Seahawks Mock Offseason – Expiring Contracts

With no playoffs, the Seattle Seahawks season has come to an end prematurely. So, we look ahead at what a Seahawks mock offseason looks like. There are many questions to be answered, one of them being what does Seattle do with the 25 players whose contracts are expiring? Let’s take a look at the bulk of the 25, in the first part of a miniseries highlighting a Seahawks mock offseason.

Seahawks Mock Offseason – Expiring Contracts

Contracts over $5 million

Duane Brown, LT

Ever since Brown was traded to Seattle from Houston, he has been by far the best offensive lineman for the Seahawks, making a 2nd team All-Pro in 2018 and making two Pro Bowls (as an alternate). But at 36 years of age, is it time to move on, with 7th round pick Stone Forsythe waiting in the wings?

Verdict: Resign him

Quandre Diggs, S

If Diggs maintains his form, it will go down as the best transaction the Seahawks have made since at least 2015. A 6th round pick in 2015, the Seahawks traded for him in 2018 for just a 5th round pick. He has gone on to make two Pro Bowls and has looked like one of the best safeties in the league.

Verdict: Resign him

Gerald Everett, TE

A free-agent signing in 2021, Gerald Everett ranks 3rd in receiving out of the Seahawks, with 458 yards. He has been quite good on the whole, apart from the San Francisco game in week 13 where he was responsible for 3 turnovers, including a dropped catch that he somehow managed to deflect right into a defensive back’s hands.

Verdict: Resign him

Contracts from $1 million to $5 million

Brandon Shell, RT

Brandon Shell has been an extremely inconsistent player at tackle since signing from New York. At the age of 29, and with a cap hit of $4.5 million it could be time to move on and give more starts to Stone Forsythe.

Verdict: Let him walk

Ethan Pocic, C

While not being the best center in the league, Pocic has been quite reliable as a run blocker and a pass blocker, and at only 26 years old, age is not an issue for him. Although, I do believe that Seattle should target a new center at some point as they need the extra help on the offensive line.

Verdict: Resign him

Rashaad Penny, RB

This decision will be the most polarizing after being extremely underwhelming for his first three and a half years in the league. But in the backend of this season, he has been extremely impressive, averaging over 5.5 yards per carry and leading the team in rushing despite only starting 5 games. Despite all of that, running backs are not as important, and the Seahawks have a better one in Chris Carson who was injured this season.

Verdict: Offer him a cheap contract and hope he resigns

Al Woods, DT

Al Woods has been the leader of an extremely weak defensive line in Seattle but at the age of 34 and with multiple other options available, who are all younger, is it time to say goodbye?

Verdict: Let him walk

Sidney Jones, CB

Jones was signed in the last free agency period to provide depth in the cornerback room and that is exactly what he has done. But the emergence of both DJ Reed and rookie Tre Brown means that he and his contract are both expendable this offseason. On the other hand, he has been the third-best cornerback on this roster

Verdict: Resign him

Geno Smith, QB

After not having started a game in what felt like forever, Geno Smith got an opportunity following Russell Wilson‘s injury and led the team to a record of 1-2 while starter, with both losses being close ones. His performance has certainly earned him a backup role somewhere in the league, will it be in Seattle though?

Verdict: Offer him a cheap contract and hope he resigns

Interesting Contracts Below $1 Million

Alex Collins, RB

After the emergence of Rashaad Penny and Chris Carson returning from IR, I find it quite difficult to believe that the Seahawks would resign him for another season. If he was to be resigned, he would end up as the 4th string running back, behind Penny, Carson, and DeeJay Dallas

Verdict: Let him walk

Kyle Fuller, C

Having started a few games at the beginning of the season, Fuller was benched in favor of Ethan Pocic, who started the rest of the season and ended up outperforming Fuller massively and leaving Fuller on the bench

Verdict: Let him walk

Ryan Neal, S

He started the season as a rotational piece on the defense, but following an injury to Jamal Adams, Neal took over at safety and looked serviceable, to say the least. His performances should warrant an extended deal coming his way.

Verdict: Resign him

Rasheem Green, EDGE

Green deserves to be resigned. He leads the team in sacks with 6.5 and has 6 tackles for loss to go along with that. He has been quite a bright spot on this disappointing defense and provides some hope for the future.

Verdict: Resign him

Bless Austin, CB

He has not done enough this season, due to his lack of playing time, to warrant a contract extension of any kind.

Verdict: Let him walk

Bryan Mone, DT

He is one of the “multiple other options” I mentioned in the Al Woods section. Mone has looked quite good in the limited playing time he has had, and being almost 10 years younger than Al Woods should mean he gets resigned.

Verdict: Resign him

Penny Hart, WR

While having fewer than 10 touches on the offense, Hart has been crucial to the team’s special teams unit. In the Seahawks mock offseason, I believe that he should get resigned for at least three more years.

Verdict: Resign him

John Reid, CB

He was thrust into the starting team due to injuries in the secondary and was not anything special but he was extremely serviceable. But because he would be the fourth corner on the roster, and corner is a very replaceable position in the league, I do not see him being resigned in my seahawks mock offseason.

Verdict: Let him walk

Will Dissly, TE

I have already said that the Seahawks should resign Gerald Everett, and with Colby Parkinson already on the roster, I do not see a need for Will Dissly to also return to the Pacific Northwest.

Verdict: Let him walk

DJ Reed, CB

The last one, but by far the easiest choice. DJ Reed needs to get resigned this offseason. He has been Seattle’s number one corner for the majority of this season and has played like it, recording 2 picks in the game against the Lions.

Verdict: Resign him

Out of the remaining 6 players in my Seahawks mock offseason, I only see the Seahawks re-signing Nigel Warrior, a special teams player.

If the Seahawks follow this, they will resign 11, offer 2 a cheap contract and let the others walk. This would give them a lot of cap space to spend in free agency and would allow them to target replacements through the draft.

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