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ESPN’s Brady Henderson is reporting that Ryan Neal has been tendered by the Seattle Seahawks and will therefore be coming back for a third season in Seattle.
I'm told another exclusive rights free agent that the Seahawks have tendered is defensive back Ryan Neal. That was also expected. Neal made four starts last season while Jamal Adams was hurt and had two interceptions, one of which sealed a win over Dallas.
— Brady Henderson (@BradyHenderson) March 12, 2021
Neal was a key depth piece on the Seahawks last season and started in four games. His biggest play of the season, as Henderson mentions in his tweet, was when he picked off Dak Prescott with under a minute left to seal a 7 point victory for the Seahawks over the Cowboys Week 3.
Seattle has now dished out contracts to three exclusive rights free agents: Kyle Fuller, Bryan Mone, and now also Ryan Neal. Running back Patrick Carr, and defensive backs Jayson Stanley and Linden Stephens are yet to be tendered.
Fuller, I was somewhat surprised by, but Mone and Neal had key depth roles on the defense last year and their tendered contracts did not surprise me. We are now just 5 days away from the beginning of NFL free agency on March 17th.