Seahawks Analysis: 5 Free Agent Targets to Bolster Seattle's Interior O-Line
Heading towards the start of free agency next week, the Seattle Seahawks will have their entire starting interior offensive line from last season set to hit the market as unrestricted free agents, standing out as one of the team's biggest needs to address.
The most decorated player of that group, former third-round pick Damien Lewis has been a starter for the Seahawks since first arriving from LSU, starting 61 games over a four-year span. But after being named to PFWA's All-Rookie team in 2020, while he has been a quality starter, he hasn't emerged as a Pro Bowl-caliber player as the franchise hoped he would, making his value as a free agent difficult to project.
As for the other two former starters set to hit the market, center Evan Brown and guard Phil Haynes likely will receive lukewarm interest at best. Brown's versatility and previous starting experience at guard and center could draw a few suitors, but he isn't a top-15 player at his position and played on a team-friendly $2.25 million deal last year. Haynes has been dogged by injuries throughout his career and will be looking for a one-year "prove it" deal either returning to Seattle or going elsewhere.
In the past, general manager John Schneider has played it cheap along the offensive line, including having the lowest-paid line in the NFL last season. But with a new coach in Mike Macdonald now at the helm, could that trend change with the team spending significant money on guard help in free agency?
Which guards could Macdonald and the Seahawks bring on board to fortify the interior of their offensive line? Here are five veterans to keep an eye on when free agency begins on March 13:
*All stats courtesy of Pro Football Focus unless otherwise noted.
**Projected market value from Spotrac.com.
Kevin Dotson, Rams
Projected Market Value: $16.4 Million/Year
Selected as an All-Pro by Pro Football Focus, Kevin Dotson dominated in the trenches for the Rams, solidifying his standing as the best guard in this year's 2024 free agent class.
Marred by inconsistency in his first three seasons in Pittsburgh, Los Angeles traded for Dotson heading into the final year of his rookie contract and put everything together, picking the perfect time for a career year. With the Rams playing to his strengths calling more gap-oriented concepts that allowed him to shoot out of his stance as a physical downhill blocker, he finished with PFF's highest run blocking grade among guards (88.8) while helping Kyren Williams explode for 1,114 yards, 12 touchdowns, and five yards per carry. In addition, he was rock solid in pass protection, only allowing 20 total pressures and posting a 97.5 pass pro efficiency rate. Just 27 years old, he will fetch top dollar on the market, but the Seahawks could kill two birds with one stone signing him and hurting a division rival at the same time.
Mike Onwenu, Patriots
Projected Market Value: $13.6 Million/Year
One of the NFL's most versatile linemen, Onwenu has logged over 400 snaps at left guard, right guard, and right tackle in his career thus far, playing at a high level regardless of where he lines up in the trenches. Though he's never been a Pro Bowler or selected to an All-Pro team, he has been incredibly consistent, allowing fewer than 15 pressures and posting 98 percent or better pass pro efficiency rates in three of his four seasons with New England. He's also been an elite run blocker, receiving a 72.0 grade or higher in all four seasons. He wasn't quite as dominant as Dotson last season, but he's a year younger and his ability to play multiple positions should add value to prospective teams, including the Seahawks, who may want an insurance policy in case Abraham Lucas' knee continues to hamper him.
Robert Hunt, Dolphins
Projected Market Value: $11.8 Million/Year
A 330-pound mauler with light feet for his stature, Hunt has gradually improved in each of his four NFL seasons, becoming a staple for Miami's offensive line. Injuries limited him to 11 games in 2022, but few linemen were better at protecting the quarterback when he was healthy, as he allowed five pressures and no sacks while posting a 99 percent pass block efficiency rating, which ranked first out of 65 qualified guards. He will turn 28 in August, so he's a little older than Dotson or Onwenu, but he has received a 74.0 or better run blocking grade in all but one of his NFL seasons and has improved dramatically as a pass protector during that span. In the prime of his career, he would be an instant upgrade for Seattle's offensive line with the chance to be a foundational piece up front for years to come.
Kevin Zeitler, Ravens
Projected Market Value: N/A
Entering the latter stage of his career, Zeitler has 12 seasons and 181 starts on his resume, which could spook some teams from signing him. But offensive linemen can play at a high level well into their 30s and the former Wisconsin standout turned in one of his best seasons in Baltimore in 2023. Along with opening up creases for the Ravens top-ranked rushing attack, he surrendered only 19 pressures and two sacks protecting Lamar Jackson, earning an 82.5 pass blocking grade from PFF that ranked behind only Chiefs star Joe Thuney. As a reward for his efforts, he made his first Pro Bowl roster after years of being a top-10 guard. Signing him would be more of a stop-gap move for Seattle, but Macdonald knows him well from being on Baltimore's staff and his pass protection prowess would be a welcome asset for Geno Smith.
Jonah Jackson, Lions
Projected Market Value: N/A
A former third-round pick out of Ohio State, Jackson hasn't received the same love from PFF that the other four guards on this list have, including receiving a 59.7 overall blocking grade in 2023. But the 311-pound blocker deserves credit for his part in spearheading Detroit's fifth-ranked rushing attack a year ago, as he's a capable zone blocker who enjoys knocking defenders off the line of scrimmage. In pass protection, his play has been a bit more uneven, as he posted a pedestrian 96.8 percent pass blocking efficiency rating last year and has given up at least 24 pressures in each of his four NFL seasons. With that said, he yielded just two sacks since 2022 and at 27 years of age, he has room to still improve and could be a long-term starting option for the Seahawks that comes with a bit lower price tag.
