Seattle Seahawks 2020 free agent profile: Tackle George Fant

Seahawks tackle George Fant told reporters he wants to sign somewhere where he can compete to start at left tackle, a bad sign for Seattle.

*The Seattle Seahawks are heading into the 2020 offseason with 19 players set to become unrestricted free agents, which should make for another busy spring and summer for Pete Carroll and John Schneider as they look to shore up the roster and contend for the number one seed in the NFC again next year.*

Our free agent series continues with a look at tackle/tight end George Fant.

George Fant’s free agency will be one of the most interesting ones for Seahawks fans to watch. Used primarily in a sixth lineman/blocking tight end role, Fant made it clear to reporters after the season that he wants to find an opportunity where he can compete to start at left tackle – something that almost certainly won’t happen in Seattle with Duane Brown still under contract.

However, the Seahawks could look to bring back Fant to compete at right tackle, especially with Germain Ifedi set to hit the open market and Jamarco Jones a potential option to start at left guard in place of Mike Iupati.

Fant would also be an excellent player to bring back in his blocking tight end role, although it doesn’t seem likely he’ll go for that unless Seattle overpays.

As such, it seems like Fant will look hard for a new opportunity this March, and it wouldn’t be a shock to see a team with a need at tackle pay big money for his services – likely ending his tenure in Seattle.

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Seattle Seahawks 2020 free agent profile: DE Jadeveon Clowney

The Seattle Seahawks entire offseason rests on the contract of star defensive end Jadeveon Clowney. Will the team pony up to bring him back?

Our free agent series continues with a look at defensive end Jadeveon Clowney.

When the Seahawks traded for star defensive end Jadeveon Clowney just before the start of the 2019 season, it was always known it could be just a one-year partnership between both sides.

After all, Clowney insisted his new contract with Seattle include a clause preventing them from placing a franchise tag on him this offseason, clearing the way for him to enter free agency ahead of his age-27 season.

Clowney’s numbers last year for the Seahawks may look relatively tame, with his 31 combined tackles, seven for loss, and three sacks all representing career lows outside of his rookie season when he only appeared in four games.

However, Clowney still had a huge impact on this Seattle defense, often drawing double teams that freed up other players while also proving himself a menace in both the running and passing game, and earning admiration from his teammates for playing big chunks of the season through a sports hernia injury, for which he is expected to get surgery very shortly.

The surgery isn’t expected to prohibit Seattle from signing him, but the price tag will be the big kicker. Clowney will almost certainly look for a record-breaking multi-year deal, and while the Seahawks have the cap space to get it done, they may try to spread out their money instead, heading into 2020.

Clowney’s free agency will be a big hinge for how the next few seasons go in the Emerald City.

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Seattle Seahawks 2020 free agent profile: Running back C.J. Prosise

Will the Seattle Seahawks bring back RB C.J. Prosise now that his rookie contract is up, or will they move on with Travis Homer instead?

Our free agent series continues with a look at running back C.J. Prosise.

A 2016 third-round pick by the Seahawks, C.J. Prosise tantalized fans and coaches with a unique skill set as a receiver out of the backfield. He showed a ton of promise in a handful of games his rookie season, but an incredibly unlucky three-year run of injuries has limited Prosise to just 25 games and 657 all-purpose yards on his rookie contract, which ran out after the 2019 season.

Prosise was mostly healthy last year, but he only appeared in nine games and rushed 23 times for 72 yards along with 10 receptions for 76 yards before going down with a season-ending injury in Week 16 against the Cardinals.

Now, Prosise will head to free agency without a clear spot on the Seattle roster, as Chris Carson, Rashaad Penny and Travis Homer project to be the team’s top three backs in 2020.

The Seahawks could look to bring him back to compete for a No. 4 running back job, or as added depth in the preseason, but it’s hard to imagine Prosise cracking the 53-man roster for the fifth consecutive year.

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Seattle Seahawks 2020 free agent profile: DT Jarran Reed

Will the Seattle Seahawks pony up to keep defensive tackle Jarran Reed next year, or will he price his way out of the Emerald City?

Our free agent series continues with a look at defensive tackle Jarran Reed.

Outside of Jadeveon Clowney, Jarran Reed’s free-agency will be the most impactful one to watch for the Seahawks.

