Could Seahawks pursue Dwight Freeney, Reggie Wayne?

The Seahawks are working toward extending quarterback Russell Wilson and linebacker Bobby Wagner this week, but if a Russell Wilson deal doesn't get done before training camp, Seattle could pursue a few outside free agents still out there on the market, reports ESPN's Jim Trotter.

Said Trotter:

If the [Seahawks] don't get Russell done, they're going to take the $20M they've set aside for him and possibly use it on free agent veterans. There are a couple they're intrigued with — one is Dwight Freeney, the other is wide receiver Reggie Wayne. So, if Russell's contract doesn't get done by Friday, potentially look for the Seahawks to supplement their roster with some veteran free agents that are out there.

If Wilson signs this week, this may become a moot point, but considering the tenor of talks right now, it's a possibility. Seattle hasn't done much in free agency this offseason because of the demands they're facing in keeping core players already on the team, but this is the time of year where the bargain bin in free agency gets looted. Freeney and Wayne are two intriguing potential options.

As I wrote back in March, Freeney is an interesting piece that could really augment Seattle's nickel pass rush group as a rotational player.

The wily vet had 53 pressures (hits, sacks, hurries) in 2014 per PFF, in 372 snaps, which is a good per-snap number (Cliff Avril had 64 on 432 snaps, for comparison sake, or approximately the same rate) and most of his stats came on hurries. So, he can still move or "affect" the quarterback, a key thing in Seattle's defense, even if the sack production wasn't where he wanted it to be. He may be looking for one last shot at another Super Bowl ring, and the Seahawks would be a good fit in theory.

As for Wayne, that one's not as much of a slam dunk. The 36-year old caught 64 passes for 779 yards and two touchdowns in 2014, but his production faded badly in the latter parts of the year, and he only had one catch in three playoff games as he was mostly phased out of the offense. If Seattle did pursue him, it might be for his mentoring more than anything, though I'm sure he could still be a solid, steady option for Russell Wilson in his fourth year. If the Seahawks go this route, the WR competition could be pretty interesting, and one of Jermaine Kearse, Chris Matthews, Kevin Norwood, or Ricardo Lockette could find themselves on the outside looking in.

Bottom line: neither of these are too likely to happen, particularly if the Russell Wilson deal gets done. That said, it's something to monitor.