Last season the Seattle Seahawks finished with their most wins since 2014 and advanced to the divisional round of the playoffs. The Seahawks are in dire need of retooling their defensive line and secondary. Fortunately for Seattle, NFL free agency is right around the corner and there are now two new potential players to look at who will be hitting the market.
In a move to clear up some much-needed cap space, the Vikings released two key players from their defense – cornerback Xavier Rhodes and defensive tackle Linval Joseph.
Rhodes and Joseph have been stalwarts on a talented Vikings defense for some time now, but their releases were in an effort to free Minnesota of roughly $19 million in their salary cap.
While Rhodes and Joseph were mainly released for salary cap purposes, neither had particularly great seasons last year, which likely factored into their departures. Joseph continued to have a decline in tackles for a third year in a row, with only 44. Meanwhile, Rhodes allowed a completion percentage of 81.5% and a passer rating of 123.8.
Seattle’s defensive front and secondary were considerable liabilities for the Seahawks in 2019, especially during their 28-23 loss to the Green Bay Packers in the Divisional Round. Even Seahawks general manager John Schneider openly recognizes the shortcomings from the secondary.
Although it may seem questionable for the Seahawks to bring in Rhodes and/or Linval, they might be worth a look from Seattle. Their down years might be driving down their financial value, which could lead to them seeking shorter “prove-it” style deals.
If the price ends up being right, Rhodes and Linval might be useful depth signings to bring in a veteran presence to a young Seahawks defense.
