Seahawks Offensive Blueprint: Six Moves Seattle Can Make to Reach Elite Status
With the Super Bowl come and gone and the NFL combine set to kick off on Monday in Indianapolis, the Seattle Seahawks and all 31 other teams officially find themselves entrenched in the heat of the offseason with busy weeks ahead.
Along with evaluating incoming draft prospects in on-field workouts and meetings, decision makers such as Seahawks general manager John Schneider will be involved with everything from trade discussions to contract negotiations behind the scenes. Adding to the intrigue, every team will benefit from an unprecedented financial boost, as the NFL announced the salary cap would jump to a record-setting $255 million in 2024, which could spark even more activity than usual in the Circle City.
On the heels of a disappointing 9-8 finish last season, Schneider has entrusted a young, talented squad to first-time head coach Mike Macdonald and will be looking to take the roster to the next level in coming weeks. But that task won't be a simple one, as Seattle has several noteworthy starters set to hit the market next month who currently aren't under contract, including defensive tackle Leonard Williams and linebacker Jordyn Brooks, and a tight salary cap situation that likely will require some tough decisions to be made with high-priced veterans.
From an offensive standpoint, what do the Seahawks need to do this offseason to get back to the playoffs and potentially make a Super Bowl run? Accounting for cap savings and added expenditures, here's a six-step blueprint Schneider and Macdonald should follow to vault back up the NFC West standings and start off a new era for the franchise with a bang.
1. Cut Will Dissly, extend Tyler Lockett prior to the start of free agency on March 13.
Cap Savings: $13.77 million
While Dissly has been one of the NFL's best blocking tight ends since being drafted out of Washington, his receiving production with less than 20 catches last season doesn't justify his looming $10 million cap hit for 2024 and even after restructuring Geno Smith's contract, the team needs more financial flexibility. An extension could be a possibility to achieve that means, but given his injury history and a new offensive system likely to feature fewer multi-tight end sets, cutting him loose before free agency would net more than $6 million in cap relief and keep the door open for him to return on a more affordable deal.
With fewer targets coming his way, Tyler Lockett's overall production dipped in 2023, but he remains a quality veteran receiver who should still be part of Seattle's plans for the next few seasons.
On the flip side, even coming off a down season by his standards, the Seahawks won't want to make Lockett a cap casualty unless they absolutely have to. Instead, they should be able to negotiate a reworked deal or come to terms on an extension that would take care of him financially while lowering his massive $26-plus million cap hits in 2024 and 2025. By transitioning some of his base salary for those two years into a signing bonus spread out through 2026, the cap hit could be brought down by $7 million or more while still ensuring the player receives money he earned.
2. Trade Dee Eskridge for a 2025 conditional seventh-round pick.
Cap Savings: $1.471 million
Schneider historically hasn't been one to give up on high draft picks before the conclusion of their rookie contract, but Eskridge hasn't been able to stay healthy long enough to make any sort of an impact in three seasons in Seattle. The arrival of Jaxon Smith-Njigba and emergence of Jake Bobo have made him expendable and with just 17 catches - including none in 2023 - on his resume, trying to move him for anything of value could be incredibly tricky.
But if there's reason for optimism that the Seahawks could find a suitor, Eskridge has legitimate sub-4.40 speed and special teams upside when healthy. Several other teams had interest in him after impressing at the Senior Bowl in Mobile back in 2021 and as a buy-low candidate, it wouldn't be surprising if one of those organizations were willing to dangle a conditional late-round pick based on snap count/games played to see if a change of scenery could spark the talented, oft-injured wideout.
In the event a trade doesn't come to fruition, with a new coaching staff in the building and an abundance of talent ahead of him on the depth chart, Seattle should cut the cord with only one year left on Eskridge's rookie deal to save a bit of cap space and let him try to resuscitate his career somewhere else.
3. Bolster offensive line by signing Kevin Dotson to four-year, $60 million contract.
Cap Added: $13 million
Throughout Pete Carroll's tenure as coach, Seattle consistently ranked near the bottom of the NFL in cap investment along the offensive line, including ranking 30th out of 32 teams in offensive line spending in 2023. Schneider, of course, has had a hand in that development as well, choosing to prioritize spending at other position groups such as receiver, tight end, linebacker, and safety.
But with a new regime taking over and an offensive coordinator in Ryan Grubb who has an offensive line background, the Seahawks could turn a new leaf by deciding to finally invest meaningful cap dollars to fortify their offensive line with a proven starter in the prime of his career. Enter in Dotson, who has been a top-notch pass protector since coming into the league as a fourth-round pick for the Steelers and blossomed at right guard with the Rams after coming over via trade, earning Second-Team All-Pro recognition from Pro Football Focus last season.
