The Seattle Seahawks are heading into the free agency portion of the offseason with 19 unrestricted free agents and five restricted free agents – which will make for a busy month of March for John Schneider and company.
While Seattle will surely bring back at least a handful of their own players, it’s pretty clear next year’s roster will have plenty of new faces as well.
Many of those new names will come via the 2020 NFL draft, but the Seahawks have showed willingness to bring in veteran guys who they believe can help contribute right away, and this year’s free agent class is full of players who fit that bill.
While reunions with players like Michael Bennett and Marshawn Lynch remain a possibility, there are also some new faces – at least new to the Seahawks – who Pete Carroll and his staff could bring into training camp to compete for important jobs in 2020.
Here are three veterans who would immediately boost this Seattle team at key areas of need next season.
Defensive Tackle Ndamukong Suh
It seems like every year the Seahawks pursue a veteran defensive tackle to plug holes on the interior, particularly on early rushing downs. Shamar Stephen, Sheldon Richardson and most recently Al Woods have been called upon to fill these roles, with varying levels of success.
With Woods set to hit free agency and coming off a PED suspension however, it seems likely the Seahawks will once again peruse the veteran market for an interior defensive tackle – and the top of their wish list should be the 33-year-old Ndamukong Suh.
Suh has been a target of Seattle’s in the past, and while he’s no longer the player he once was – when he made five Pro Bowls between 2010 and 2016 – he’s still proven to be a more than capable run-stuffer and an adequate pass rusher.
Last year with Tampa Bay, Suh had 41 combined tackles, 14 quarterback hits, four passes defended, 2.5 sacks and four fumble recoveries, two which went for touchdowns. He appeared in all 16 games for the eighth consecutive season, and has only missed two games in his 10-year career.
Suh’s experience, spotless injury history and continued production would make him an excellent signing up front on Seattle’s defensive line, regardless of whether they bring back Jarran Reed.
Wide Receiver A.J. Green
Suh may be a model of health, but that is a rarity among NFL players – none who exemplify that more than former Bengals receiver A.J. Green.
Green is set to hit free agency after missing all of 2019 with ankle injuries, and missing seven games in 2018 with a toe injury.
Prior to those two seasons, however, Green played in 102 out of 112 possible games dating back to 2011. In those seven seasons, Green averaged 87 receptions, 1,288 yards and nine touchdowns per season, making the Pro Bowl in every year and never racking up less than 964 yards.
Green is a wiry six-foot-four and 210 pounds, and his length and speed would make him the perfect No. 3 receiver for the Seahawks behind Tyler Lockett and D.K. Metcalf.
Playing alongside Russell Wilson and not having the pressure that comes with being a team’s No. 1 option could both be huge blessings for Green, if he is able to stay healthy.
While he probably wouldn’t top 80 receptions or 1,000 yards like he did with regularity in Cincinnati, he would be an excellent compliment to Seattle’s offensive attack and would give Wilson another great option on the outside.
Tight End Greg Olsen
Olsen reportedly visited with the Seahawks this week, after making it known on Twitter that he would be interested in partnering up with Russell Wilson.
Olsen’s surprise parting of ways with Carolina opens the door for the soon-to-be 35-year-old to play for a different team for the first time since 2010.
While Olsen is clearly past his prime, and is an obvious risk given his injury history, he would still be an excellent veteran to pair with Will Dissly for the Seahawks.
Dissly has battled injuries for a rough start to his career, but when healthy the duo of him and Olsen would be among the league’s best.
Last year, Seattle turned to Jacob Hollister and Luke Willson to replace Dissly, but with both set to hit free agency it’s no secret the team could use reinforcements. Dissly, Olsen and either a late round draft pick or the re-signing of Hollister would shore up a key position – while giving the Seahawks a cerebral, veteran mentor in Olsen.
