The Seattle Seahawks have had a lot of success rooting through the free agent bargain bin in years past. Just last season the Seahawks got great results out of bargain pickups like Barkevious Mingo, J.R. Sweezy, and Poona Ford.
With a big-time contract for Frank Clark and a contract extension for Russell Wilson looming large, the Seahawks will once again hunt for ways to upgrade their roster without breaking the bank.
Here are three free agents, including a familiar face, who could help Seattle next season and who won’t break the bank.
Matt Tobin, offensive lineman
Remember Matt Tobin? He played in 15 games for the Seahawks back in 2018 after spending the four previous seasons in Philadelphia.
The Patriots signed Tobin last year, but he bounced around multiple practice squads without appearing in the NFL. Still, Seattle could use depth on the offensive line – and while Tobin wasn’t great with the Seahawks he was under the ‘tutelage’ of former coach Tom Cable. It’s possible coaching could help Tobin grow, a la Mark Glowinski with the Colts, or Germain Ifedi last year.
Tobin will likely cost next to nothing and would give Seattle another versatile offensive lineman to move around the line and challenge the current starters for playing time. Worst case, he’s a nice player to have on the practice squad as he can play guard and tackle, and even played some tight end with Philadelphia back in the day.
Bennie Logan, defensive tackle
After serving primarily as a starter from 2014-2017, Logan came off the bench last season for the Titans. In 15 games played, he recorded just 14 combined tackles – the lowest mark of his career by a big margin.
At just 29 years old, it’s possible there’s still some left in the tank for the former third-round pick. Seattle is in need of some more bodies on the defensive line, especially with Shamar Stephen set to hit free agency and Nazair Jones moving over to defensive end.
Logan is a big bodied nose tackle who is better at disrupting running lanes than he is at getting to the quarterback. However, Seattle has Jarran Reed on hand as an outstanding pass rusher.
Logan could come in, hopefully on a team-friendly deal, and fill the lanes for Seattle and serve as somewhat of a mentor for Poona Ford. If that’s the case, he could be a nice bargain for a team in need of help on the defensive front.
Sam Shields, cornerback
Shields recently turned 31 and is entering his ninth NFL season. He spent the first seven in Green Bay with the Packers and was a backup with the Rams last year, recording 22 combined tackles, four passes defended and one interception.
Shields has had injury issues and is no longer the elite player he once was when he made the Pro Bowl in 2014.
However, he has a lot of experience and could serve as a great backup to Tre Flowers and Shaquill Griffin, while giving them a push for their starting jobs during training camp.
Seattle has four cornerbacks from last season set to hit free agency in Justin Coleman, Neiko Thorpe, Akeem King and Kalan Reed. They need to shore up their depth in the secondary, and while they will likely try to re-sign at least one or two of their guys, bringing in a guy like Shields couldn’t hurt.
