Seahawks Re-Sign Bobby Wagner; Extension Season Next?

Filling another gaping hole with a proven veteran, the Seattle Seahawks put a cherry on top of their free agent class reuniting with Bobby Wagner. But to make additional moves, they need to look towards the future to open up cap space in the present.

Closing in on two full weeks of free agency, the Seattle Seahawks have aggressively plugged several notable holes on their roster with six outside signings, specifically targeting a defense that struggled for most of the 2022 season.

Starting off the festivities with a rare mid-March spending spree, general manager John Schneider threw the checkbook at former Broncos defensive tackle Dre'Mont Jones, signing him to a three-year, $52 million contract. With several moves sandwiched between, the Seahawks put icing on the cake bringing back linebacker Bobby Wagner on a one-year deal on Saturday, upgrading the position while also delighting the fan base with his return.

But in the aftermath of these moves, Seattle still has plenty of work left to do, including rebuilding a defensive line that no longer includes veterans Shelby Harris, Al Woods, or Quinton Jefferson, who were all released as cap casualties earlier this month. While the front office will be able to fill several of those spots with 10 picks in the upcoming 2023 NFL draft, including four selections in the top 52, the ability to add a few more veterans to the mix would be beneficial.

Unfortunately, the Seahawks currently don't have such flexibility. In fact, before even knowing Wagner's exact cap hit for next season, the organization doesn't even have enough cap space right now to account for their upcoming rookie class and the top 51 players on the roster. Per OverTheCap.com, they are in the red with negative $746,786 effective cap space, which ranks 30th in the NFL ahead of only Washington and Minnesota.

Of course, as franchises such as the Saints and 49ers seem to prove every year, levers always exist to create instant cap space, with some being better than others. After cutting several veterans to facilitate the signings they have made so far, the Seahawks need to transition to plan B with eyes towards the future while opening up financial flexibility in the present by locking up a player or two with contract extensions.

Which players stand out as prime candidates for an extension? First and foremost, after signing an affordable two-year contract with Seattle last March, EDGE rusher Uchenna Nwosu has earned a lucrative raise and long-term security as a foundational piece for the defense moving forward.

Only 26 years old and in the midst of his prime, Nwosu has already outperformed that deal, emerging as one of the best signings made by Schneider during 13 years calling the shots. A perfect fit for Clint Hurtt's 3-4 scheme, he finished 14th in the NFL among edge defenders with 61 quarterback pressures along with recording a career-best 9.5 sacks and three batted passes. According to Pro Football Focus, he ranked 10th in pass rush productivity rating.

In addition, Nwosu excelled defending the run for the Seahawks as well, posting a career-high 12 tackles for loss and finishing fourth among edge defenders with 24 run stops constituting failed plays for the offense per PFF. He also set a career-best with three forced fumbles, including a critical goal line turnover in a season-opening win over the Broncos.

Carrying an expensive $13.01 million cap hit in 2023, extending Nwosu through the 2025 or even 2026 season would allow for Schneider and cap guru Matt Thomas to lower that number significantly. As for potential value of the contract, a good starting point for negotiations would be $15 million per year annually, which would pay him top-15 edge rusher money.

As far as other options go, tight end Noah Fant may also be a quality extension candidate. Set to play on an affordable $6.85 million fifth-year option, the Seahawks could create a bit of cap flexibility and shore up long-term questions at the tight end position by handing him a new multi-year deal.

Statistically, Fant posted the lowest receiving yardage output (486) of his four-year NFL career after being acquired in the Russell Wilson trade, which may lead to some reservations about an extension. But he still caught 50 passes and four touchdowns and most importantly, while Pro Football Focus' grade didn't reflect the improvement, he made major strides as a blocker, proving himself capable of contributing in the run game as an in-line tight end as well as an H-back in the backfield.

By extending Nwosu and/or Fant, Seattle would likely have enough spending power to potentially re-sign Harris or Woods or bring in another quality veteran defensive lineman to bolster the trenches. Depending how much room is manufactured, a veteran running back or receiver could also be in Schneider's plans as late as after the draft next month.

But without such moves, while restructured contracts for stars such as safety Quandre Diggs and receiver Tyler Lockett remain on the table as quick fixes, Schneider doesn't have any other options at his disposal that will make enough of a difference financially to allow him to continue improving the football team. For the Seahawks to keep themselves in decent shape cap-wise beyond 2023 and still add experienced pieces now, extensions are the only smart way to go and should be the next course of action.

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