Reed already made it very clear he expects more than the $8-10 million annually many are projecting for him, figures that seem reasonable for the Seahawks to pay but not likely for them to top.

Therefore, Reed’s time in Seattle could be nearing an end, if he is able to get that kind of money from another organization.

Reed had a monstrous 2018 season, recording 24 quarterback hits and 10.5 sacks, near the top of the list among interior defensive lineman.

Reed’s 2019 season didn’t start until Week 7 after he served a six-game suspension for violating the league’s personal conduct policy – and he only managed two sacks and eight quarterback hits the rest of the way, along with a pass defended and a forced fumble.

Despite the down year, Reed is still a force on the interior and would be very valuable for a Seahawks squad that was hurting all season long on the defensive line.

His potential return to Seattle will depend on how the market for defensive tackles shapes up, and how other teams value him after two very different campaigns in the last two years.

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Seattle Seahawks 2020 free agent profile: Tight end Luke Willson

Will the Seattle Seahawks bring back fan favorite Luke Willson at tight end in 2020, or will the veteran be looking for another job?

Our free agent series continues with a look at tight end Luke Willson.

One of the many areas Seattle is expected to make significant changes at is tight end. After starting tight end Will Dissly went down with a torn Achilles, his second straight season-ending injury, the team turned to midseason free-agent pickup Luke Willson and practice-squad call-up Jacob Hollister.

Willson was signed after the team dealt Nick Vannett to the Steelers, and he immediately brought joy to the locker room and the fanbase, as the fan-favorite returned to Seattle after spending the 2018 season with the Lions.

Willson may have been a great locker room presence, but he didn’t do much on the field, hauling in eight receptions (on 10 targets) for 79 yards in eight games – missing a handful of games down the stretch with a rib injury.

With Dissly expected to return healthy in 2020, Willson’s role on this team is unclear. Hollister and tackle George Fant are both free agents as well, so Seattle almost certainly needs to re-sign at least one of this trio or else find someone else on the free-agent market or in the draft.

Willson is a strong run-blocker, something the Seahawks crave in their tight ends, but his age and lack of performance could have him looking for a new job in 2020 if the team decides to look elsewhere for production at tight end.

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Seattle Seahawks 2020 free agent profile: RB Marshawn Lynch

Marshawn Lynch’s late season return was one of the best stories of 2019, but will the Seattle Seahawks bring him back for one more run?

The Seattle Seahawks are heading into the 2020 offseason with 19 players set to become unrestricted free agents, which should make for another busy spring and summer for Pete Carroll and John Schneider as they look to shore up the roster and contend for the number one seed in the NFC again next year.

On Christmas Eve, the Seahawks gave their fans a big present with the return of a franchise icon when they signed Marshawn Lynch off the street to come in and contribute to a running back group that was without Chris Carson, Rashaad Penny and C.J. Prosise.

Lynch more than delivered, not only with his trademark personality and brevity with the media, but with four rushing touchdowns in three games as the team’s short-yardage back.

At age 33 and after taking nearly all of 2019 off, not to mention most of 2018 and all of 2016 during his first retirement, it seems like Lynch might actually be done with his playing career.

You can never say never with Beast Mode though, and coach Carroll already hinted he might be willing to take him back if the opportunity were to arise.

It’s ultimately unlikely that we see Lynch in a Seahawks uniform in 2020, but until he closes the door on his playing career – for good this time – anything is possible.

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Seattle Seahawks 2020 free agent profile: LB Mychal Kendricks

Will the Seattle Seahawks bring back linebacker Mychal Kendricks, or will they turn to 2019 rookie Cody Barton to replace him at SAM?

Our free agent series continues with a look at linebacker Mychal Kendricks.

Lining up as the team’s SAM linebacker, Mychal Kendricks had a solid season for the Seahawks. He racked up 71 combined tackles, four passes defended, three sacks, one forced fumble and an interception in 14 games played.

However, Kendricks often struggled in pass coverage, a task assigned to Seattle’s linebackers more than ever in 2019 thanks to an over-reliance on their base 4-3 defense, and he had issues with open field tackles as well.

Kendricks also suffered a torn ACL near the end of the season and is facing potential jail time stemming from a charge of insider trading leveled against him before the 2018 season.

