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Seattle Seahawks News & Rumors

DL Notes: Reed, Donald, Colts, Steelers, Cards, Jags, Jets, Bucs, Panthers, Texans

April 19th, 2023 at 4:52pm CST by Sam Robinson

Jarran Reed‘s initial Seahawks tenure ended strangely, with the team’s attempt at a restructure leading to a communication breakdown that ended with the defensive tackle’s release. After Reed sought a Seahawks extension during the offseason in which the COVID-19 pandemic led to a salary cap reduction, he ended up signing a one-year deal with the Chiefs. That preceded a 2022 Packers pact. Reed is now back in Seattle, having signed a two-year, $9MM deal.

The veteran D-lineman said, via the Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta, neither side wanted to part ways in 2021 and that he remained interested in a potential return while away. The Seahawks called Reed early in free agency, and the sides agreed to terms on what is a less lucrative contract compared to the one the team removed from its payroll two years ago (two years, $23MM). Reed, 30, will join Dre’Mont Jones as Seattle D-tackle additions.

Here is the latest from the D-line scene:

  • The Cardinals met with Georgia edge rusher Nolan Smith on Wednesday, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter), squeezing in a final visit before the deadline. They also recently brought in Texas Tech edge Tyree Wilson, Albert Breer of SI.com notes, adding the Jaguars also met with the former Big 12 dynamo for a late visit (Twitter link). The Cardinals hold the No. 3 overall pick. While Arizona has dangled it in trades, the team not receiving a viable offer opens the door to a best-defender-available pick. Wilson would qualify as an option at 3, though Smith — No. 17 on ESPN’s big board; No. 18 on Daniel Jeremiah’s — would seemingly enter Arizona’s equation after a trade-down maneuver.
  • BJ Ojulari resides as a possible option for a team late in the first round or in the early second, and a few teams brought in the LSU alum recently. The Jets, Buccaneers, Panthers and Texans met with Ojulari, Rapoport adds (on Twitter). The younger brother of Giants outside linebacker Azeez Ojulari, BJ profiles as a speed rusher. He combined for 12.5 sacks and 20.5 tackles for loss over the past two seasons with the Tigers, declaring for the draft after his junior year. Azeez Ojulari went 50th overall in 2020.
  • Both the Colts and Steelers have met with Clemson defensive lineman Bryan Bresee, per Rapoport and ESPN.com’s Brooke Pryor (Twitter links). Bresee is in Indianapolis today. A former top-five recruit, Bresee is not a candidate to go in the top five of this draft. But the multiyear Clemson starter joins Myles Murphy as Tiger D-linemen on the Round 1 radar. The Steelers came up regarding Bresee last month, and while the team recently re-signed Larry Ogunjobi, Cam Heyward is going into his age-34 season. The Colts, who added former first-rounder Taven Bryan in free agency, have DeForest Buckner signed for two more seasons.
  • Buckner recently revealed he played all of last season with a UCL tear in his left elbow. Indicating he’s “not a quarterback or a pitcher,” Buckner said (via the Indianapolis Star’s Joel Erickson) his injury will not require surgery. Buckner finished with eight sacks and a career-high 74 tackles in 2022. Although the Colts are at a crossroads after a wildly disappointing season, Erickson adds the team still views Buckner as a cornerstone. The former 49ers first-rounder is going into his age-29 season.
  • Aaron Donald saw an injury sideline him for the first time as a pro. A high ankle sprain led the Rams superstar out of action, and Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic notes the all-time great underwent a tightrope procedure to repair the injury (Twitter link). This is not an uncommon procedure; Tony Pollard underwent the same surgery in January. Donald, 32 next month, has also returned to full strength, per Rodrigue. Two years remain on Donald’s record-setting contract.

Seahawks To Host Will Anderson Jr.

April 19th, 2023 at 2:13pm CST by Sam Robinson

Wednesday represents the finale for pre-draft visits, and the Seahawks will hold an 11th-hour meeting with perhaps this year’s top defensive prospect. Will Anderson Jr. is meeting with the team today, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.

