The NFL’s free agency period officially began Wednesday, and the Seahawks continued their off season reshuffle. Team were allowed hold discussions with players on Monday which was the start of the leagues “ Legal tampering period”. On Wednesday those agreed upon deals could be signed and announced.
REUNITED
On Wednesday The Seahawks welcomed former 1st round draft pick, Bruce Irvin, with open arms and gave Tedric Thompson the cold shoulder. Thompson started the first six games in 2019 before suffering a shoulder injury that sidelined for the rest of the season.
Irvin started 12 games with the Carolina Panthers last year recording 36 total tackles 22 of which were solo tackles. Irvin’s most impressive number from last year was the 8.5 sacks which were a career-high. In 2017 with the Raiders Irvin recorded 8 sacks but that was over 16 starts.
While the Seahawks were welcoming Irvin Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reported that the team gave permission for Thompson to seek a trade and find employment elsewhere. Thompson was a fourth-round pick in 2017.
OFFENSIVE LINE SHUFFLE
After tendering qualifying offers to tight end Jacob Hollister, center Joey Hunt, receiver David Moore, and defensive Branden Jackson the Seahawks re-signed Jarran Reed.
After telling reporters he was looking to keep the offensive line intact during the 2019 season, Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll and General Manager John Schneider have made moves to the contrary.
The Seahawks allowed George Fant to bolt to the New York Jets on a three year $27 million deal. Doubt the Hawks were willing to pay Fant that kind of money. What they were willing to do was splash some cash on several offensive linemen and let them compete.
Former Pittsburg Steeler B.J. Finney signed a two year $8 million deal, former Jet Brandon Shell spent the last four years with the Jets and according to Adam Schefter, he signed a two year $11million deal.
Jacksonville Jaguars Cedric Ogbuehi signed a one year deal $ 2.2 million according to Jordan Schultz of the Schultz Report and Mike Garafolo of NFL Network
Shell started 40 games over the last three seasons for the Jets, almost all of them at right tackle. Ogbuehi hasn’t started a game the last two seasons but started 15 games at both tackle spots for the Bengals in 2016-17.
TAKE AWAY
The signing of Finney, Shell, Hunt, and Ogbuehi puts the Seahawks in the power position when it comes to unrestricted free agent Germain Ifedi and Justin Britt who is under contract but coming off a season-ending knee injury and was replace by Hunt in the lineup. Ifedi is unlikely to return while Britt’s cap hit to the Seahawks is $11,416,668. If the team was to release him, they would save $8,500,00. Another option would be for both sides to restructure Britt’s contract. This is the most likely scenario as the Seahawks could use a healthy Britt and find a creative way to pay him a fair price for his services.
