How Seahawks' 2020 Opponents Look After One Week of Free Agency
Training camp and the 2020 regular season remain several months away, but it's never too early to check in on upcoming opponents.
Following a blur of an opening week for the new league year with multiple stars moving zip codes and cashing huge checks, how have the Seahawks 13 scheduled opponents changed thus far?
Here's a quick recap of the state of each of Seattle's opponents, including additions and subtractions through free agent signings, trades, and cap casualties.
Los Angeles Rams
Just two years after reaching the Super Bowl, the Rams will look dramatically different on both sides of the football next season. Battling major salary cap problems, the team released running back Todd Gurley and linebacker Clay Matthews on Thursday. Earlier in the week, the Rams also lost defensive tackle Michael Brockers, defensive end Dante Fowler Jr., and linebacker Corey Littleton in free agency. Los Angeles did manage to extend tackle Andrew Whitworth and signed Leonard Floyd as a replacement for Fowler.
San Francisco 49ers
Though the 49ers were forced to deal DeForest Buckner to the Colts, they received the No. 13 overall pick in April's draft in return, giving them two first-round selections. General manager John Lynch also worked swiftly to extend defensive end Arik Armstead, safety Jimmie Ward, and center Ben Garland.
Arizona Cardinals
Entering Kliff Kingsbury's second season at the helm, the Cardinals have been very active to kick off the new year. On Monday, they committed highway robbery stealing All-Pro receiver DeAndre Hopkins from the Texans in exchange for veteran running back David Johnson and a couple draft picks. They also made several nice additions on defense, signing defensive tackle Jordan Phillips, EDGE defender Devon Kennard, and linebacker De'Vondre Campbell.
Minnesota Vikings
Like the Rams, the Vikings will barely resemble the team that traveled to CenturyLink Field last December. While quarterback Kirk Cousins received an extension, the front office needed to open up cap space. As a result, cornerback Xavier Rhodes and defensive tackle Linval Joseph were released and receiver Stefon Diggs was dealt to Buffalo for a load of draft picks. The only notable addition Minnesota has made to this point has been signing massive defensive tackle Michael Pierce to a three-year deal.
Atlanta Falcons
The Seahawks were probably thrilled to see the Rams release Gurley, who has tortured them over the years in divisional battles. Unfortunately, they won't miss out on facing him completely after the star back landed with the Falcons on Friday. Gurley and Fowler should immediately provide upgrades for Atlanta on both sides of the ball, but they will have to find replacements for cornerback Desmond Trufant and tight end Austin Hooper, who signed with the Lions and Browns respectively.
New York Giants
It remains unclear what general manager Dave Gettleman is trying to accomplish, but the Giants spent a ton of money over the past five days, especially on the defensive side of the ball. They spent $15 million per year on former Panthers cornerback James Bradberry, franchise tagged defensive end Leonard Williams, and brought in two ex-Packers linebackers in Blake Martinez and Kyler Fackrell. They'll likely be looking to the draft to add weapons for second-year quarterback Daniel Jones.
Washington Redskins
Overhauling the roster with new coach Ron Rivera in charge, Washington severed ties with tight end Jordan Reed, receiver Paul Richardson, and cornerback Josh Norman. The Redskins haven't made many splashy moves over the past week, though they did franchise tag guard Brandon Scherff and upgraded their secondary by bringing back cornerback Kendall Fuller and signing safety Sean Davis. Former Seahawks linebacker Kevin Pierre-Louis also arrived on a one-year deal.
Philadelphia Eagles
Joining the Cardinals in the competition for the biggest blockbuster trade this week, the Eagles unloaded a couple of draft picks to acquire Pro Bowl cornerback Darius Slay and gave him a three-year extension. Otherwise, Philadelphia has been pretty quiet, with its only other notable move so far being the signing of defensive tackle Javon Hargrave. Don't be surprised if another big move is coming, however, as the organization has been linked recently to Jaguars defensive end Yannick Ngakoue.
Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys still have to find a way to lock up quarterback Dak Prescott on a long-term deal after placing the franchise tag on him, but the franchise has done well overcoming multiple departures. Despite seeing cornerback Byron Jones take a huge deal with Miami and Robert Quinn flee to Chicago, Dallas retained receiver Amari Cooper on a $100 million contract and made a thrifty move to sign veteran defensive tackle Gerald McCoy to a three-year deal. The team also made a solid move to add safety HaHa Clinton Dix on Thursday.
Miami Dolphins
Winning in free agency doesn't necessarily translate to winning games, but the Dolphins are testing the theory by spending a ridiculous amount of money to overhaul their roster. Along with signing Jones to team up with Xavien Howard, Miami gave multi-year deals to running back Jordan Howard, guard Ereck Flowers, defensive ends Shaq Lawson and Emmanuel Ogbah, linebacker Kyle Van Noy, and safety Clayton Fejedelem this week. With three first-round picks in April, the Dolphins will have a chance to continue adding young talent to the fold.
New England Patriots
Fans unfortunately won't get to see another rematch between Russell Wilson and Tom Brady, who departed to sign a two-year deal with the Buccaneers. Brady wasn't the only notable player to flee town either, as Van Noy, linebacker Jamie Collins, defensive tackle Danny Shelton, and center Ted Karras all signed deals with other teams. New England has been pretty quiet signing free agents, with safety Adrian Phillips and defensive tackle Beau Allen being the only two substantial additions to this point.
Buffalo Bills
Though they didn't sign some of the biggest names available, the Bills have quietly had an outstanding offseason. Coming off a playoff appearance in 2019, general manager Brandon Beane has been aggressive adding pieces to an already talented defense, signing former Seahawks defensive end Quinton Jefferson, Panthers edge rusher Mario Addison, and cornerback Josh Norman. But their biggest move came in the form of a trade, as Beane brought in an elite receiving weapon in Stefon Diggs for quarterback Josh Allen.
New York Jets
Focusing on upgrading the offensive line without breaking the bank, the Jets signed ex-Seahawks tackle George Fant and former Broncos center Connor McGovern to three-year contracts. Otherwise, New York hasn't done much, as they released veteran cornerback Trumaine Johnson and re-signed nickel cornerback Brian Poole.