Barely a week away from becoming a cinch top-10 pick, Anderson has met with the Texans, Lions and Bears as well. The Seahawks hold the No. 5 overall pick and could be in position, depending on how teams proceed with the quarterback prospects, to select the best or second-best defensive talent in this year’s draft pool.

[RELATED: Seahawks Host DT Jalen Carter]

While the Seahawks’ most recent first-round investment in an edge rusher (L.J. Collier) backfired, the John Schneider–Pete Carroll regime did hit on Bruce Irvin (Round 1, 2012) and Frank Clark (Round 2, 2015). The team has not devoted much in the way of resources to stocking its edge positions since the 2019 Clark trade, bringing in several free agents — Uchenna Nwosu the most recent. But Seattle holds draft real estate it has not possessed since Carroll and Schneider’s first draft (2010), when the team took Russell Okung sixth overall. A rare opportunity exists for the Seahawks, who obtained this draft choice via the Russell Wilson trade.

The Bronko Nagurski award winner in 2021 and ’22, Anderson has been viewed as a top prospect for years. The Alabama-developed edge defender totaled 27.5 sacks in that span. Some late skepticism on Anderson’s ceiling has caused Tyree Wilson to enter the picture as a threat to be the first outside rusher selected, but that is far from a unanimous pre-draft belief among execs. The Texans are believed to be high on Anderson, and if the Cardinals cannot find a trade partner at No. 3, the prospect of two edge rushers going off the board before the Seahawks pick is in play. Given QB value, this may not be the most likely scenario.

Nwosu remains in place, going into the second season of a two-year contract, and 2020 second-rounder Darrell Taylor is heading into a walk year. The Seahawks also used a second-round pick last year on a pass rusher — Boye Mafe — but did not use the Minnesota alum as a full-timer in 2022. The team prioritized its interior defensive line in free agency, signing Dre’Mont Jones and bringing back Jarran Reed. A best-defender-available move may well be Seattle’s play here, with a recent report indicating cornerback Devon Witherspoon is also in play. Though, Schneider — as evidenced by his Collier, Rashaad Penny and Jordyn Brooks picks — has cared little for mocks in the past.

NFL Eyeing Jeff Bezos As Future Owner?

April 18th, 2023 at 11:52am CST by Adam La Rose

The sale of the Commanders, while not complete at this point, has approached the finish line without any involvement from Jeff Bezos. The Amazon founder was consistently named as a suitor to watch with respect to new Washington owners, and he could still be on the league’s radar to purchase aa different franchise down the road.

The NFL is “lobbying Bezos quietly, but hard” on the subject of joining the league’s ownership club, reports Peter King of NBC Sports. The 59-year-old would easily become the wealthiest owner if he were to acquire a franchise, so that news comes as little surprise. The edge in terms of spending power he would have had over any competitors in Washington made him a favorite not long after it was learned Dan Snyder was considering selling the Commanders.

However, obstacles existed which would have made a sale to Bezos difficult. Chief among them was the latter’s ownership of the Washington Post, a source of personal tension between he and Snyder. Bezos was reportedly blocked from participating in the initial rounds of bidding, which cast doubt on his ability to make a last-minute offer on the team. Indeed, shortly before the Josh Harris-led group reached agreement on a $6.05 billion deal, it came out that Bezos would not submit any offer.

With the Commanders off the market, many expect the Seahawks to be next team to be sold. They could become a Bezos target, especially if the league remains highly interested in having him become an owner. However, a change of ownership in Seattle may not be coming in at least the short-term future.

As King notes, any Seahawks sale which takes place before May 2, 2024 would see 10% of the purchase price go the Washington state government. That would represent an obvious factor working against an agreement taking place within the next year or so, especially when coupled with the sentiment made clear by current owner Jody Allen last summer.

“As chair of both the Portland Trail Blazers and the Seattle Seahawks, my long-term focus is building championship teams that our communities are proud of,” she said in a July statement. “As we’ve stated before, neither of the teams is for sale and there are not sales discussions happening… There is no preordained timeline by which the teams must be sold.”

