One Free Agent Seahawks Could Pursue From Championship Weekend Squads

Set to enter free agency with ample cap space, Seattle should be intrigued by a pair of defensive tackles, a future Hall of Fame edge rusher, and a rising blind side protector in Sunday's slate of championship games who may hit the market in March.

With a berth to the Super Bowl on the line, the Bengals will travel to Kansas City to face the Chiefs and the 49ers will battle the Rams in an NFC West grudge match in what should be an exhilarating NFL championship weekend.

While fans watch to see who will advance to Los Angeles for a chance to snag a Lombardi Trophy, executives from other NFL franchises will be keeping a close eye on impending free agents for all four remaining playoff squads as they continue to build their respective offseason blueprints.

Which soon-to-be free agents playing on Sunday would be good fits for the Seahawks to pursue in March? Here's a look at four players who should be on general manager John Schneider's radar:

Cincinnati Bengals: Larry Ogunjobi

Due a foot injury sustained in the wild card round, Ogunjobi won't suit up for Cincinnati in the AFC Championship Game. But the athletic 6-foot-4, 305-pound defensive tackle will likely be one of the most sought after free agents at his position after producing a career-best 7.0 sacks and 16 quarterback hits on a one-year deal with the Bengals in 2021. While he didn't grade out well at all as a run defender last season per Pro Football Focus (39.0), he's historically been decent in that category and has three seasons of five or more sacks in his five-year career. Teaming him up with Poona Ford and/or Al Woods would give the Seahawks a ferocious interior defensive line and Ogunjobi also may intrigue as a Red Bryant-style "big" 5-tech defensive end given his skill set and pass rushing ability.

Kansas City Chiefs: Orlando Brown Jr.

The Chiefs gave up a first-round pick to the Ravens to acquire Brown a year ago, so they'll likely do everything they can to keep him, including slapping the franchise tag on him. But the team does have a bit of a salary cap crunch, which could make it possible the 26-year old blind side protector hits the market. If that happens, the Seahawks desperately need to find a long-term solution protecting Russell Wilson with Duane Brown set to turn 37 years old in August. While Orlando Brown would be far more expensive to sign than bringing back Duane Brown, he has been one of the premier pass blocking tackles in football for the past three seasons, making three consecutive Pro Bowls. That's the type of splashy move that would keep Wilson happy in the Pacific Northwest.

Los Angeles Rams: Von Miller

Miller will turn 33 years old in March and isn't the elite All-Pro pass rushing phenom he once was. But since joining the Rams in a midseason trade, he's proven he still has a nose for finding opposing quarterbacks. In his past six games, including a pair of playoff victories, the veteran has produced 7.0 sacks, nine quarterback hits, and a whopping 28 pressures. He still can pin his ears back and bend the corner as well as any speed rusher in football, as evidenced by his dominance amassing 10 pressures against the Buccaneers in the divisional round last weekend. The Rams likely will have trouble re-signing him due to cap issues and there's a possibility the Seahawks could hire Ed Donatell, who coached Miller for three seasons with the Broncos, as their new defensive coordinator. Even if Donatell isn't the pick, Seattle should be very interested in pursuing Miller to bolster its pass rush and serve as a mentor for Darrell Taylor.

San Francisco 49ers: D.J. Jones

Signing former 49ers isn't something new for the Seahawks, who have added cornerback D.J. Reed and defensive end Kerry Hyder to the fold over the past two years. Unlike Ogunjobi, Jones isn't known for his pass rushing prowess and has never finished with more than three quarterback hits in a single season. But the powerful 6-foot, 305-pound defensive tackle has been stout against the run throughout his career and has proven to be disruptive in the trenches, finishing second on the team with 10 tackles for loss this season. He's a high-energy player whose statistics don't always reflect his true on-field value either. The 49ers would love to keep him, but salary cap constraints may prevent that from happening and his price point could fall right into the Seahawks' wheelhouse if they want an upgrade at defensive tackle who may also be able to play some big end as well.