Seahawks 2022 Free Agent Primer: Will Dissly
After posting a disappointing 7-10 record to finish in last place in the NFC West during the 2021 season, the Seahawks made an earlier than expected transition into what will be a critical offseason for the future of the franchise.
When the new league year opens on March 16, Seattle will have 15 players scheduled to hit the market as unrestricted free agents. Three players will be restricted free agents and 11 will be exclusive rights free agents, while several other key veterans such as receiver DK Metcalf will be entering the final season of their respective deals ready to negotiate extensions.
Over the next several weeks, I will break down each and every one of the Seahawks' unrestricted free agents by revisiting their 2021 seasons, assessing why they should or should not be re-signed, breaking down an ideal contract, and making an early prediction on whether or not the player will return in 2022.
Next up in the series, Will Dissly has thrived doing the dirty work in the trenches in four seasons in Seattle. Will his blocking value lead to a second contract with the team?
Season In Review
Coming off his first healthy season as an NFL player, Dissly enjoyed the first normal offseason of his career and arrived to training camp in outstanding shape. Settling in as the No. 2 tight end behind Gerald Everett, he appeared in 15 games for the Seahawks in 2021, including starting a career-best 14 games. Targeted 26 times, he caught 21 passes for 231 yards and a touchdown while continuing to contribute as an inline run blocker. He missed two games towards the tail end of the season with COVID-19 and a bruised heel.
Why Seattle Should Re-Sign Him
After making remarkable recoveries from two significant injuries to open his career, Dissly commands the respect of coaches and teammates alike in the locker room. A former defensive lineman at the University of Washington, he brings a blue collar mentality to Seattle's offense, most notably excelling as a run blocker who functions like a sixth lineman much of the time. Per Pro Football Focus, he earned the ninth-best run blocking grade among 37 qualified tight ends (69.8) last season and he ranked 15th out of 46 players in the same category in 2020. He has remained reliable in limited opportunities as a pass catcher, posting a catch rate north of 80 percent for the third consecutive season.
Why Seattle Should Let Him Walk
During his first two seasons, Dissly showed the potential to be a Pro Bowl-caliber tight end, surprising as a receiver with 31 receptions for 418 yards and six touchdowns in just 10 games. But in the two seasons since, he hasn't been near as productive in the passing game, totaling just 482 receiving yards and three touchdowns in 31 games while logging over 1,000 offensive snaps. Some of that has had to do with the supporting cast around him improving and taking away targets, but after flashing such promise early in his career, it's been disappointing seeing how little he has been used, particularly in the red zone. The team may want to explore other possibilities who can factor more into the aerial attack.
Ideal Contract
One year, $1.75 million
Prediction
Dissly deserves all the praise he receives for his top-notch work ethic and ability to bounce back from two injuries that have derailed many NFL careers. He brings his hard hat to work every day and he belongs in the discussion as one of the best blocking tight ends in the league for a reason. But as he hits free agency, his lack of receiving production in a saturated tight end class will hurt his chances of getting a multi-year deal from another team. Given Seattle's desire to run the football under coach Pete Carroll, there may not be a better fit for his skill set and it seems probable he will be brought back on an affordable one-year deal with hopes he can take a step towards being the effective pass catcher he was in his first two seasons with the team.
