Top 3 Offseason Needs: Seattle Seahawks

In advance of March 9, the start of free agency in the NFL, Pro Football Rumors will detail each team’s three most glaring roster issues. We’ll continue this year’s series with the Seattle Seahawks, who earned their fifth straight postseason appearance in 2016 before being bounced in the divisional round.

Depth Chart (via Roster Resource)

Pending Free Agents:

• Tavaris Barnes, DE (ERFA)
• Brandon Cottom, RB (ERFA)
• Brock Coyle, LB (RFA)
• Garry Gilliam, T (RFA)
• Steven Hauschka, K
• Devin Hester, WR
• Stanley Jean-Baptiste, CB (ERFA)
• John Jenkins, DT
• Jeron Johnson, S
• Terrence Magee, RB (EFFA)
• Kelcie McCray, S
• Tony McDaniel, DT
• Dewey McDonald, LB (ERFA)
• Damontre Moore, DE
• Mike Morgan, LB
• Troymaine Pope, RB (ERFA)
• Marcel Reece, FB
• Ronnie Shields, TE (ERFA)
• Mohammed Seisay, CB (RFA)
• DeShawn Shead, CB (RFA)
• Tyler Slavin, WR (ERFA)
• Joe Sommers, TE (ERFA)
• Bradley Sowell, T
• Steven Terrell, S (RFA)
• Neiko Thorpe, CB
• Will Tukuafu, FB
• Luke Willson, TE
• Brandon Williams, TE

Top 10 Cap Hits for 2017:

1. Russell Wilson, QB: $18,800,000
2. Richard Sherman, CB: $13,361,000
3. Michael Bennett, DL: $10,768,750
4. Earl Thomas, S: $10,400,000
5. Jimmy Graham, TE: $10,000,000
6. Doug Baldwin, WR: $9,650,000
7. Kam Chancellor, S: $8,125,008
8. Bobby Wagner, LB: $7,600,000
9. K.J. Wright, LB: $6,800,000
10. Cliff Avril, DE: $5,500,000

Other:

• Projected cap space (via Over the Cap): $32,879,707
• Twenty-sixth pick in draft

Three Needs:

1) Ameliorate the offensive line: Seattle’s problems up front have been incredibly well-documented, and realistically, the offensive line could probably be listed first, second, and third in this piece. But although the Seahawks ranked 25th in adjusted sack rate and 26th in adjusted line yards, head coach Pete Carroll said earlier this month that his club probably won’t be active in free agency as it attempts to address the front five.

“I don’t think that way. That’s now how we — ‘OK, let’s take money and put it here and all of a sudden you’re going to get better.’ You’ve got to get guys that can play worthy of it, and when they demonstrate that then they get paid,” Carroll said. “I don’t think you can just buy your way to it. We’re not going to do that. We’re not going to go out and spend a ton of money in free agency on one guy to try to save the day. That’s now how we function at all.”

The Seahawks did find one solution during the 2016 season, as Justin Britt — who has been shifted from offensive tackle to guard to center during his three years in the NFL — finally found a home at the pivot, and should solidify the middle of Seattle’s line for years to come. The rest of the group, however, represents what Sam Monson of Pro Football Focus termed an “unavoidable problem.” George Fant, Garry Gilliam, and Bradley Sowell all ranked as bottom-10 tackles last season, per PFF, while guards Mark Glowinski and Germain Ifedi also graded out poorly.

Guard is probably the lesser of the two priorities, as Glowinski (fourth round, 2015) and Ifedi (first round, 2016) are both recent draft picks who just completed their first seasons as starters. But if the Seahawks want to scour the free agent market for a cheap alternative, there are options available. Chance Warmack is set to become a free agent after flaming out with the Titans, and though he clearly never lived up to his draft billing (10th overall in 2013), Warmack might offer the sort of tool package that Seattle offensive coach Tom Cable could seek to rework. Saints veteran Jahri Evans, who spent training camp with the Seahawks last season, is also expected to be available once again.

Tackle — both right and left — needs to be the primary focus for Seattle this offseason, and though Carroll clearly doesn’t think free agency is the correct avenue to find talent, the Seahawks would do well to bring in at least one external option in the next few months. Old friend Russell Okung could hit the market if the Broncos decline his option, which seems likely given that said option will lock in an additional four years, $48MM, and $19.5MM in guarantees. Fellow left tackle Kelvin Beachum is in a similar situation, as the Jaguars hold an option that is also likely to be declined.

Aside from Okung or Beachum, it’s difficult to see how the Seahawks could improve via the free agent market, assuming that they’re not going to spend at the top of the market to bring in Riley Reiff, Andrew Whitworth, Ricky Wagner, or the like. The Vikings’ Matt Kalil figures to be available, but he’s been among the worst tackles in the league since his promising rookie season. Menelik Watson and Sebastian Vollmer could come cheap, but neither has played a significant number of snaps lately. Veteran Andre Smith, who managed only four games with the Vikings before being placed on injured reserve, stands out as a potential option on one-year deal.

If Seattle wants to add a new tackle through the draft, the club should have several options on Days 1 and 2. Alabama’s Cam Robinson is viewed as the best tackle in the 2017 class, in the estimation of Mel Kiper Jr. of ESPN.com, while Wisconsin’s Ryan Ramczyk — whom Josh Norris of Rotoworld recently mocked to the Hawks — isn’t far behind. Garett Bolles (Utah) is also “shooting up” draft boards, as Matt Miller of Bleacher Report recently noted, and could end up becoming the first tackle selected. Florida States’ Roderick Johnson, Temple’s Dion Dawkins, and Notre Dame’s Mike McGlinchey could also be considered in the first few rounds of the draft.

