One final weekend till the frenzy of NFL free company begins on Monday at 12 midday New York time, when the authorized tampering interval opens and unrestricted free brokers are capable of negotiate with groups throughout the league. That’s adopted by the beginning of the brand new league yr subsequent Wednesday at 4pm New York time, which is the deadline for groups to make selections on the restricted free brokers (RFAs) and unique rights free brokers (ERFAs).
For the Seattle Seahawks this can imply a handful of choices on these RFAs who’re simply in need of qualifying for unrestricted free company, and a few of these selections might show attention-grabbing. To start the dialogue, although, it appears applicable to start out with a fast sidetrack that appears on the particular groups snaps for the Hawks in 2023, so listed here are the highest ten Seahawks gamers by particular groups snaps from final season and their contract standing for 2024:
Nick Bellore (366 snaps): Below contract
Brady Russell (312 snaps): ERFA
Jon Rhattigan (303 snaps): RFA
Derick Corridor (287 snaps): Below contract
DeeJay Dallas (286 snaps): Unrestricted Free Agent
Mike Jackson (236 snaps): RFA
Artie Burns (181 snaps): Unrestricted Free Agent
Will Dissly (178 snaps): Avenue Free Agent
Jason Myers (161 snaps): Below contract
Jerrick Reed (157 snaps): Below contract however getting back from torn ACL
Myers, after all, is the kicker and isn’t actually related on the subject of discussing protection and return snaps, nonetheless the remainder of the names on the listing are related. With that in thoughts, the truth is that solely three of the highest 9 gamers by particular groups snaps are beneath contract for 2024, and a kind of three is getting back from having his knee surgically rebuilt late within the yr, so it’s anybody’s guess at this level whether or not Reed shall be out there at first of the season.
Now, it is very important word that Russell is an ERFA, and that each one however ensures the workforce will carry him again, ought to it so select. ERFAs are gamers whose contracts have expired, and who’ve two or fewer accrued seasons. Groups are capable of lengthen a qualifying tender supply to those gamers, which mainly means a one-year contract supply at league minimal wage for his or her expertise stage, and it prevents these gamers from departing to different groups. For Seattle there are a complete of 5 ERFAs, together with Russell, and people gamers and their requisite tender quantities are:
Myles Adams: $985k tender
Brady Russell: $915k tender
McClendon Curtis: $915k tender
Raiqwon O’Neal: $915k tender
Josh Onujiogu: $915k tender
The explanation for taking a look at these is to know the relevance of particular groups on the subject of the selections on the workforce’s RFAs, and maybe to shed some mild on why the workforce has but to maneuver on from its particular groups captain.
In any case, coming again to the RFAs, the RFAs on which the Seahawks might want to decide previous to subsequent Wednesday at 4 pm New York time are:
Darrell Taylor (2020 2nd spherical choice)
Mike Jackson (2019 fifth spherical choice)
Jon Rhattigan (Undrafted free agent in 2021)
Jake Curhan (Undrafted free agent in 2021)
Relating to making the choice on whether or not to tender a RFA, groups have a number of decisions, that are:
First spherical tender: $6,822,000
Second spherical tender: $4,890,000
Proper of first refusal/proper of first refusal and draft choice at participant’s unique draft spherical: $2,985,000*
No tender prolonged
*There’s technically a distinction in wage between the the tenders, however for the needs of the 2024 Seattle offseason, these variations don’t matter
In any case, the selection a workforce has is to increase a young to a participant equivalent to one of many tender ranges, and if the participant indicators a suggestion sheet with one other workforce that the Seahawks choose to not match, the participant then departs for the opposite workforce and the Seahawks would obtain draft compensation from the opposite workforce equivalent to the extent of the tender. If a workforce opts to not lengthen a young, the participant turns into a road free agent capable of signal with any workforce.
So, for the Seahawks it appears probably they choose to not lengthen a young to Curhan, and probably carry him again as a depth piece on a one yr deal, just like what they did with Mike Davis within the 2018 offseason. The choice with reference to Rhattigan is probably going essentially the most troublesome. He’s clearly not a big contributor on protection, however he performs a giant position on particular groups. If the Hawks lengthen a proper of first refusal tender on him, it offers them the choice to match any supply sheet he may signal, or enable him to depart ought to they really feel one other workforce overpaid. Nonetheless, the fee to have the appropriate to make that call on whether or not to match or not would value the workforce $2.985M on the unique spherical tender, so it’s not a cheap determination to make.
As for Taylor, a situational go rusher with double digit sack potential at $2.985M for a single season is a cut price, in order that would appear the trail the Seahawks probably take. After which comes Mike Jackson, who not solely contributes an enormous quantity on particular groups, he has performed and contributed within the secondary to the tune of 1,554 defensive snaps over the previous two seasons. A key particular teamer who can contribute on protection is a cut price at $2.985M, making an unique spherical tender appear very probably for Jackson.
Thus, as followers eagerly await the beginning of free company Monday, these are the selections the workforce should make on the standing of their ERFAs and RFAs between now and Wednesday at 4pm New York time.