Allen, who took over for her late brother Paul in 2018, has been linked to a sale throughout her ownership tenure. The above remarks represented her most definitive denial that one will be coming any time soon, though. If/when that changes, Bezos will remain a name to watch as a potential bidder.

Minor NFL Transactions: 4/17/23

April 17th, 2023 at 10:12pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Monday’s minor moves:

Atlanta Falcons

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Jacksonville Jaguars

Los Angeles Rams

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New York Jets

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Commanders

Teams with returning head coaches are now free to begin offseason workouts, leading to this high number of RFA and ERFA tenders being signed. Bryant and Reaves signed the low-end tender, while the Packers gave Nijman a second-round tender. Bryant and Reaves are tied to $2.62MM salaries; Nijman is attached to a $4.3MM number. Nijman has both played left and right tackle, settling in at the latter spot after the Packers moved Elgton Jenkins back to guard last season. ERFAs are two years from unrestricted free agency; RFAs are one year away.

An August shoulder injury cost Williams his 2022 season, but the former second-round pick was trending in the wrong direction with the Patriots. New England chose Williams 45th overall in 2019 but used him as a starter only once. New Vikings DC Brian Flores was no longer with the Pats when they drafted Williams, 25, but the team will take a flier on the Vanderbilt alum.

Several Teams Interested In C John Michael Schmitz

April 16th, 2023 at 8:12pm CST by Ely Allen

Center is an intriguing position when determining draft value, as the top centers can be extremely valuable but aren’t always considered first rounders. The most recent example saw the Ravens draft Tyler Linderbaum last year to be rewarded with a top-six center, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).

While this year’s top centers, Joe Tippmann of Wisconsin and John Michael Schmitz of Minnesota, aren’t entirely expected to go in the first round, Schmitz has been receiving plenty of interest and shouldn’t last long into the second round, if he’s still available by then.

We had noted a private workout with the Steelers weeks ago. Since then, Schmitz has participated in a private workout and dinner with the Jets, a top 30 visit and dinner with the Seahawks, a top 30 visit with the Vikings, and a coach workout and dinner with the Giants, according to Pat Leonard of New York Daily News. Additionally, the 24-year-old has had Zoom contact with the Texans, Titans, Colts, Bills, and Packers.

Seattle has reportedly been “all over” Schmitz, according to Leonard. After the retirement announcement of center Austin Blythe, the Seahawks certainly could use a strong new potential starter to anchor their line. The only center currently on the roster is career backup Joey Hunt, who returned to Seattle last year after two seasons with the Colts. The other team that has shown a lot of love towards Schmitz is the Jets, according to Rich Cimini of ESPN. With Connor McGovern‘s contract expiring this offseason, New York could also use a young, new center for presumed quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

While center can be a tough position to pinpoint and Tippmann remains as competition for the best center prospect, the sheer amount of interest in Schmitz leads to the belief that he won’t last long into Day 2 of the draft later this month. That’s if he even makes it past Day 1.

Minor NFL Transactions: 4/15/23

April 15th, 2023 at 8:41pm CST by Adam La Rose

Saturday’s lone minor move in the NFL:

Seattle Seahawks

Winston, 26, saw his only regular season game action come with the Saints in 2021. In a three-game stint in New Orleans, he racked up 119 scoreless yards on 10 catches. The former UDFA was claimed off waivers by the Browns this past August, but wasn’t able to land a spot on their 53-man roster. He joined Seattle’s practice squad in October and signed a reserve deal with them at the end of the season. Now, he will look for a new NFL home.

 

NFC Draft Rumors: Bucs, Commanders, 49ers, Seahawks

April 15th, 2023 at 3:18pm CST by Ely Allen

Every year, pundits and analysts debate the value of drafting a running back in first round. The Buccaneers are the latest to enter into this forum as they are reportedly considering doing just that, according to Buccaneers staff writer/reporter Brianna Dix.

