.jpg)
14 hours ago
1
With one game left to play in 2024, the Seattle Seahawks look to be much in the same position as they were at the end of the 2023 and the 2022 seasons. Most likely they will be finishing with a 9-8 record for the third straight year and for largely the same reasons. While this team is obscenely talented at the skill positions on both sides of the ball, their offensive line remains deal-breaker bad and they're not well-coached enough to overcome it.
Most of the problems you can still lay at the feet of former head coach Pete Carroll, who had full roster control for the last 14 years before getting fired in January. It's going to take at least another offseason before we can definitively say that this roster belongs to general manager John Schneider. However, one exception to the rule was the team's moves in the 2024 free agency period and that part did not go well at all. Let's break it down.
Here's how we'd grade each signing the Seahawks made in free agency this year.
DE Leonard Williams: A
The one really good move Seattle made was re-signing defensive end Leonard Williams. While the trade to get him from the New York Giants was not ideal, Williams has more than lived up to to his new three-year, $63 million contract so far. Williams has arguably been the team's best defender this year, totaling nine sacks, 26 quarterback hits and 15 tackles for a loss, which is a new career high. Overall, Williams has been playing better than any other year since entering the NFL and should make his second Pro Bowl team.
S Rayshawn Jenkins: B-
Aside from Williams the one other free agent move that we (sort-of) liked was signing strong safety Rayshawn Jenkins to a two-year, $12 million deal to steal him away from the Jacksonville Jaguars. Jenkins has since been replaced in the starting lineup by Coby Bryant, but Jenkins had played well until a hand injury put him on IR for a month, opening the door for Bryant to pass him. Still, Jenkins' work in coverage has been a little disappointing, as he's allowed a career-high 113.7 passer rating and an 81.5% completion rate.
TE Noah Fant: D-
Unfortunately, pretty much every other signing that the Seahawks made this year has gone sour on them. One of the worst was the contract they gave tight end Noah Fant for two years and $20 million, which some analysts say is the worst tight end contract in the league. Fant hasn't done much to prove them wrong, and Thursday night's game against Chicago was the only time he's really flashed this year. For the season Fant has just 43 catches, 437 yards and zero touchdowns. If Fant wasn't going to be a big part of Seattle's plans on offense, it made no sense to give him the deal they did.
TE Pharaoh Brown: F
If Fant was a bad signing, adding Brown was even worse. While the Seahawks aren't paying him nearly as much (Brown signed a one-year, $3.2 million deal), they have basically gotten nothing good out of him all season. In the passing game Brown has just eight catches, 65 yards and zero touchdowns - he also fumbled this past week. Brown was supposed to be a strong blocker but he's gotten poor grades in both pass blocking (47.8) and run blocking (54.9).
OT George Fant: Incomplete
The Seahawks tried to buy an insurance policy in case right tackle Abe Lucas wound up having to miss significant time with his knee issue. It was a nice thought, but it didn't work out with veteran George Fant, who's only been able to play two games this year and wound up on injured reserve afterwards in both cases. We won't blame Schneider for injuries, but it might have been better to sign a younger backup tackle.
LB Tyrel Dodson: F
Perhaps the worst work that Schneider did was evaluating off-ball linebackers to sign on the cheap. In the case of Tyrel Dodson, he posted the highest PFF grade at his position last season with the Buffalo Bills, but that was a small sample size and proved to be fool's gold. Elevated to a more important role as the middle linebacker and green dot wearer, Dodson quickly flunked out against the run and was waived in the middle of November.
LB Jerome Baker: F
The other inside linebacker the Seahawks signed was Jerome Baker, who also inked a small one-year deal. Baker wasn't any better against the run at the weak side position, and he was traded to the Tennessee Titans along with a fourth-round draft pick as part of the Ernest Jones deal. While Jones is working out great, it's clear that Baker was another poor signing.
G Tremayne Anchrum: F
Seattle also signed a few veteran interior offensive linemen to one-year deals, none of which have worked out. In the middle of March they signed former Rams guard Tremayne Anchrum Jr. to a one-year deal, but he never even saw the field for the Seahawks. Anchrum was released in July to make room for another lineman who's no longer with the team.
G Laken Tomlinson: D
Another guard signing that went sour was long-time veteran Laken Tomlinson, who signed a one-year, $1.2 million deal. While he's not costing the Seahawks much in terms of cap space, the results at left guard have been disappointing to say the least. Tomlinson ranks 48th at his position according to PFF's grades going into Week 17.
NT Johnathan Hankins: C+
On the other side of the ball the Seahawks made a few other cheap one-year deals for veterans. The best one to turn out was nose tackle Johnathan Hankins, who followed defensive coordinator Aden Durde over from the Dallas Cowboys. As expected Hankins has been solid against the run but hasn't offered much as a pass rusher.
S K'Von Wallace: C-
Another veteran who joined Seattle's defense on a cheap one year deal was safety K'Von Wallace. Injuries have been a factor, but Wallace hasn't done much when he's been on the field. While it's a small sample size, in coverage he's allowed a 100% completion rate and a 118.7 passer rating. Wallace is now out of the rotation on defense and has seen more snaps on special teams this season.
WR/KR Laviska Shenault: C-
The Seahawks also struck out on their kick returners. A few weeks ago rookie Dee Williams and veteran Laviska Shenault were both waived after a total collapse against the Jets. Shenault was having ball security issues, but he did score one touchdown on a kickoff return and made a couple other splashy plays. Overall it just wasn't good enough though, and Sheunault is now with the Chargers.
C Connor Williams: D-
The last free agent signing the team made before the start of the season was intended to address their hole at center, especially regarding pro experience. For a minute it appeared that Connor Williams was exactly what they needed at the position. However, Williams' work on the field fell short of expectations. He may have been limited by his recovery from a major knee injury last year. Whatever the cause, Williams was extremely disappointed with his own play and decided to abruptly retire midseason.
More Seahawks stories
DK Metcalf comments on the Seahawks' dysfunctional offense
NFL insider reports on Geno Smith's future with the Seahawks
English (US)