Guard J.R. Sweezy was only released earlier this afternoon, but speculation is already starting about where he could be heading next. Sweezy made it just two years into the five-year, $32.5MM deal he signed back in 2016 before he was cut by the Buccaneers. Both his years with Tampa Bay were injury plagued, but the interior lineman is still a good player when healthy.
As such, Sweezy should have some suitors despite still being injured as he continues to recover from a broken bone in his leg. A reunion with his former team, the Seahawks, is something that “would make a lot of sense” writes Mike Garafolo of NFL Network (Twitter link). Garafolo adds that he’d be “a natural fit” and that he thinks it’s something the Seahawks will “explore.” There’s definitely some familiarity there and the Seahawks could definitely use some interior line help. It will be an interesting situation to keep an eye on this late in the offseason.
Here’s more from the NFC:
- In addition to potentially looking at Sweezy, the Seahawks “will aggressively go after pass rushers who become available as training camp begins”, according to Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times. After the trade of Michael Bennett and Cliff Avril‘s injury, the Seahawks are a bit thin at pass-rusher, so it makes sense why they’d look for some help from someone who might get cut in the coming months. Their one proven pass-rusher, Frank Clark, is looking for a new contract as well.
- The cap space freed up from Sweezy’s release could be used to extend other Buccaneers veterans, according to Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times (Twitter link). Auman thinks the added cap room could “certainly facilitate a longterm extension” for one of Kwon Alexander, Ali Marpet, or Donovan Smith. He adds that it “would be good for Bucs to lock one of them up before the season.”
- Defensive end Derek Barnett was listed as the Eagles player most likely to have a breakout season in 2018 by Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com. Shorr-Parks writes that Barnett is the only Eagles defensive end “guaranteed to be on the roster in 2019”, and that because of that the Eagles will seek to get the 2017 first-rounder as much playing time as possible.