Seahawks Should Explore Trade For Eagles T Andre Dillard

Whether they retain tackle Duane Brown this offseason or not, the Seahawks should continue looking to add value and lengthen their ranks along the offensive line. Ty Dane Gonzalez looks at a potential upside play who shouldn't cost general manager John Schneider and company much via trade.

With 14 seasons in the NFL completed, impending free agent tackle Duane Brown looks primed for a 15th. But could that happen somewhere other than Seattle? It's unlikely, though Seahawks general manager John Schneider is being tasked with the balancing act of retaining several key players while simultaneously improving a roster that just went 7-10. Therefore, it's possible the team will have to say goodbye to at least one of its top free agents this spring.

Schneider is projected by OverTheCap.com to have $36.5 million in available salary cap space to work with, and has several other levers to pull for more flexibility. However, that money, as head coach Pete Carroll explained, will go "faster than you think." And while solidifying the left tackle position should unquestionably be a top priority, so should making several noteworthy outside additions and keeping the likes of safety Quandre Diggs, cornerback D.J. Reed and others on board.

That said, if the Seahawks want to maintain a healthy relationship with quarterback Russell Wilson, re-signing Brown will undoubtedly be a critical item on their to-do list. But even if the veteran stays put in the Pacific Northwest, Schneider and company still need to monitor the market for opportunities to add depth along their offensive line. Tackles Brandon Shell, who started 21 games for Seattle over the past two seasons, and Jamarco Jones will also hit unrestricted free agency in March, leaving the team with second-year players Jake Curhan and Stone Forsythe from its 2021 active roster.

One way the Seahawks could potentially bolster their ranks is by calling the Eagles and checking in on the availability of fourth-year tackle Andre Dillard. The 2019 first-round draft pick has endured a very disappointing start to his professional career and is now firmly stashed behind starters Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson in Philadelphia. 

Dillard has made just nine starts in three years and didn't play in 2020 due to a torn biceps injury. The majority of those starts came this past season, when he filled in for the injured Mailata from Weeks 3 through 6 and when the Eagles rested their starters in Week 18. His first such appearance went impressively well, limiting an explosive Cowboys pass rush led by Demarcus Lawrence and Micah Parsons to just two pressures on the day. 

Eagles entertainment analyst Fran Duffy provided an in-depth breakdown of that performance: 

The next three weeks were a bit more up-and-down, with a strong outing against the Panthers sandwiched between two difficult matchups with the Chiefs and Buccaneers, respectively. Dillard allowed 10 pressures combined in those games before heading back to the bench for the next 12 weeks.

Leading up to his next—and final—start of the season, the Woodinville, Washington native became the subject of occasional trade rumors, though nothing ultimately came of them. Sticking with the Eagles, he played 25 offensive snaps in Weeks 7 and 8, surrendering two pressures and his only sack of the year during that time. Then, with Philadelphia locking in its playoff position in Week 17, Dillard was among the many reserves who started the team's regular season finale. Pitted against Dallas once more, he was unable to recapture the success he found in Week 3 and was tagged with a whopping six pressures allowed in a 51-26 blowout loss. 

Those 62 snaps may have been his last in Philadelphia. The Eagles are expected to decline his fifth-year option, meaning 2022 will be the last year on his rookie contract. Pair that with his projected salary cap hit of $3.9 million and it becomes clear a split of some kind is likely on the horizon. 

Now, he's not invaluable enough to outright cut, so the trade market looks to be the most appropriate avenue to make that happen. But with no long-term team control,  his rocky track record and fairly substantial dollar figure, the Eagles are not going to command a significant return for him. The Seahawks have a pair of fourth-round picks in this year's draft, but Dillard isn't going to carry such an expensive price tag. Instead, they could offer up one of their fifth- or seventh-round picks in 2022 and/or a conditional Day 3 pick in 2023.

With Dillard in tow, Seattle would successfully add young, intriguing depth with upside and some starting experience. He could also get a chance to mix it up with Curhan and Forsythe for the starting right tackle job, though he's publicly voiced a lack of comfort playing on that side in the past. At the very least, he would be a nice insurance policy for Brown, who's entering his age 37 season. 

If Dillard shows out well in limited to full-time action, then the Seahawks will have first dibs on locking him down long-term to be Brown's eventual successor. In a year where the left tackle market is thin and the top draft prospects may go well before Seattle makes its first selection, taking a low-risk shot on a former first-round pick could pay dividends.