Why Buyer's Market Could Favor Seahawks GM John Schneider's Frugal Approach

After Russell Wilson took his frustrations about subpar pass protection public, there's a heightened sense of urgency that could lead to the Seahawks being more aggressive in free agency. But if the team sticks with status quo, a lowered salary cap could actually work to their benefit addressing several roster needs.

Much to the chagrin of Seahawks fans, John Schneider hasn't been a big spender in free agency for the vast majority of his 11 seasons as general manager.

While other teams have thrown the bag at big-name free agents in the opening hours of the new NFL league year, Schneider has preferred a far different approach. Seattle has waited out the market, allowing other teams to compete in bidding wars for top-tier talents before entering the fray seeking short-term deals as a discount shopper.

Last offseason offered the perfect example of such ideology, as the Seahawks signed several established veterans to one-year contracts, including tight end Greg Olsen, defensive ends Bruce Irvin and Benson Mayowa, and receiver Phillip Dorsett. With the exception of Olsen, who signed more than a month before the actual start of the free agency period, none of those players received more than $5.5 million in 2020.

Just how stingy has Schneider been? Dating back to his arrival in 2010, the Seahawks have not signed a single outside free agent to a contract worth more than $9 million per year. Prior to the 2011 season, he gave receiver Sidney Rice a five-year, $41 million deal and also signed tight end Zach Miller to a five-year, $34 million pact. That's the closest he's been to orchestrating a spending spree in the offseason and he hasn't come close to unloading that type of money since.

With the legal tampering window opening on Monday, the NFL will initiate a unique offseason once again dramatically impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. Though free agents will have the ability to travel for physicals unlike this time a year ago, teams have far less to spend with the salary cap plummeting to $182.5 million in large part due to limited attendance at games last season.

While fans can keep their fingers crossed that quarterback Russell Wilson's frustrations coax Schneider into a more aggressive strategy pursuing top free agent offensive linemen such as center Corey Linsley or guard Joe Thuney - this may be the year to do just that - the Seahawks only have around $17 million in cap space themselves. That's not much financial flexibility and spending big bucks on one player would severely impede the team's ability to fill out the rest of the roster without other additional cap-creating transactions.

But even if he can't land a big fish, a buyer's market skewed heavily in the favor of teams over players should present a smorgasbord of affordable options while allowing Schneider to play the free agent game as he always has by letting other teams bust out the checkbook first and eventually sorting through the bargain bin.

Along the offensive line, once Linsley and Thuney have signed massive deals, the Seahawks should have viable alternatives to pursue in the trenches during the second phase of free agency. Thanks to cap casualties, proven starting guards such as Gabe Jackson and Trai Turner remain available to sign, while David Andrews, Austin Reiter, and Austin Blythe would all be solid fallback options to upgrade at center.

Though Seattle already has DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett under contract for 2021, the team should be able to land another quality receiver for Wilson without breaking the bank. As teams line up to bid for Kenny Golladay, Juju Smith-Schuster, and Curtis Samuel, plenty of other proven talents at the position should be available for pennies on the dollar, with this group potentially including former Colts star T.Y. Hilton and ex-Rams receiver Josh Reynolds among others.

On defense, after releasing Carlos Dunlap earlier this month, the Seahawks will also have ample options for adding a veteran pass rusher to the mix. While younger players such as Romeo Okwara may still get close to market value early in free agency, the market has become saturated with edge rushers such as Ryan Kerrigan, Justin Houston, and Melvin Ingram, creating an ideal climate for a mastermind like Schneider to acquire talent at prices that would make Wal-Mart envious.

Despite obvious cap limitations, Seattle isn't alone in this regard. In fact, they're in the middle of the pack in terms of actual spending power and there are several other teams such as the Rams and Bears in a far greater predicament still trying to get out of the red.

Ultimately, this lack of money available league-wide will leave a lot of really, really good football players fending for scraps once the dust settles and smart general managers will be ready to capitalize. As long as Schneider doesn't allow the top of the market for offensive linemen pass the Seahawks by, while such actions may not inspire the fan base, his typical strategy of laying low early in free agency and exhibiting fiscal restraint should play well under current circumstances to fill positions of need and improve the roster.