Seahawks add wide receiver, safety from division rivals

Published 1:30 am Saturday, March 17, 2018

The Seattle Seahawks were restocking their roster late on a weekend night when few were noticing, with players similarly off folks’ radar.

Does it relate to Earl Thomas’ future in Seattle?

The Seahawks’ characteristic activity in the secondary waves of free agency was in full swing late Friday with two nighttime signings, doubling the imports they had added across the rest of this past week. After signing wide receiver Jaron Brown from Arizona, the Seahawks signed 2017 Los Angeles Rams starting strong safety Maurice Alexander on Friday night.

The Seahawks confirmed both signings Saturday afternoon.

It was Seattle’s third free-agent signing since Friday afternoon. Tight end Ed Dickson’s was earlier in the day.

The 27-year- old Alexander is 6-foot-1, 220 pounds. That makes him another possible insurance plan if Kam Chancellor’s neck injury keeps him from returning to Seattle’s defense, as looks possible. Alexander began last season as Rams’ starting strong safety.

He started 14 of 16 games in 2016 at that position for Los Angeles, and the first four games of last season. Then Los Angeles left him inactive though healthy for the Seahawks’ road win over the Rams, and waived him days later last October. Rookie John Johnson took his place, in the final season of Alexander’s rookie contract, while Alexander played for no one the final three months of last season.

The Seahawks this past week signed back Bradley McDougald, one of their own unrestricted free agents who started the last month and half of the 2017 at strong safety after Chancellor’s injury. McDougald can also play free safety.

While the Seahawks wait on 2017 draft choice Delano Hill to prove he can play or not, Alexander could be the strong safety paired with McDougald. That is, if the Seahawks ever get the moon they are asking for in trade talks about Thomas, their three-time All-Pro free safety. Or after Thomas’ contract ends after the 2018 season, should Seattle choose not to re-sign him at his asking price of the highest-paid safety in the game.

Reports from Texas and elsewhere say the Dallas Cowboys are among multiple teams asking about Thomas. The Seahawks are asking, too — for at least a first-round plus a third-round draft choice, if not another player or asset on top of that.

And why not? Thomas, who turns 29 this spring, is Seattle’s lone, prime trade chip worthy of shooting for a huge return in any discussions about moving him.

Thomas has hinted he will hold out to start the 2018 season if he doesn’t get the new contract he wants from the Seahawks. He’s mentioned the six-year, $78 million deal 2010 draft classmate Eric Berry got last summer in an extension with Kansas City.

Berry’s bonanza included $40 million in guarantees with a $20 million signing bonus.

“There ain’t never enough of that,” Thomas said last summer when Berry got that windfall.

Seattle will either eventually meet or get near Thomas’ demand; have him play out 2018 upset about not getting it, then watch him leave next year at this time in free agency for a third-round compensatory draft choice; or trade him.

But, again, the only NFL team he’s known is in every position in right to exact a steep cost in any trade. That keeps a deal less than likely.

For now, Alexander’s signing provides depth at strong safety behind McDougald, as Chancellor’s status remains in doubt.

Alexander was a fourth-round draft choice by the Rams out of Utah State in 2014. In 2011 he and Seahawks All-Pro linebacker Bobby Wagner were on the same Utah State defense. It was Wagner’s senior season before Seattle drafted him, and Alexander’s junior season after he transferred from a junior college.

Brown, 28, finished his fifth season with the Cardinals in 2017. He caught a 25-yard touchdown catch in his final game for them, from Drew Stanton in the first quarter of Arizona’s 26-24 win over the Seahawks at CenturyLink Field on New Year’s Eve.

Brown had career highs of 31 catches, 447 yards and four touchdown receptions last season while catching passes from three quarterbacks, two after starter Carson Palmer got a season-ending injury. Four of his nine career touchdowns and eight of his 12 career starts came in 2017.

Brown’s 13 catches for 136 yards in nine career games against Seattle are his most against any NFL team.

The Seahawks traded wide receiver Jermaine Kearse to the New York Jets in September along with a second-round draft choice to get defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson. Then this week Paul Richardson, who was Seattle’s No. 2 wide receiver the final two months of last season behind Doug Baldwin, signed a $40-million, four-year contract this week with Washington.

And Russell Wilson’s third top receiving option, tight end Jimmy Graham, signed this week with Green Bay for $10 million per year.

So Brown’s signing is to help replenish that depleted corps.

The Seahawks have lost 11 former starters since last week, either through a trade (Michael Bennett to Philadelphia), waiving them (Richard Sherman, Jeremy Lane, DeShawn Shead) and free agents signing elsewhere (such as Graham, Sheldon Richardson and Paul Richardson).

They have signed four imports from other teams: outside linebacker Barkevious Mingo, Dickson, Brown and now Alexander.