The player in question for Tampa Bay is Texas running back Bijan Robinson. Robinson is far and away the consensus top running back on the board. In three years with the Longhorns, Robinson totaled 3,410 rushing yards and 33 rushing touchdowns while averaging 6.3 yards per carry. While not his main mode of attack, he can hurt in the passing game as well, as evidenced by his 60 catches for 805 yards and eight touchdowns over his collegiate career.

No running backs were taken in the first round of last year’s draft, with Breece Hall being the first off the board in the second round, but two years ago, we saw two running backs taken on Day 1. Despite durability being a main cause of concern for rookie rushers, Najee Harris rewarded the Steelers with a league-leading 381 touches and a Pro Bowl selection as a rookie. Travis Etienne unfortunately had to sit out his rookie season, but his debut season with the Jaguars in 2022 was nearly as impressive as Harris’s rookie year, despite only starting 12 games.

Beyond last year, we’ve seen the Chiefs move past Clyde Edwards-Helaire in favor seventh-round rookie Isiah Pacheco. We’ve seen a first-team All-Pro honor for Josh Jacobs in Las Vegas. We’ve seen the rollercoasters of Saquon Barkley and Sony Michel‘s careers, as well as the disappointment of Rashaad Penny‘s. The debate continues on into 2023. There has certainly been both hits and misses with first-round running backs, but where will Robinson fall in that storyline?

Here are a few other draft rumors from around the NFC:

  • The Commanders have made it clear that they believe in second-year quarterback Sam Howell to take over the starting job in 2023, leading many to believe that taking a passer on Day 1 is off the table. According to ESPN’s John Keim, though, if a strong prospect like Tennessee’s Hendon Hooker is still available in the second or third round, Washington may not be able to pass them up. For the first round, though, it appears that the team has done their homework on the 2023 NFL Draft’s batch of offensive linemen. Jordan Reid, also of ESPN, specifically mentions Ohio State tackle Dawand Jones as a name that has been linked to the Commanders.
  • The 49ers received a healthy amount of compensatory draft picks, including three third round picks. It’s a good thing, too, because without them, San Francisco’s first 2023 draft pick wouldn’t come until late in the fifth round. Surprisingly, despite needs at both offensive line and defensive back, Matt Miller of ESPN is hearing that the 49ers have done more work studying tight ends that any other team in the league. The team has lauded the depth of this year’s draft class, and Miller notes that this is a historically great tight end class. He mentions Michigan’s Luke Schoonmaker, South Dakota’s Tucker Kraft, and Old Dominion’s Zack Kuntz as potential options for San Francisco at the end of Day 2 who could end up working with George Kittle in the tight end room.
  • The Seahawks can go in a couple of different directions in the first round with both the No. 5 and 20 picks. They may keep their eyes on the available quarterbacks, if they fall in love with any, to sit for a year or so behind Geno Smith and Drew Lock. What Miller really sees them doing is taking advantage of a potential early run of quarterbacks to nab one of the draft’s top defensive linemen like Alabama’s Will Anderson Jr. or Georgia’s Jalen Carter. If they don’t like any of their options at defensive line either, Miller reports that Seattle is reportedly in love with Illinois cornerback Devon Witherspoon.

Jalen Carter Unlikely To Fall Out Of Top 10; Bears, Eagles In Mix For DT?

April 13th, 2023 at 2:39pm CST by Sam Robinson

APRIL 13: Carter’s floor may be settling in at No. 9. The Bears are unlikely to let the higher-risk prospect fall past them in Round 1, Matt Miller of ESPN.com notes. The Bears are believed to value the two-time national champion defender highly, and they are prepared to bolster their defensive line in this draft.

APRIL 11: Beyond this year’s lot of first-round-caliber quarterbacks, Jalen Carter has been the highest-profile player during the pre-draft process. The Georgia defensive tackle might be the most talented non-QB available, but off-field red flags have affected his perception.