2) Augment the Legion of Boom: The Seahawks have already suffered two injuries in their secondary that could affect their plans for the 2017 offseason. First, safety Earl Thomas broke his tibia in early December, and though he recently announced that he will return next year after contemplating retirement, there’s no telling how Thomas’ leg injury will affect his readiness for the beginning of the 2017 campaign.

Second, cornerback DeShawn Shead went down with an ACL tear in Seattle’s divisional round loss to the Falcons, and is now facing a lengthy recovery process. Shead is scheduled to become a restricted free agent at season’s end, meaning that the Seahawks are now in unenviable position regarding Shead’s contract. Acting as the starter opposite Richard Sherman, Shead performed pretty well in 2016 and likely would have been tendered at the first- or second-round level. Now, Shead is probably looking at a right of first refusal tender, or might not be offered a new contract at all.

Safety should be the easiest concern to alleviate this offseason. Even if Thomas isn’t at full health by the time the 2017 campaign gets underway, Seattle can turn to Steven Terrell (who should be retained as an RFA) to fill in as he did over the season’s final month, and the Seahawks may also choose to re-sign backup safeties Jeron Johnson or Kelcie McCray. Adding a safety through the draft wouldn’t be the worst idea, however, especially given that strong safety Kam Chancellor is heading into the final year of his contract.

Seattle’s empty cornerback spot, meanwhile, could be a little more difficult to fill in, as the Seahawks are seemingly eternally searching for a defensive back to play alongside Sherman. Since 2012, Brandon Browner, Byron Maxwell, Walter Thurmond, and Cary Williams have filtered through Seattle with varying levels of success. Jeremy Lane will return in 2017 and is capable of playing outside corner, but he’s been much more successful in the slot during his career.

The Seahawks have shown an ability to find corners without pedigree — Browner was a CFL star, for example, while Maxwell was a sixth-round pick — but the club might look to bring in a young defensive back in the first few rounds of the 2017 draft. Seattle, at pick No. 26, is sitting too far back in the first round to acquire one of the top corners in this year’s class, meaning Ohio State’s Marshon Lattimore, Alabama’s Marlon Humphrey, and Florida’s Teez Tabor are probably off the table. Clemson’s Cordrea Tankersley could make sense, and ESPN.com’s Mel Kiper Jr. sent Tankersley to Seattle in his most recent mock draft, noting that Tankersley has the type of size the Seahawks covet.

Free agency wasn’t kind the last time the Seahawks ventured into the open market, as Williams was released three months into a three-year deal that contained $7MM in guarantees. Seattle has already dipped into free agency this offseason, agreeing to sign Perrish Cox to a futures deal, and although Cox offers a wealth of starting experience, he won’t be counted on next season. The Hawks aren’t going to go after Trumaine Johnson or A.J. Bouye or any of the other elite options that will come available this spring, but there a few free agent corners who could be a fit.

Corey White played under current Seahawks defensive backs coach Andre Curtis with the Saints from 2012-14, and that level of familiarity means Seattle could express interest this offseason. Free agent Keenan Lewis was also in New Orleans with Curtis during that time and could make for an interesting bargain-bin option, but we haven’t heard any updates on Lewis since September, when the 30-year-old appeared to have undergone surgery. Johnthan Banks (Bears) and Marcus Cooper (Cardinals), meanwhile, offer the size qualifications the Seahawks seek. Finally, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Tharold Simon make his way back to Seattle if he doesn’t make it through the summer with Washington after signing a futures contract.

3) Find a young defensive lineman: Seattle’s front four is still among the best in the NFL, ranking in the top 10 in both adjusted sack rate and adjusted net yards thanks to performances by Cliff Avril, Michael Bennett, and Frank Clark. The interior of the club’s line didn’t fare as well, however, as defensive tackles Tony McDaniel, Jarran Reed, and Ahtyba Rubin graded as the league’s No. 52, No. 91, and No. 113 interior defenders among 127 qualifiers, respectively, according to PFF.

Reed just finished his first NFL season and has room to grow, but Rubin is a potential release candidate given that the Seahawks could save $2.2MM on the salary cap by designating him as a post-June 1 cut. McDaniel and fellow DT John Jenkins, meanwhile, are pending free agents. Jenkins is a former third-round pick and only 27 years old, so he could be a serviceable player as a cheap run-stuffer (he stands 6-foot-3, 360 pounds). A defensive tackle should be a priority this offseason, but given that Bennett and Avril are both now in their 30s, a lineman capable of playing on the interior and on the edge would seem to be the ideal find.

That’s easier said than done, of course, and acquiring a standard defensive tackle should be a lot simpler. Several prospects could fit the bill in the first- or second-round of the draft, including Malik McDowell (Michigan State), Caleb Brantley (Florida), and Carlos Watkins (Clemson). New Seahawks defensive line coach Clint Hurtt could also play a role as the club searches for interior options. Before joining the NFL ranks, Hurtt served as DL coach and director of recruiting for Louisville, meaning DeAngelo Brown, billed as fifth-round pick by CBSSports.com, could come under consideration.

Hurtt’s professional experience could also factor into Seattle’s free agent forays. Given that Hurtt most recently coached in Chicago, reserve defensive tackle Cornelius Washington might be of interest to the Hawks. Lamarr Houston, a potential cap casualty, as well as young linemen like Will Sutton and Ego Ferguson — each of whom has been involved in trade rumors — could also follow Hurtt to the Pacific Northwest. Prior to his Louisville days, Hurrt coached pending free agent Calais Campbell at Miami, as Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times details, and while certainly not youthful, Campbell would add another imposing force to Seattle’s front four.