All that, along with the emergence of 2019 rookie Cody Barton down the stretch, makes it look more and more like Kendricks has played his last down with the Seahawks while the team looks to Barton to replace him at SAM.

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Seattle Seahawks 2020 free agent profile: Tight end Jacob Hollister

Will the Seattle Seahawks look to re-sign surprise performer Jacob Hollister next year, or will they look elsewhere for a backup tight end?

The Seattle Seahawks are heading into the 2020 offseason with 19 players set to become unrestricted free agents and five players who will be restricted free agents, which should make for another busy spring and summer for Pete Carroll, John Schneider and company as they look to shore up the roster and contend for the number one seed in the NFC again next year.

Hollister ended up taking over as Seattle’s primary pass-catcher, hauling in 41 receptions for 349 yards and three touchdowns – nearly getting a fourth in the Week 17 finale against San Francisco.

Hollister emerged as a reliable outlet for Russell Wilson, but his size limited him as a run-blocker – an area the Seahawks love their tight ends to thrive.

With Dissly expected to return, Hollister’s potential role on this team going forward is unclear. Willson and tackle George Fant are both free agents as well, so Seattle almost certainly needs to re-sign at least one of this trio or else find someone else on the free-agent market or in the draft.

Hollister is a restricted free agent, meaning the Seahawks will have the right to match any contract offers tendered to him during free agency.

Considering Hollister’s lack of exposure to the rest of the league, he seems like a decent bet to re-sign with the Seahawks for a relatively small price and compete for that backup role once again in 2020.

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Seattle Seahawks 2020 free agent profile: Right tackle Germain Ifedi

Will the Seattle Seahawks finally move on from Germain Ifedi at right tackle during free agency or will he be back in 2020?

Prior to last season, the Seahawks declined to pick up the fifth-year option on right tackle Germain Ifedi, allowing him to test free agency this year instead of re-signing him for roughly $10 million in 2020.

That lays out a rough framework of where the Seahawks value Ifedi, one of the most polarizing players on the team the past few years.

However, there is a league-wide dearth of talent at offensive tackle, and it doesn’t seem outrageous to expect another team to offer Ifedi a contract in the $10 million range annually, especially after he showed improvement across the board in 2019.

Seattle could still look to bring him back as well, with limited options to replace him now that Jamarco Jones has transitioned to guard and George Fant is set to hit free agency.

Ifedi isn’t very many fans’ favorite player, but there’s a decent chance he’s back in the blue and green in 2020.

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Pro Football Focus has Seahawks selecting CB in latest mock draft

Will the Seattle Seahawks break tradition and snag a cornerback in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft? Pro Football Focus thinks so.

The NFL season is officially over following the Kansas City Chiefs 31-20 win over the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LIV.

With that, players, coaches, front office folks, fans and media members will turn their attention toward the next big date on the NFL calendar: the draft.

Mock drafts have already been flying around the blogosphere, and the latest from Pro Football Focus has the Seattle Seahawks doing what they have been reticent to do under Pete Carroll and John Schneider: draft a cornerback in the first round.

While that is a practice Seattle has not participated in recently, it could make sense to buck that trend in 2020 after a poor campaign from Tre Flowers has left the team with a pretty heavy need on the outside opposite Shaquill Griffin.

Plus, Alabama corner Trevon Diggs is about as Seahawk-ey of a prospect as one will find in this draft, and if the team feels they won’t be able to get him in Round 2 it wouldn’t be too shocking to see them pony up a first rounder for him.

“The Seahawks love long corners as much as any team in the league, and Diggs is one of the longest to come out in recent memory,” Michael Renner of PFF wrote in his mock draft summary. “Length is one thing, but knowing how to use it is another. And Diggs proved he could do that this past season, as he allowed a 44.5 passer rating against.”

Diggs is listed at six-foot-two and has a ton of length, with most scouts praising his ability as a zone corner and in press coverage – areas the Seahawks could use some help.

He’s also noted for his physicality and aggressiveness, and while he struggles in off-coverage he possesses the requisite size and skill to be an impact player in Pete Carroll’s cover-3 defense right away.

Seattle doesn’t draft cornerbacks in the first round is a common sentiment around the fanbase, but perhaps it’s time for Carroll and Schneider to break tradition and get a big time player for this depleted secondary.

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