Carter will not face jail time in connection with the misdemeanor charges he faced after two members of Georgia’s football program, offensive lineman Devin Willock and recruiting analyst Chandler Lecroy, died in car accident. A police investigation revealed Carter and Lecroy were “operating in a manner consistent with racing” that morning in January. A March plea deal led to Carter receiving a $1K fine and community service, but multiple teams are believed to have taken the standout interior D-lineman off their draft boards due to character concerns.

Carter, who also did not perform well at his pro day, should still not be expected to endure a Laremy Tunsil-like fall in Round 1. The high-end talent remains likely to go off the board in the top 10, according to ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler and Matt Miller. Execs around the league believe a team will invest in Carter early, and Fowler adds Eagles buzz has emerged.

The Eagles, who took Georgia nose tackle Jordan Davis 13th overall last year, hold the No. 10 overall pick by virtue of their pre-draft trade with the Saints in 2022. GM Howie Roseman‘s penchant for building up Philadelphia’s lines has come up regarding Carter, as has Philly’s collection of veterans — including the recently re-signed Brandon Graham and Fletcher Cox — that could potentially help the suddenly riskier prospect assimilate. The Eagles lost Javon Hargrave to the 49ers in free agency as well; Cox is on another one-year contract and going into his age-33 season.

Philly’s potential as the Carter floor aside, Miller notes his survey among NFL staffers led to a conclusion either the Seahawks (at No. 5) or Bears (No. 9) will be the landing spot. Seattle both drafted Frank Clark in the 2015 second round, despite a domestic violence arrest leading to his dismissal from the Michigan program, and acquired Sheldon Richardson via trade in 2017 — two years after the defensive tackle was pulled over for driving 143mph with a firearm in his vehicle. The Seahawks have a significant investment at D-tackle this offseason, giving Dre’Mont Jones a three-year deal worth $51MM, and reached an agreement to bring back Jarran Reed. Seattle, which has been linked to QBs as well, would certainly show a tremendous commitment to its defensive interior with a Carter selection. Mel Kiper Jr.’s most recent mock draft sends Carter to Seattle — as the first non-QB taken.

Chicago has added both DeMarcus Walker and Rasheem Green, but both additions qualify as moves for supporting-casters rather than surefire impact presences. The Bears are looking to add up front in the draft — likely both on the edge and inside — and they joined the Eagles in hosting Carter recently.

Carter is not planning to meet with teams outside the top 10, though teams holding non-top-10 choices — draft real estate previously believed to be unrealistic to land Carter — began digging into the former Bulldogs interior anchor. He has met with the Seahawks, Lions, Raiders, Bears and Eagles thus far; each team holds a pick between Nos. 5 and 10. While this draft houses a few notable edge defenders, a notable gap exists between Carter and his D-tackle prospect peers. That stands to strengthen his position inside the top 10.

Giants Expected S Julian Love To Re-Sign

April 12th, 2023 at 12:59pm CST by Sam Robinson

Given their financial commitments at safety coming into free agency, the Seahawks made a surprising move by signing Julian Love to join Jamal Adams and Quandre Diggs. The Giants appear to have been surprised as well.

Like they did with Saquon Barkley during what became a narrow in-season negotiation — during the bye week — the Giants made Love an offer believed to be worth more than the two-year, $12MM Seahawks pact Love signed. The Giants then submitted a second offer earlier this year, according to the New York Post’s Paul Schwartz, who notes this proposal was worth more than what the team offered midseason.

[RELATED: Barkley Not Planning To Show For Team Workouts]

When Love chose the Seahawks offer, Schwartz adds the Giants were somewhat surprised. They gave Bobby McCain a one-year deal worth $1.3MM, but the team may still be on the lookout for a safety starter to replace Love alongside Xavier McKinney.

“I think I’m a player on the rise and I’m young, so a lot of things were going for me, I felt. Then the market was tough for safeties, that’s just the reality,” Love said recently. “I wouldn’t have expected it, but it was what it was. When Seattle saw where I was at contract-wise, they jumped at the opportunity to bring me on, which is exciting and it makes you feel like you’re wanted in this process. There were a few teams down at the end, but I think the appeal of Seattle was too great for me to pass on.”

