NFL Free Agency 2018: Remaining offensive players who could interest Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks have plenty of offensive needs remaining after the first week of free agency. Here are some of the players who could still technically fill those needs.

Backup QB

The Seahawks actually still have Trevone Boykin under contract, but surely they’ll need more than that and Austin Davis remains a free agent.

Potential backups with starting experience include Blaine Gabbert, Geno Smith, Brock Osweiler, E.J. Manuel, Mark Sanchez, and Matt Cassel. If you think those players are bad, that’s fine, and why they are free agent backup QBs. There aren’t enough QBs in the entire world to start for all 32 teams, so you can imagine that most of the backups carry little upside and are terrifying thoughts as starters. That being said, Case Keenum and Nick Foles had their time in the sun in 2017, so who knows what the future will bring. Of course, Colin Kaepernick also remains available and the Seahawks do not fear those who protest and brought him in for a visit last year.

Running Back Depth

I think Chris Carson is the starter, or should be moving forward, but his injury and lack of experience certainly indicate that he needs serious competition.

Seattle has already entertained DeMarco Murray, who remains available. Former starters include Alfred Morris, Frank Gore, LeGarrette Blount, Adrian Peterson, Jeremy Hill, and Jamaal Charles. Change-of-pace/scat dudes include Danny Woodhead, Darren Sproles, Charles Sims, and Andre Ellington. Mike Davis and Thomas Rawls did not receive RFA tenders from the Seahawks, but are available to re-sign; that’s what they did with Christine Michael once.

Kerwynn Williams is 26 and had a decent-ish output behind perhaps the NFL’s worst offensive line at the end of last season. He also remains available.

Receivers 2 and 3

The Seahawks have Doug Baldwin as a “number one receiver in the slot” and Tyler Lockett one the outside, but Lockett is maddeningly inconsistent and Seattle needs more experience at that position, I think. The issue is that receivers are getting wildly overpaid right now, so they just have to step aside and wait.

Amara Darboh, David Moore, and Tanner McEvoy lead the way for competing for those available targets, but those guys and some rookies aren’t enough.

Newly-released Michael Crabtree tops the free agents and at 30, he may not be done. He was a significant threat from 2015-2016 with the Raiders, and has scored 25 touchdowns in the last three seasons. Former Seahawks QB Terrelle Pryor is also available, along with Mike Wallace, Jordan Matthews, Kendall Wright, Jeremy Maclin, Eric Decker, and Michael Floyd. Ryan Grant signed a four-year, $29 million deal, then failed a physical. He is also still available to a team willing to pass his physical.

Receiving Tight End

The Seahawks signed Ed Dickson but he has 12 touchdowns in eight seasons. He’s not replacing Jimmy Graham, who had 10 touchdowns last year. Seattle needs someone there who can be a threat to catch some passes.

Eric Ebron has disappointed since being the 10th overall pick, but has 161 catches, 1,822 yards, and 10 touchdowns in the last three seasons. New location may result in a better valuation of his talents.

Martellus Bennett, Ben Watson, Antonio Gates, Julius Thomas, and Richard Rodgers remain available.

Right Tackle

Seattle could technically bring in competition for Germain Ifedi, maybe even move Ifedi back to guard, but I don’t think it’s a priority, so they’ll maybe wait until basically all the tackles are signed and they get the best discount. Even if that means he’s not a good player.

Guards

The guard deals being given out are terrible, in my opinion, and this has been happening with offensive linemen for years now. The Seahawks have Ethan Pocic, Jordan Roos, and Rees Odhiambo, and they probably prefer that two of those guys become the starters for next season. They still may prefer a cheap offensive line over an experienced one. We’re seeing linemen with bad reputations getting $4-$8 million per season. So they definitely can’t afford a good one, if they’re sticking to the plan they usually stick to. It’s really up to how much different Mike Solari ends up being from Tom Cable.

Mike Pouncey, Jack Mewhort, Ryan Jensen, Joeckel, Alex Boone, former Seahawk Jahri Evans, Jonathan Cooper, Russell Bodine, Shaun Lauvao, Oday Aboushi, Amini Silatolu, Brian Schwenke, and Xavier Su’a-Filo.

They have been connected to D.J. Fluker, who could play tackle or guard and was with Solari last season in New York.