Seahawks 2021 Free Agent Targets Per Team: NFC East
The NFC East was a mess in 2020. Okay, perhaps "mess" is too generous of a description; it was flat-out one of the worst divisions in the history of the NFL, up there with the 2010 NFC West and 2014 NFC South.
After the division favorite Cowboys lost quarterback Dak Prescott to a season-ending leg injury, it was anyone's crown for the taking. Yet no team appeared eager for the throne, instead stumbling as the season grew older.
Like the Seahawks in 2010 and the Panthers four years later, Washington won the division and clinched a playoff berth with a 7-9 record. Putting together a respectable final few weeks with some impressive wins on the back of an excellent defense, their strange journey came to a quick end at the hands of Tom Brady and the eventual champion Buccaneers while starting their fourth quarterback of the season.
Although it's hard for the division to get much worse than it was last year, some of the impending free agents for its four teams are likely looking to get the heck out of Dodge this spring. Which ones could possibly land in Seattle? I've identified two potential role players and one starter, as well as one big splash move they could make.
Washington Football Team: IOL Brandon Scherff
Despite the 7-9 finish, Washington built a ton of momentum heading into the offseason. With that defense and plenty of salary cap flexibility to get better, they may only be a quarterback and some complementary pieces away from being true contenders. Because of this, there may be little chance to rip away their star interior offensive lineman Brandon Scherff from their grasp.
If Scherff doesn't re-sign with Washington, however, this would be a great way to diffuse the tension between Russell Wilson and Seahawks' upper management. Scherff, a four-time Pro Bowl selection and first-team All-Pro in 2020, has exclusively played right guard over the first six years of his career. Therefore, signing him would likely mean relocating Damien Lewis to left guard or - more likely - center.
For Seattle, it would be completely worth it. Scherff is one of the elite lineman in today's NFL and will play most of the 2021 season at the age of 29. Much like the possibility of Corey Linsley, such a move would require some salary cap gymnastics from general manager John Schneider but it's doable. And for a player of this caliber at such a crucial spot? You do what you have to when that opportunity presents itself.
Other options: OL David Sharpe, ED Ryan Kerrigan, Ryan Anderson, LB Kevin Pierre-Louis, Mychal Kendricks, CB Ronald Darby
Philadelphia Eagles: ED Vinny Curry
Though the Eagles are quite a ways off from the financial hole the Saints currently find themselves in, they're still very much in their own little "salary cap hell." They'll likely have to part ways with a few players to get under the threshold and the Seahawks should have interest in whoever's involved in that crop of cap casualties.
But for now, their pool of unrestricted free agents is a tad uninspiring. There weren't many options to choose from, but I eventually landed on rotational edge piece Vinny Curry. Last year, the nine-year veteran put up 3.0 sacks and 10 quarterback hits in 11 games. If the Seahawks lose Benson Mayowa, Curry should be among the names they consider when looking to add depth behind Carlos Dunlap this offseason.
Other options: OL Jason Peters, DT Hassan Ridgeway, LB Duke Riley, CB Nickell Robey-Coleman, Cre'Von LeBlanc
New York Giants: ED Kyler Fackrell
Sticking along the edge, Giants free agent Kyler Fackrell is likely at least a step above Curry. Though he's been a disappointment since coming over to New York following a 10.5 sack season with the Packers in 2018, Fackrell is a solid rotational pass-rusher with good feel for the run game as well.
There's certainly upside here considering his success two seasons ago, though it's an outlier on his career stat sheet. Odds are he's not necessarily as good as his 2018 campaign would indicate, nor is he as bad as he was the past two years on a poor Giants team, but instead somewhere in the middle.
If that's the case, Fackrell's a very solid piece to add to a defense that could use more depth in its front-seven with the potential to be even more.
Other options: RB Wayne Gallman, Devonta Freeman, ED Jabaal Sheard, DT Austin Johnson, S Adrian Colbert
Dallas Cowboys: CB Chidobe Awuzie
Of all the free agents set to leave Dallas this offseason, it may come as a surprise to see I chose a player from one of the worst defensive secondaries in the league. But with Chidobe Awuzie, there are plenty of reasons to like the fit.
Coached up by former Seahawks defensive coordinator Kris Richard early on in his career, Awuzie has been one of the more underrated corners in the league over the past four seasons. While he lacks the arm length Seattle usually looks for in their corners, he provides excellent athleticism and elite speed—two physical traits Pete Carroll loves more than anything else.
As we inch closer to the offseason, Shaquill Griffin's departure looks all the more likely. And after dealing with a hamstring injury for the majority of 2020, Awuzie's value may be diminished entering a fairly deep cornerback market. If Griffin exits, Awuzie could be a great opportunity to strike big while getting an absolute steal from a monetary standpoint.
Other options: IOL Cameron Erving, Joe Looney, ED Aldon Smith, DL Tyrone Crawford, CB Jourdan Lewis, S C.J. Goodwin
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