What Remaining Free Agents Make Sense For Seattle Seahawks?

There are still dozens of free agents available as training camp approaches. Given the Seahawks' salary cap constraints, which free agents could make sense?

Sep 17, 2023; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Las Vegas Raiders guard Greg Van Roten (70) blocks Buffalo Bills defensive tackle DaQuan Jones (92) for quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo (10) in the second quarter at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports / Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports

With a new coaching staff taking the helm, the Seahawks made a few free agent signings this offseason that likely will play significant roles this coming season.

At linebacker, for example, the Seahawks brought in two free agent veterans in Jerome Baker and Tyrel Dodson. At safety, they signed former Jaguar Rayshawn Jenkins. Laken Tomlinson will likely start the season as the starting left guard after doing so for the Jets the last two seasons. Seattle filled out the roster with various lower-level free agents as well.

Now, as the calendar is full steam ahead into July, with training camp less than two weeks away, there are still several accomplished free agents on the market. Proven talents like Stephone Gilmore, Steven Nelson, Ryan Tannehill, Adoree' Jackson, Micah Hyde, and many more are still without a team in 2024.

Granted, the Seahawks do not have an endless supply of cash. According to OverTheCap, they have just over $8 million effective cap space. That is little room for another marquee signing. If the Seahawks are to sign another free agent, it will need to be a very affordable deal. It appears, with so many free agents still out there, solid deals can be had, however.

Which free agents could the Seahawks target with their little morsel of free cap space left?

Zach Cunningham, LB

Our own Corbin Smith already touched on this last week in an interview with former Seahawks great Lofa Tatupu.

The linebacker group is one of, if not the biggest concern on the team right now. Not only are the Seahawks replacing future Hall of Famer Bobby Wagner and former first round pick Jordyn Brooks, but the two guys they initially brought in (Baker and Dodson) to fill those roles haven't even been healthy enough to practice yet. The most available linebacker at the moment has been rookie fourth rounder Tyrice Knight.

The Seahawks might need to address the linebacking corps again. Cunningham is a proven veteran of seven years. In 2020, he led the NFL with 164 tackles. Last season, he racked up 85 tackles in 13 games for the Eagles.

Cunningham certainly is not without his injury history. He played just six games for the Titans in 2022 before finishing the season on injured reserve. However, he could bring more stability to that room. Last year, he totaled 35 "stops" per Pro Football Focus. That is described as "tackles that constitute a "failure" for the offense." Cunningham had more stops than solid linebackers like Logan Wilson, Divine Deablo, and Shaquille Leonard.

He also put together an 8.6 percent miss tackle rate, better than Baker (12.6) and equal to Dodson's from last year.

He may not be head-and-shoulders better than Baker or Dodson, but he offers another level of stability. If one of Baker or Dodson is going to miss significant time going into the early parts of the regular season, Cunningham is a solid option. He also likely could be had for less than $2 million.

Greg Van Roten, IOL

Seattle already addressed guard via free agency with Tomlinson. However, there is still massive uncertainty with the entire interior offensive line. It's projected that the Seahawks could have Olu Oluwatimi starting at center in his second year in the NFL along with rookie Christian Haynes at right guard. Plenty of inexperience resides along the interior line.

Van Roten played all of last year at right guard for the Raiders. He did so, being quite proficient at pass blocking. In 626 pass blocking snaps, he earned a 77.4 grade, allowing just 21 pressures all season, with a 97.8 pass blocking efficiency rating. That is better than any interior lineman Seattle had last season. Basically, he graded as a top 10 guard in the NFL last season.

Tomlinson likely has the inside track at left guard. However, Van Roten has over 1,100 career snaps at left guard and even 168 snaps at center in his NFL career. Seattle could bring him in as a solid depth piece around the interior line and put him directly in competition for the right guard spot with Christian Haynes, McClendon Curtis, and Anthony Bradford. Pro Football Focus projects him to be signed for around $2.75 million, well within Seattle's tight budget.

Van Roten would instantly legitimize perhaps Seattle's weakest position group at the moment.

Wild Card: Connor Williams, C

Let me preface this by saying yes, Williams tore his ACL in Week 14 of last season. He likely will not be healthy enough to start the season. There is even doubt he could return by midseason.

That being said, Williams is one of the more underrated centers in all of football. Williams graded out as the best run-blocking center in the NFL by PFF last season before getting hurt. In pass blocking, he allowed just one sack and six pressures in 280 passing snaps.

Looking back at his last healthy season in 2022 with the Dolphins, it was much of the same. His run blocking grade was a solid 85.1, with a nearly identical pass blocking efficienty (98.6) to his great albeit short 2023 season.

Obviously, signing Williams would mean waiting until his knee is built back up. That could come towards the middle of the season. The bonus is that would allow the Seahawks to see what Oluwatimi has as the starting center. If things aren't going well midseason, getting Williams on the field would be like a solid midseason trade acquisition. Williams is markedly better than Seattle's other center option, backup Nick Harris.

The Texas native just barely turned 27 years old. There is still plenty of time for him to heal up and have a solid career. If the Seahawks have doubt about their future at center, Williams could be a coups given his depleted market from his knee injury. PFF projects him to get $7.5 million per season, but that doesn't seem realistic this offseason given his recovery. This move doesn't need to happen immediately, but Williams' situation is something Seattle should monitor.