Seahawks Free Agent Targets at C: 5 Names to Watch
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Beating the odds after being projected to finish dead last in the NFC West by most experts, the Seattle Seahawks surprised everyone by making the playoffs last season and boasted a top-10 scoring offense in the process.
With three new starters, including two rookies in Charles Cross and Abraham Lucas at the tackle spots, Seattle's offensive line was expected to be one of the worst in the league. Though the group endured growing pains, the unit outperformed low expectations, helping quarterback Geno Smith set several franchise records and rookie Ken Walker III eclipse the 1,000-yard running mark.
While the Seahawks have plenty to be excited about for the future with their offensive line anchored by Cross and Lucas, the unit still could use reinforcements in the interior. In 2022, veteran right guard Gabe Jackson struggled in a platoon with Phil Haynes, giving up 31 quarterback pressures and posting a 95.8 percent efficiency rate.
Next to him at center, in his first season with the organization, center Austin Blythe brought familiarity and superb communication skills to Seattle's line. But the 298-pound blocker also was a hinderance in the run game, struggling to hold up physically against bigger, stronger defensive tackles and often getting overwhelmed at the line of scrimmage.
While Blythe brought much-needed stability to the middle of a young offensive line, the Seahawks may be interested in upgrading at the pivot position through free agency. Here's a list of five veterans the team could consider at different price ranges estimated by Spotrac.
Garrett Bradbury, Minnesota Vikings
Projected Market Value: $11.9 million/year
2022 Stats: Two sacks, 29 quarterback pressures allowed
A former first round pick out of North Carolina State, Bradbury has been a starter in the middle of Minnesota's offensive line since day one, racking up 57 total starts at the pivot position. Though a bit on the smaller side at 6-foot-3, 300 pounds, he's an excellent athlete for the position with plus movement skills, which has allowed him to thrive in the run blocking department. Over the past three seasons, while opening up lanes for star back Dalvin Cook, he's earned at least a 67.0 run blocking grade from Pro Football Focus, including ranking ninth among 37 qualified centers in 2022.
Pass protection has been a thorn in Bradbury's side for most of his NFL career, as he has yielded 113 pressures on 2,175 pass blocking snaps. With that said, he made tangible strides last season keeping Kirk Cousins clean, giving up only two sacks and eight quarterback hits. Only 27 years old and fitting what the Seahawks want from an athleticism standpoint, he would be a fun long-term fit depending on cost.
Ethan Pocic, Cleveland Browns
Projected Market Value: $7.2 million/year
2022 Stats: Two sacks, 10 quarterback pressures allowed
While injuries again cost him a few games, Ethan Pocic enjoyed the best season of his career in Cleveland.
A familiar name for fans in the Pacific Northwest, Pocic took over as Seattle's new starting center after Justin Britt departed following the 2019 season. But injuries and persistent struggles in pass protection prevented him from latching on as a long-term starter and after making 24 starts in 2020 and 2021, the team allowed him to walk in free agency last March. Signing a one-year deal with the Browns, he easily played the best football of his career last season, posting a 98.6 percent pass block efficiency rate and grading as PFF's fifth-best center (79.1) in run blocking.
Pocic did miss four games last year during a brief injured reserve stint, a not-so-friendly reminder of his past injury issues. But he's still a relatively young player at 27 years of age and the Seahawks obviously know him well from his five prior seasons with the organization. While it would cost more to bring him back, he would be a quality scheme fit and likely won't command as much money as some other free agent centers would.
Connor McGovern, New York Jets
Projected Market Value: $12.5 million/year
2022 Stats: Five sacks, 24 quarterback pressures allowed
Formerly a fifth round pick for the Broncos, McGovern has evolved into a borderline top-five center since joining the Jets in 2020. While he hasn't been an All-Pro or Pro Bowl selection, he has started 79 games over the previous five seasons and consistently finished among PFF's top-rated run blockers, including ranking ninth overall (69.7) in 2022. A quality athlete at 306 pounds, he scored favorably both as a zone and gap blocker last year, providing ample flexibility for suitors.
If there's an obvious downside to McGovern, his pass protection numbers have been hit and miss throughout his career. He gave up a whopping six sacks in his first year in New York in 2020 and has two previous seasons where he allowed at least 33 quarterback pressures, high totals for a center. But he has been better overall the past two years, posting 97.9 or better pass blocking efficiencies. Set to turn 30 in April, he would be another potential long-term fixture for Seattle at the pivot position.
Bradley Bozeman, Carolina Panthers
Projected Market Value: $12 million/year
2022 Stats: Two sacks, 12 quarterback pressures allowed
A far different build than most of the centers on this list, Bozeman stands an imposing 6-foot-5 and weighs 325 pounds, presenting a far more hulking presence. Not surprisingly, dating back to his first four seasons in Baltimore, he has been at his best as a downhill gap blocker, including earning a stellar 76.1 gap blocking grade from PFF in 2021. But he has decent footwork for a player of his size and showed last year he could handle zone blocking assignments as well, scoring 13th out of 28 centers in that department.
While far from dominant in pass protection, Bozeman has steadily improved this area of his game in five NFL seasons. After giving up 26 pressures in 2019, he improved the next two years giving up 21 pressures each season. In his first year with the Panthers, he yielded just 12 total pressures and a pair of sacks, proving himself more than serviceable. Preferring lighter, more athletic linemen in their current scheme, he may be an odd fit for the Seahawks, but at the same time, he would immediately bolster their run game with a strong track record.
Jake Brendel, San Francisco 49ers
Projected Market Value: N/A
2022 Stats: One sack, 14 quarterback pressures allowed
Taking over for a retiring Alex Mack after four seasons seeing minimal action on Sundays, Brendel thrived in his first season as a starter for the 49ers. Sharp in pass protection from the get go, he posted an elite 98.8 pass blocking efficiency rate, tying for fourth-best among 28 qualified centers. The undersized 299-pound blocker also performed respectively in the run game in Kyle Shanahan's offense, ranking 15th out of 28 players in zone blocking via PFF (66.1).
With only one year of starting experience under his belt, Brendel would be a bit more of a roll of a dice for some organizations and he's not the type to dominate opponents at the point of attack. But with the Seahawks running a scheme that shares a lot of similarities to the one Shanahan deploys with the 49ers, his strengths as a zone blocker and in pass protection in the boot game would make him a quality fit. At 30 years of age, he could also be a multi-year starting solution while weakening a division rival in the process.
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