general manager John Schneider opened the free agency period with an aggressive mindset and the checkbook open, forced in part by the decision to trade quarterback Geno Smith and receiver DK Metcalf during the week leading up to the start of the new league year. Though he didn’t cash in on every deal he tried to make and didn’t fix every perceived roster problem overnight, he landed the top quarterback replacement option on his list in Sam Darnold, signing him to a three-year, $100.5 million contract, while also helping fill the gap at receiver by signing Cooper Kupp and Marquez Valdes-Scantling.
With the 2025 NFL Draft now a little over a month away and free agency slowing to a crawl, which positions stand out as Seattle’s most pressing areas of concern heading towards a new season?
Guard
Much to the dismay of Seahawk fans, even though Schneider did make a valiant effort and opened up the checkbook trying to sign Will Fries before he opted to take a five-year deal from the Vikings instead, the franchise has once again swung and missed on adding proven guard talent in the trenches. This leaves the same core of young players - Anthony Bradford, Christian Haynes, and Sataoa Laumea - as the three primary guards currently on the roster with a grand total of 26 NFL starts between them. Incoming swing tackle Josh Jones has also played both guard spots in his career, but he’s at his best on the outside as an insurance policy behind Charles Cross and Abraham Lucas.
To Schneider’s credit, Seattle hasn’t stopped looking into veteran options just yet, as former Bears starter Teven Jenkins reportedly was set to visit the team on March 17 and Saints starter Lucas Patrick remaining a possibility due to his connection with offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak and offensive line coach John Benton. But the real silver lining is that this year’s draft class features a strong guard group that includes a bevy of athletic blockers who fit the team’s scheme quite well, including Georgia’s Tate Ratledge and Ohio State’s Donovan Jackson as early day two candidates. Even on day three, Clay Webb of Jacksonville State and Connor Colby of Iowa would be rock solid options with starting upside, so there’s still time to bolster the talent and competition at both guard positions.
Center
When Kubiak proclaimed that his scheme required an “elite” center on a radio interview following his introductory press conference, many speculated that comment would mean that the Seahawks would enter free agency aggressively pursuing an upgrade at the pivot position. But that did not happen, as Drew Dalman signed with the Bears and Ryan Kelly signed with the Vikings, taking the top two veterans off the market. To this point, no reports have suggested that Schneider and the front office were even in discussions with either of those players, signaling the team may be higher on incumbent starter Olu Oluwatimi and high-upside reserve Jalen Sundell than originally anticipated.
The center position remains one of great fluidity for Seattle, however. Since Minnesota signed Kelly, long-time starter Garrett Bradbury likely will wound up getting cut after the team fails to find a trade partner, creating an intriguing opportunity to bring him to the Pacific Northwest to work with Darnold once again. Bradbury has regressed in pass protection in recent seasons, but he will only turn 30 years old in June, has a strong relationship with Darnold from their time paired up with the Vikings last season, and previously played in Kubiak’s scheme in 2021. Given the lack of depth in this year’s draft class at center, if the team plans on making any moves at this point, that would seem to be the most plausible.
Receiver
Since jettisoning DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett in the same week, the Seahawks have done a quality job of restocking the receiving corps in free agency by signing Kupp and Valdes-Scantling, two seasoned veterans who can help replace the abundance of lost production and should be great fits in Kubiak’s offense. Pairing those two players with Jaxon Smith-Njigba will give Seattle a good, if not great, trio atop the depth chart for 2025, while Jake Bobo and Dareke Young both figure to fit into the mix rotating in for snaps come training camp. The situation certainly doesn’t look near as dire as it did a week ago.
But from a long-term perspective, the Seahawks still have significant concerns to address at receiver and need an influx of young talent. Valdes-Scantling has never been more than a complementary third receiver, while Kupp has fallen from the ranks of the NFL’s elite due to constant injuries, so investing an early pick at the position next month should be a given. While they shouldn’t reach for a player in the first round, if Arizona’s Tet McMillan were to fall, Schneider would certainly have to entertain the possibility. It’s more likely that the team will be seeking out value on day two with one of their four second/third round selections with several quality prospects such as Iowa State’s Jayden Higgins, Ole Miss’ Tre Harris, and Stanford’s Elic Ayomanor all being potential targets.
EDGE/Outside Linebacker
Solidifying an area of strength, the Seahawks signed former Cowboys Pro Bowl defensive end Demarcus Lawrence to pair with Uchenna Nwosu, Boye Mafe, and Derick Hall, giving coach Mike Macdonald a fun arsenal to deploy off the edge next season. But as Macdonald pointed out at the NFL combine last month, there’s no such thing as too many good edge rushers on a roster and beyond 2025, Nwosu could be a potential cap casualty next offseason depending on how he performs and Mafe will be an unrestricted free agent, suddenly leaving big holes on the outside.
Luckily, this year’s incoming draft class happens to have both top-tier talent and depth at the position. At pick No. 18, it’s possible Seattle could have an opportunity to draft Georgia’s Mykel Williams, Marshall’s Mike Green, or Texas A&M’s Nic Scourton, further solidifying a deep core of rushers in the present with an eye on the future as well. On day two, Arkansas’ Landon Jackson, Ole Miss’ Princely Umanmielen, and Ohio State’s due of Jack Sawyer and J.T. Tuimoloau could all be in play between picks 50 and 75, offering outstanding value for prospects who could have been first rounders in other drafts. If the Seahawks are concerned with picking best player available and not reaching for needs, don’t be shocked to see an edge in the first two picks.
Cornerback
Atop the depth chart, the Seahawks have as much talent as any team in the NFC in their secondary, including Devon Witherspoon and Riq Woolen returning as impact starters at the cornerback spots. But away from those two players, who each have yet to play to their own full capabilities, depth stands out as a significant concern both for 2025 and beyond. The team re-signed Josh Jobe after a breakthrough 2024 campaign, but he will have to prove that elevation in performance wasn’t lightning in a bottle on a one-year deal, while fifth-round pick Nehemiah Pritchett seemed to fall out of favor as his rookie season unfolded and will need to demonstrate marked improvement to see the field on defense. Free agent signee Shemar Jean-Charles has less than 200 defensive snaps on his resume and should be considered a special teamer until further notice.
With Woolen now eligible for a second contract and coming off another inconsistent season, it remains to be seen if Seattle will attempt to re-sign him, as his play this upcoming season will dictate what direction the front office decides to go. In the event he doesn’t return, Witherspoon and Pritchett are currently the only players on the roster who would be under contract at that point. While cornerback isn’t the team’s biggest need by any stretch, smart organizations draft with two or three years ahead in mind and if the right player remains on the board as early as day two, Schneider could decide to pull the trigger to spice up competition in 2024 while adding a potential long-term starter for future seasons.