No numbers have emerged regarding the Giants’ midseason or offseason Love offers, but this year’s non-Jessie Bates safety market not producing any deals worth at least $8MM per year did not bode too well for Love, even after a strong contract year. The new Giants regime used the same timetable with Love and Saquon Barkley, making an initial fall offer before upping it slightly ahead of free agency. But Barkley ended up being franchise-tagged — the expected outcome in the event a Daniel Jones extension surfaced — and Love hit the market. When free agency opened, the sides were not close on terms; that led to the Seattle visit.

McKinney has missed chunks of two seasons — 2020 and ’22 — but looks to remain in New York’s long-term plans. The former second-round pick could rebound and command a nice raise with a quality contract year, and Schwartz notes the Giants were not going to have Love making more than McKinney on a long-term deal. McKinney is now extension-eligible, but it would make sense for the Alabama alum — considering the ATV accident that cost him seven games last season — to bet on himself raising his value in 2023.

As for Love, he now sits 28th for safety AAV. Vonn Bell, Jordan Poyer, C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Donovan Wilson and Juan Thornhill checked in a bit higher on their offseason deals, but Bell’s three-year, $22.5MM Panthers pact was the closest any safety came to Bates’ four-year, $64MM Falcons windfall. Gardner-Johnson signed a one-year deal after turning down a multiyear Eagles offer, joining Love in perhaps overestimating this year’s safety market. Love is expected to play a regular role, regardless of Adams’ health, in Seattle; the Seahawks are planning to use Adams closer to the line of scrimmage more often in 2023.

The Giants have McCain, Dane Belton and Jason Pinnock under contract alongside McKinney. Love took over after the Giants cut Logan Ryan and let Jabrill Peppers walk in 2022. The team has higher priorities entering the draft, and while safety can be considered an auxiliary need, the Giants may rely on McCain or one of their younger holdovers to team with McKinney.

Seahawks DT Dre’Mont Jones Addresses End Of Broncos Tenure

April 11th, 2023 at 10:44am CST by Adam La Rose

Seattle made one of the most impactful additions of the offseason along the defensive line when they signed Dre’Mont Jones in free agency. That pact marked the end of his time with the Broncos, the only team he had previously played for in the NFL.

During his four-year tenure in the Mile High City, Jones established himself as a valued member of the team’s strong defensive units. From 2020 on, he was a highly consistent factor in their interior pass-rush, notching 6.5, 5.5 and 6.5 sacks over that span. That, coupled with his age (26), made a new contract for him a priority on Denver’s part heading into the offseason.

However, the former third-rounder ended up signing a three-year, $51MM deal with Seattle after it became clear Denver was headed in a different direction. The Broncos saw Jones’ asking price as being too high, which led to the end of extension talks and his change of scenery. He spoke on the matter recently, indicating Seattle was more willing than Denver to make a sizeable financial commitment.

“I mean, they should have just traded me from the jump,” Jones said in reference to the Broncos. “I was included in the [Russell Wilson] trade. Denver said no. And then, Denver kind of… I don’t want to say that word – but Denver didn’t pay me my proper respects” (h/t NFL.com’s Kevin Patra).

The Broncos did indeed prefer to keep Jones out of the package they sent to Seattle for Wilson, instead including veteran Shelby Harris as part of their compensation. Since they weren’t able to agree on a new deal with Jones, however, Denver pivoted to former Cardinal Zach Allen on a three-year pact worth $47.5MM. That figure not only comes marginally short of what Jones signed for, but it has also raised eyebrows around the league.

The Athletic’s Mike Sando notes that many team executives were caught off guard by the AAV of $15.8MM Allen was able to secure on his Broncos pact (subscription required). The 25-year-old posted notable sack totals in only the past two seasons, but is regarded as being strong against the run as well. Still, Denver’s investment in him carries some risk, and will no doubt be compared to the success (or lack thereof) Seattle is able to achieve with Jones now in the middle of their defensive front.

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