While the NFL scouting combine, which is currently underway in Indianapolis, is nominally about the draft, free agency is also a part of the process. The free-agency period doesn’t begin until March 9, and teams aren’t allowed to enter into contract negotiations with unrestricted free agents until March 7. However, the combine is a place where teams and player agents are able to feel one another out.
The Seahawks have 18 unrestricted free agents this season. Of those 18, three were listed among NFL.com’s top 99 free agents of the offseason:
13. LB Bruce Irvin
25. T Russell Okung
72. WR Jermaine Kearse
(Defensive back DeShawn Shead is listed at 96, but he’s an exclusive rights free agent, not an unrestricted free agent).
Other starters who are unrestricted free agents include defensive tackles Brandon Mebane and Ahtyba Rubin, guard J.R. Sweezy, cornerback Jeremy Lane and punter Jon Ryan.
Offensive line and defensive tackle appear to be the biggest areas of concern for Seattle in free agency, as the Seahawks may have difficulty re-signing any of their free agents. Okung will likely get big offers, and Seattle may not be interested in giving the oft-injured Okung more money than he was making previously. Sweezy is reportedly receiving a lot of interest. Mebane and Rubin are reaching an age where the numbers may not make sense for either party.
Meanwhile, Irvin is likely to be too expensive for the Seahawks to re-sign, considering the amount of money already committed to other key players on the defensive side of the ball. Kearse, who’s from the area and played at the University of Washington, has said he won’t take a hometown discount. Lane may be the highest-priority re-signing among the unrestricted free agents, given the Cary Williams disaster the occurred when the Seahawks tried to sign a cornerback from outside their system.
One thing that will aid the Seahawks in free agency is the retirement of running back Marshawn Lynch, which frees up $6.5 million under the salary cap.
Seahawks general manager John Schneider spoke to the media at the combine Wednesday. Among the news tidbits he provided:
– Tight end Jimmy Graham is recovering well from the knee injury that ended his 2015 season. However, there’s still no timetable for when he may return.
– Schneider hasn’t talked with Lynch, but he confirmed that Lynch’s epic Super Bowl tweet (see below) indicates Lynch has indeed retired.
— Shawn Lynch (@MoneyLynch) February 8, 2016
– Lynch’s apparent successor, Thomas Rawls, should be able to return from his ankle injury in time for the 2016 season. However, he has not been handed the starting running-back position.
– Schneider said the team would try to try to come to an agreement with Irvin, but he sounded prepared to wish Irvin well with his future team.
Seahawks coach Pete Carroll is scheduled to speak to the media at noon Thursday. His press conference can be seen live on the NFL Network.
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