Seahawks 2021 Free Agent Targets Per Team: NFC West
When the 2021 NFL free agency period begins on March 17, the Seahawks will look to address several holes along a roster that’s still well within its championship window. Despite Over the Cap’s current projection of just $4.9 million in salary cap space, Seattle has many avenues it can take to create more flexibility this offseason. They’re going to be able to spend - at least a little bit - next month, but who should they target?
Over the coming days, I’ll be going around each division in the NFL identifying one impending free agent from each team who makes sense for the Seahawks. To kick things off, we’ll be taking a look at what Seattle’s divisional rivals have to offer out of the NFC West.
Arizona Cardinals: ED Markus Golden
Honestly, the Cardinals don’t have many options here that fit. I debated putting cornerback Patrick Peterson in this spot, but that seems like a bit of a reach. I also thought about interior offensive lineman J.R. Sweezy, but given Russell Wilson’s comments the past couple days, that doesn’t feel like a move that would meet his standards.
Benson Mayowa and Bruce Irvin are both set to become unrestricted free agents this March, so the Seahawks are likely to be in the market for a veteran pass-rusher. That could bring them to two-time Cardinal Markus Golden.
Starting the 2020 season with the Giants, Golden struggled to get to the quarterback before landing back with Arizona in a trade at the halfway point. From there he finished the year off on a solid note, adding 3.0 sacks to the 1.5 he tallied in New York with an overall pass-rush grade of 77.8 in nine games with the Cardinals.
Other options: TE Dan Arnold, Darrell Daniels, IOL J.R. Sweezy, DT Corey Peters
Los Angeles Rams: WR Josh Reynolds
Unlike the Cardinals, there are plenty of options to mull over from a Rams team the Seahawks have already added from this offseason. From lineman Austin Blythe to tight end Gerald Everett, Los Angeles’ upcoming free agent class boasts several names that not only make sense for the potential reunion with coaches Shane Waldron and Andy Dickerson but fit some of Seattle’s most pressing needs well.
The player I eventually landed on is receiver Josh Reynolds. After four years of playing in the proverbial shadows of Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods, Reynolds may be a hidden gem waiting to be discovered by the right team. As it would so happen, Reynolds is exactly the kind of tertiary threat the Seahawks’ offense requires behind Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf and one that can fit well within their budget.
With the Rams, the 6-foot-3 wideout hauled in 113 of his 201 targets to the tune of 1,450 yards receiver and nine touchdowns. Though the numbers may not inspire, Reynolds has proven to be a dependable commodity in a quality offensive scheme. Given the familiarity with Waldron - the Rams’ former passing game coordinator - and a potential opportunity to see more action through the air, there’s likely to be mutual interest between Seattle and Reynolds.
Other options: RB Malcolm Brown, TE Gerald Everett, IOL Austin Blythe, ED Samson Ebukam
San Francisco 49ers: CB Ahkello Witherspoon
The 49ers will have some money to play with this offseason, but they have a large wave of contributing players hitting free agency and a quarterback situation to tend to. Sorry to those that were expecting this to cover a potential Richard Sherman reunion, but I don’t see that happening.
Instead, let’s take a look at another corner out of San Francisco: Ahkello Witherspoon. Standing at 6-foot-2 with 33-inch arms, Witherspoon is the prototypical Seahawks cornerback. Though he struggled in 2019, the former third-round selection out of Colorado bounced back with a stellar pass coverage grade of 80.9 from Pro Football Focus this past season. However, this was in a smaller sample size - of eight games - in a year plagued by a severe concussion, as well as hamstring and calf injuries.
If the Seahawks lose Shaquill Griffin and Quinton Dunbar this spring, Witherspoon would be a solid addition to the competition for the second cornerback spot opposite former 49er D.J. Reed. It also wouldn't surprise me if Seattle exited the offseason with more than one player from San Francisco's pool of unrestricted free agents.
Other options: RB Jerick McKinnon, Tevin Coleman, FB Kyle Juszczyk, WR Kendrick Bourne, TE Jordan Reed, IOL Ben Garland, ED Kerry Hyder, Ronald Blair, Solomon Thomas, CB K’Waun Williams, Jason Verrett
Previous entries in this series
