Seahawks 2021 Free Agent Targets Per Team: NFC North
Two down, six to go. As we've covered in the first pair of articles in this series, the Seahawks are going to have to search far and wide to supplement a roster with several key needs. Working within their financial limits, they may need to get a bit creative along the way.
As it so happens, the NFC North's upcoming pool of free agents offers plenty of opportunities for creativity this offseason. While the Seahawks should prioritize fit above all else, it wouldn't hurt to identify any potential value plays if they present themselves to Seattle as well. This division has a bit of both.
Let's dive in.
Green Bay Packers: C Corey Linsley
Given Russell Wilson's comments and all the leaks that have come out over the past few days, it's clear the pressure is on the Seahawks to address an offensive line that's allowed 393 sacks in the star quarterback's career. With two openings in the interior offensive line left by the departing Ethan Pocic and Mike Iupati, Seattle could make their biggest splash of the offseason by targeting one of the best linemen heading into free agency.
That would be Green Bay's Corey Linsley. Wilson's affinity for superstar players and those that work with them could put Linsley near - or at - the top of his personal wish list this spring. Snapping to future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers over the past seven seasons, Linsley has started all 99 games he's appeared in and earned first-team All-Pro honors in 2020.
Perhaps Linsley is nothing more than a pipe dream for the Seahawks, but there is a way they could pull such a move off and still be able to address other holes along the roster. They're not short on options to free up more salary cap space for themselves, but it remains to be seen whether or not Seattle's front office will break trend and spend big on the offensive line now that Wilson's made his growing frustrations public.
Other options: RB Jamaal Williams, Tyler Ervin, IOL Lane Taylor, DT Montravius Adams, CB Kevin King
Chicago Bears: DL Mario Edwards Jr.
The Bears have some really intriguing players - especially on the defensive side - hitting unrestricted free agency this year. But while many of them are definitely in the realm of possibility for the Seahawks, none particularly fit any of their true needs.
After a relatively lengthy debate with myself, I decided to put defensive lineman Mario Edwards Jr. in this spot even though the presence of L.J. Collier and Rasheem Green makes him kinda redundant. Edwards, however, has really come into his own over the last couple seasons and would be a stellar addition to Seattle's rotation. Last season with Chicago, he logged four sacks on 21 total quarterback pressures and played stout run defense as well.
Edwards is one of those aforementioned "value plays" and that's pretty much all the Bears' free agent class has to offer Seattle this offseason. Though there isn't really a need for someone with Edwards' profile, he felt like the best option on the board and would certainly make the Seahawks deeper at the position.
Other options: RB/WR Cordarrelle Patterson, TE Demetrius Harris, IOL Germain Ifedi, DT John Jenkins, Dan McCullers, DL Brent Urban, Roy Robertson-Harris, ED Barkevious Mingo, S DeAndre Houston-Carson
Minnesota Vikings: LB Eric Wilson
The Vikings... don't have a lot to offer here in terms of unrestricted free agents. Seattle won't have any interest in safety Anthony Harris and after that, there isn't much to pick from.
Admittedly, this one's a bit of a reach because I think Minnesota will be able to retain him. But Eric Wilson could be pretty interesting to the Seahawks as a weakside linebacker if K.J. Wright departs in free agency. He can also play inside in a pinch.
Fans may be familiar with Wilson, who's always seemed to play well whenever the Vikings and Seahawks have faced over the past couple seasons. In those two games, Wilson logged nine tackles, 1.0 sack, and an interception. Overall in 2020, he posted 122 combined tackles (eight for a loss), 3.0 sacks, three interceptions, and nine quarterback hits.
Other options: RB Ameer Abdullah, IOL Brett Jones
Detroit Lions: ED Everson Griffen
Will this be the year Everson Griffen finally reunites with his former college coach Pete Carroll in Seattle? For some time, the Seahawks were linked to the USC product in free agency before he signed with the Cowboys last year. They were also expected to be interested in him at the trade deadline, though he wound up going to Detroit instead while they swung a deal for Carlos Dunlap shortly after.
Now Griffen is back on the market and the Seahawks need a secondary pass-rusher behind Dunlap with Benson Mayowa and Bruce Irvin becoming free agents. Though he started off slow with Dallas, Griffen came on during his time with the Lions. Pro Football Reference put him down for 3.5 sacks, eight quarterback hits, four tackles for a loss, and three pass deflections in his last seven games as a rotational edge.
I debated Griffen versus his pass-rushing counterpart Romeo Okwara here. So why Griffen over the obviously superior - and younger - player in Okwara? Simply because Griffen should be more affordable and therefore, more realistic for the Seahawks. However, it's hard to know if they'll actually be interested or not. They seemingly had two opportunities to acquire him on the cheap last year and - although unconfirmed - essentially passed.
Other options: RB Adrian Peterson, WR Danny Amendola, Mohamed Sanu, IOL Oday Aboushi, ED Romeo Okwara, LB Jalen Reeves-Maybin, CB Tony McRae
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