Pete Carroll: Seahawks 'Still Talking' to Duane Brown, Keep Door Open For Return

Unsigned more than a month after the start of free agency, Seattle has stayed in contact with Brown, who stands out as one of many proven veterans still on the market.

While nothing appears to be imminent at the moment, the Seahawks remain interested in potentially re-signing two-time All-Pro left tackle Duane Brown.

Speaking with reporters during their annual pre-draft press conference on Thursday, coach Pete Carroll kept the door open for Brown to return for a fifth season in Seattle, indicating the franchise remains in touch with the unrestricted free agent.

"We have not moved on from that. We're still talking," Carroll replied.

Brown, who will turn 37 in August, has drawn minimal interest since free agency opened in mid-March. The Panthers were previously linked to the four-time Pro Bowler on March 20, though no visit between the player and team was reported and nothing new has developed on that front since. Aside from the Seahawks, no other teams have been connected to him.

However, Brown is far from the only established veteran still without a team for the 2022 season. As has been the case for each of the past two offseasons, there has been a surplus of decorated, well-known players who remain unsigned closing in on the draft, including All-Pro safety Tyrann Mathieu and linebacker D'onta Hightower among others.

When asked about that recent trend, general manager John Schneider suggested veterans who have made significant money on multiple contracts are more willing to bet on themselves and wait until later in the process for the right fit before signing. Teams also have been more content waiting until after the draft to fill out the rest of their roster with quality players, sometimes waiting until close to training camp.

"I think guys have confidence in their abilities and they're waiting for the right team at the right time," Schneider remarked, referencing former Seahawks linebacker K.J. Wright being unsigned until last August. "Guys that have been really good with their money, made good money are waiting until training camp to see if anything happens with another club."

After orchestrating a hold-in seeking a new contract during training camp last year, Brown endured a rough first half of the 2022 season, allowing seven sacks in Seattle's first eight games. However, he bounced back nicely in the final nine games, surrendering only a single sack and playing a key role opening up running lanes for Rashaad Penny, who led the NFL in rushing over the final six weeks.

With 49ers star Trent Williams opting out of the game due to an injury, Brown earned a spot in the Pro Bowl for the fifth time in his career.

Currently, the Seahawks have only three tackles on their roster - Stone Forsythe, Jake Curhan, and Greg Eiland - with very limited NFL experience. Curhan performed admirably in relief of starting right tackle Brandon Shell while starting the final five games of the 2021 season, while Forsythe played 14 total offensive snaps and Eiland never dressed for a game while on the practice squad.

Despite that lack of experience, Schneider expressed confidence in Forsythe and Curhan as potential long-term contributors up front, hinting that their presence has made it less critical for the team to overspend bringing in a veteran tackle or two up to this point.

"Jake was able to have more play time last year, so we have a better evaluation of him. Stone started at left tackle in the SEC and one of his first starts was against Georgia, who it feels like will have 220 players drafted this year or something," Schneider commented. "Stone's played big boy football and he knows what it's all about."

With four selections in the top-75 picks of the 2022 NFL Draft, Schneider and Seattle's scouting staff have done their homework on all of the top tackle prospects. Given the lack of depth, would be a surprise if the team doesn't use at least one of those picks to address the position, including potentially using the No. 9 overall selection on a blind side protector such as Ikem Ekwonu or Charles Cross if available.

But depending on how the draft plays out, there's still a chance the Seahawks could work to bring back Brown, who has stated publicly numerous times he would like to finish his career with the organization. A potential reunion may ultimately boil down to what Schneider can or is willing to pay to re-sign him on a one-year deal and whether or not another suitor emerges in coming weeks.