Garry Gilliam signs one-year offer sheet with 49ers, Seahawks have five days to match

Restricted free agent right tackle Garry Gilliam has signed San Francisco’s offer sheet (a one-year deal), according to ESPN’s Seahawks beat reporter Sheil Kapadia. It was later added by Adam Schefter that the deal is worth $2.2 million, with Kapedia also reporting $1.4 million of it was guaranteed. The Seattle Seahawks had tendered Gilliam with the lowest qualifying offer of one-year, $1.797 million, and no money guaranteed. Gilliam had reportedly turned down a multi-year offer from the 49ers just a few days ago.

The Seahawks have five days to match the offer sheet or else Gilliam is a Niner. Keep in mind that compensation would normally be a draft pick corresponding with the round the player was chosen, but since Gilliam is an UDFA, Seattle wouldn’t receive any pick from their NFC West rivals.

When you consider that Germain Ifedi is set to move to right tackle, Luke Joeckel is starting out at left tackle (and George Fant behind him on the depth chart), and Gilliam was briefly benched for Bradley Sowell late last season, I have my doubts that Seattle is going to retain him. If they do keep him, then at least Ifedi has some competition for the RT spot, not including any potential Seahawks draft choices.