Seahawks 2021 Free Agent Targets Per Team: AFC East
For the final article in this series, I’ll be taking a look at an AFC East division that underwent a changing of the guard last year. The Seahawks saw all four of these teams up close and personal in 2020, going 3-1 with the lone loss dealt by the division-winning Bills.
Therefore, all four of these players are fresh in Seattle's collective memory. Let’s learn a bit more about them and why they would fit in the Pacific Northwest in 2021.
New England: IOL Joe Thuney
Kicking things off with the final “splash” move of this exercise, I’m sticking with the trend of targeting big name interior offensive linemen. After analyzing the Seahawks’ 30-20 wild-card loss to the Rams last month, it’s clear this is their most pressing need. And with Russell Wilson’s frustration about the unit coming to light last week, there hasn’t been more public pressure placed upon Seattle’s organization to address the long criticized position group than now.
I’ve looked at Corey Linsley, Brandon Scherff, and now: Patriots left guard Joe Thuney. The 2019 second-team All-Pro is set to have a vast market this offseason with a healthy contract awaiting him at the end of the process. Though the Seahawks are limited in salary cap space for now, there are plenty of ways for them to create flexibility to sign a player of Thuney’s caliber. And they absolutely should if they truly want to fix their offense and keep their star quarterback happy.
Thuney has been an exceptional pass blocker and a slightly above-average run blocker in the trenches. He’s allowed just 3.0 sacks in his last 1,833 pass blocking snaps while averaging a 68.2 grade in the run game from Pro Football Focus. At the age of 28, Thuney would be a strong investment in the present - and future - of the Seahawks’ offensive line.
Other options: WR Damiere Byrd, C David Andrews, OL Jermaine Eluemunor, ED Deatrich Wise, Shilique Calhoun, S Terrence Brooks
New York Jets: ED Tarell Basham
It feels like the Seahawks come away with at least one former Jets player every offseason. Whether it be current Seahawks like Brandon Shell or Jamal Adams, or other names that have come through the Emerald City in recent years such as Sheldon Richardson and Parry Nickerson, Pete Carroll and John Schneider always have their eye on what’s going on in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
One player I think they’ll love this offseason is Jets unrestricted free agent Tarell Basham. The 26-year old can do it all off the edge; he’s an excellent run defender, wins a fair amount in pass-rushing situations, and creates turnovers. This past season, he finished 10th amongst all edges in the NFL in run-stop win rate at a 27 percent clip while logging 3.5 sacks on 32 total pressures. He also forced three fumbles and put up 36 combined tackles.
The Jets should absolutely bring Basham back if they can. But if they don’t, the Seahawks would be a fun landing spot for him if they don’t bring back Benson Mayowa and/or cut Carlos Dunlap.
Other options: WR Breshad Perriman, ED Jordan Jenkins, S Matthias Farley
Buffalo Bills: WR Isaiah McKenzie
Looking at the Bills’ lineup of free agents, there weren’t a ton options I was all too interested in from the Seahawks’ perspective. After some debate, I finally landed on receiver Isaiah McKenzie.
Seattle needs a legit No. 3 receiver in its corps but it could also use depth as well. Carroll and Schneider love speed at the position and McKenzie provides a good amount of burst. While he’s never put up eye-catching numbers, he’s a solid route runner with the ability to break off an explosive play at any moment.
In 2020, McKenzie caught 30 of 34 targets for 282 yards and five touchdowns. He most recently shined in Buffalo’s Week 17 blowout of the Dolphins, finding the end zone twice on six catches for 65 yards along with another score on an 84-yard punt return. McKenzie is far from the biggest name to appear in this exercise, but there’s a non-zero chance he could be one of the better under-the-radar signings of the offseason for whomever he ultimately lands with.
Other options: WR Andre Roberts, OT Ty Nsekhe, IOL Brian Winters, ED Trent Murphy, LB Matt Milano, S Dean Marlowe
Miami Dolphins: C Ted Karras
After starting with Patriots guard Joe Thuney, we finish with a former New England interior offensive lineman: Ted Karras. The 27-year old center is definitely not in the realm of some of the other linemen I’ve covered in this series, but he’s been a league-average player over the past two seasons and could fill a need at a low cost—especially if the Seahawks spend big on a guard like Thuney or Brandon Scherff this offseason.
Rotating between quarterbacks Tua Tagovailoa and Ryan Fitzpatrick, Karras allowed 2.0 sacks on 11 total pressures in 667 pass blocking opportunities in 2020. That performance earned him a 67.8 pass block grade from PFF along with his 65.3 overall grade.
Karras would be an upgrade over Ethan Pocic; not an entirely significant one, but an upgrade nonetheless. And if they do hit big at guard, he’d be a fine complementary veteran piece to go along with their shiny new toy.
Other options: RB Matt Breida, WR Isaiah Ford, DT Davon Godchaux, LB Kamu Grugier-Hill, S Kavon Frazier
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