Only 27 years old, Dotson yielded just 20 total pressures on 520 pass blocking reps last season, helping turn a poor Los Angeles offensive line from the year prior into arguably the most improved unit in the league. He also dominated in the ground game, finishing first out of 58 qualified guards with an elite 88.8 run blocking grade from PFF. Signing him won't be cheap, but if he hits the market, tabbing him as a building block for the Seahawks offensive line would be well worth the investment protecting Geno Smith and opening up holes for Ken Walker III and Zach Charbonnet, especially if it weakens the Rams in the process.
4. Re-sign Colby Parkinson, Evan Brown, and Drew Lock in first week of free agency.
Cap Added: $9.875 million
Along with Dissly's future being in question, the Seahawks have decisions to make on Parkinson and Noah Fant, who will each be unrestricted free agents. Comparing the two players, Fant has first-round pedigree, offers an elite athletic profile, and has produced nearly six times as many receptions and receiving yards in his career, which likely will make him the more sought-after player for other teams in free agency.
With that said, a strong argument can be made that Parkinson has been the more valuable player of the two tight ends for Seattle in the past two seasons. Statistically, Fant has caught 32 more passes for 331 more yards, but Parkinson has averaged nearly 12 yards per catch and equaled him with four touchdowns on far fewer targets. Additionally, Parkinson has transformed into a stellar blocking tight end, including earning the eighth-highest run blocking grade out of 83 qualified players last season.
Though his overall numbers haven't been anything special, Parkinson has flashed his unique mix of size, athleticism, and soft hands in spurts while making major growth as a blocker in four NFL seasons.
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Depending on interest from other teams and the resulting price tag, especially if Dissly ends up being cut as projected in this scenario, Fant and Parkinson could both be back with the Seahawks. But if they have to choose between the two, Parkinson just turned 25 and after battling foot issues in his first two seasons, he's improved leaps and bounds as an all-around tight end, suggesting he would be the better fit long-term in Grubb's offense.
As for the offensive line, Brown wasn't spectacular in his first season with the Seahawks, including struggling to a 25th overall finish in run blocking grade. But he has more than 10 career starts under his belt at center and guard and with him unlikely to drum up much interest on the free agent market, keeping him around to compete on another one-year, team-friendly deal at either position would be a wise move, especially under the presumption Damien Lewis won't return.
Lock will bank on his theatrics leading a game-winning drive over the Eagles in December spurring greater interest from other teams and possibly competing for a starting job. While a number of teams have quarterback questions, however, most of them will be drafting a signal caller early in April and other high profile players such as Kirk Cousins and Baker Mayfield could be available. With the Seahawks showing clear interest in retaining both of their veteran quarterbacks, don't be surprised to see him return on a similar deal to the one he signed last March to back up Smith again.
5. Shore up tight end depth by signing Charlie Woerner to one-year, $1.3 million deal.
Cap Added: $1.3 million
With Fant and Dissly on the way out of town in this scenario and the franchise choosing to spend dollars elsewhere, the Seahawks will have a ton of snaps to replace at tight end. Behind Parkinson, Tyler Mabry has played in a handful of games in four years with the organization and Brady Russell was a special teams-exclusive contributor as an undrafted rookie last season, leaving minimal depth and experience at the position.
When it is all said and done, Seattle likely will select a tight end from a quality incoming class at the position in April's draft. But before then, finding another solid blocking tight end to help offset Dissly's departure should be a priority and Woerner has been effective in a reserve role behind George Kittle in San Francisco. Last season, he graded out as the second-best run blocking tight end (77.3), with only his teammate Kittle receiving a higher mark.
With just 11 catches in four NFL seasons, Woerner isn't much of a threat as a receiver, but that should keep his price down with teams coveting tight ends with pass catching ability first and foremost. Again stealing from a rival, his presence would help Seattle's run game as an inline blocker and at worst, he would keep the seat warm for an incoming rookie to eventually take the bulk of his snaps.
6. Place ERFA tenders on McClendon Curtis, Raiqwon O'Neal, and Brady Russell.
Cap Added: $2.745 million
Exclusive rights tenders often hover under the radar during the free agent period and sometimes, they don't even get reported until several days or weeks after the deadline. But exclusive rights free agents offer value for the bottom of the roster, particularly in the case of Curtis, O'Neal, and Russell who each only have one accrued NFL season. Without other teams able to negotiate with them, Schneider can lock up two intriguing developmental tackles in Curtis and O'Neal as well as a top-notch special teams player in Russell who could see tight end snaps in 2024 for just $915,000 apiece.
