The deadline to designate players with the franchise or transition tag has officially passed, leaving multiple pending high-end free agents available for any team to sign at the start of the new league year March 13.
The Seahawks brought back edge rusher Frank Clark, inking him to the team’s first franchise tag of any kind since kicker Olindo Mare in 2010.
However, Seattle is still in need of more help on the edge, and there are still plenty of talented edge rushers available now that the franchise tag deadline has passed.
Here are four free agents, three pass rushers and one safety, who could be of interest to Seattle now that they will likely be available once free agency begins.
Trey Flowers
It only makes sense for Seattle to obtain the monopoly on NFL players named Tre(y) Flowers. Kidding aside, New England’s big-time edge defender finished his fourth NFL season with 7.5 sacks and a very solid 89.7 grade from Pro Football Focus.
Imagining a pass rush with both Clark and Flowers on the edges is tantalizing, but the cost to acquire Flowers is probably going to price him out of Seattle.
The Seahawks committed $17.128 million to Clark, and need to save up some money if they want to come to terms with an extension with quarterback Russell Wilson before he hits free agency, not to mention defensive tackle Jarran Reed, who like Wilson is set to become a free agent after 2019.
Flowers is a nice thought, but signing him might be nothing more than a pipe dream if this team wants to keep Wilson and company.
Preston Smith
Smith, like Clark, is coming off his rookie contract after four solid but inconsistent years with the Redskins.
Washington flirted with the idea of franchising Smith but ultimately decided to let him test free agency. In a market filled with edge rushers, not to mention a loaded draft class, it is possible a player like Smith could slip through the cracks and end up on a more affordable contract — which would be of interest to the cost-conscious Seahawks.
Smith earned a 76.9 grade from Pro Football Focus last year, racking up four sacks, three passes defended and one interception. He had two seasons with eight or more sacks previously, so a partnership between him and Clark, who will both be 26 next season, could be a terror for opposing quarterbacks.
Ezekiel Ansah
The Lions gave Ansah the franchise tag last offseason but decided against it this year after the 29-year-old battled through an injury-riddled season. He still had four sacks in seven games while only making two starts.
Ansah has been a nightmare for opposing quarterbacks ever since he was drafted fifth overall in 2013. He has 48 sacks in his six-year career, and although the injuries were a concern last season, he had been remarkably durable prior to 2018.
Ansah is one of the most experienced edge rushers available this offseason, and while his age and injury history are concerns, they should help keep his price in a range that Seattle is comfortable with. That makes him one of the most plausible options on the open market.
Landon Collins
The Giants will surprisingly let the dynamic safety test out free agency, where he should command a hefty payday. Seattle may not be willing to shell out the kind of dough necessary to sign the 25-year-old to a long-term contract, but if they do Collins would be a spectacular get for this young secondary.
Collins posted 428 tackles in his four years in New York, with eight interceptions and four sacks. He is a three-time Pro Bowl pick and was named an All-Pro in 2016.
Collins would easily step in and replace Earl Thomas, and would make a formidable safety tandem alongside Bradley McDougald. It’s not quite as elite as the Legion of Boom, but it’s easy to see why Seahawks fans drool over those two in tandem in the secondary.
Still, the price is the big concern here, and unless it dramatically changes it seems unlikely Seattle will pay full price for Collins this offseason.
