The Seahawks were one of the teams which made a significant addition at the trade deadline, acquiring Leonard Williams from the Giants. He is set to become a free agent, but talks on a Seattle deal will take place. 
The Seahawks did not pursue an extension with Williams in the aftermath of the trade, something which often takes place when teams spend notable draft capital on a player. Seattle sent New York a second-round pick in this year’s draft along with a 2025 fifth-rounder for Williams, whose contract was restructured to facilitate the deal. The former top-10 pick played in 10 games with the Seahawks, recording four sacks and 41 tackles.
As a result of his play, Williams could be a prime candidate for a short-term deal and Jeff Howe of The Athletic reports there is “hope” he and the Seahawks can work out an agreement (subscription required). Williams inked a three-year, $63MM deal with the Giants, and his next contract will likely check in at a lower price than that. Still, the 29-year-old proved in his audition period that he can be a productive contributor, and he could generate a notable market if he reaches free agency.
The Seahawks are currently projected to be over the 2024 salary cap, although they and all other teams will make several cost-shedding moves in the coming weeks. Improvement along the defensive front will be a key priority for new head coach Mike Macdonald and Co. after Seattle ranked 31st in the league in rushing yards allowed. Keeping Williams on a new contract would thus be a logical move to pair with a D-line addition in free agency or the draft.
On the other hand, the Seahawks already have Dre’Mont Jones attached to the three-year, $51MM deal he signed last offseason. Jones is set to carry cap hits of $18.18MM in 2024 and $23.18MM the following year, so retaining Williams on a lucrative pact of his own would leave considerable resources tied up along the defensive front. In any case, the sides will at least explore extending their relationship in advance of the new league year in March.
The New Deal is a great discussion subject for NFL players. I’m particularly interested in how the Rural Electrification Act paved the way for the explosion of pro football and the media around it.
Not funny. Not even close bra.
Imagine valuing comedy feedback from someone who says bra in 2024.
Ok Oooof. I notice you comment with yourself quite a bit on here. And very quick to reply to others. Lonely?
Doing just fine, thanks.
The Seahawks should get a third-round compensatory pick. The Seahawks desperately need to trade high priced vets with rookie contracts. If the Williams market is good, they’ll have to let him go.
They would get a pick but I think more 4th or 5th. He isn’t going to get a mega contract, but who knows maybe. But you are right they need to replace some areas with rookie contracts. Possibly trade Dremont Jones to open up some cap space. New coach could bring Queen with him. GM JS has his work cut out for him right now.
“The Seahawks are currently projected to be over the 2024 salary cap”
Cut Geno Smith. Waste of money.
Smith is better than anything they could realistically do to replace him this offseason. Cutting Adams will get them under the cap and they have some restructure candidates to buy them some breathing room.
“Smith is better than anything they could realistically do to replace him this offseason“
Speculation. Every year quarterbacks improve and get new oppurtunites, as well as rookies coming in and playing well. Different coaches and schemes are very important to finding and developing talent.
Geno was an afterthought a couple of years ago. Baker last yr. Both not considered starters. Both earned money. Thats why there are scouts and coaches. To find guys to coach up and fit your scheme.
Geno is not definitively the best out there we can start this yr considering we don’t have an OC yet. That will make a huge difference.
Also if you consider Genos value relative to our cap position, we should look to move on.
We are paying market value
for Geno. That is not a smart move. Smart teams avoid paying market value on 2nd/3rd tier positional talent.
We should be looking for a QB in the draft or maybe an undervalued talent on another roster.
Smith is fine for the money. They’re not in range to draft a QB who will be able to start right away. The veteran market isn’t much this offseason. You didn’t name an actual good alternative. Counting on some other random journeyman to make the leap Smith did is a wish, not a plan.
First off, there are backups in the league that can play and just need a shot. You might think you know their talent but you haven’t seen them all play.
Secondly you don’t even know the scheme yet or the OC. I would name specifics if we had specifics but we don’t yet.
I never said journeymen. Plenty of mid round QBs on rookie deals.
A lot of coordinators will bring a player with them as well, the new coach might already have a player in mind.
Ok, but you still haven’t named an actual alternative and the bird in the hand is pretty solid here.
“bird in the hand is pretty solid here.”
Plenty of cheaper and younger birds available. Also you don’t need to marry your bird in February especially if that bird aint cheap.
Finding upgrades or better fits whether scheme or value-wise is what the draft and offseason is for.
“you still haven’t named an actual alternative”
Until we have our staff in place and a scheme we don’t know who the best fit is. Considering market value deal, Geno is not a deal.
I think he’s a good situation for this year and then it’s easy to move on. I don’t see who’s a better realistic veteran option this offseason. Their first round pick isn’t in a good spot for one. Geno would keep stability for the staff’s first year, and his one year commitment is a better value than paying Leonard Williams market value for multiple years.
I see your point. Its safe. I just think we need to push the needle a bit and a reallocation of resources could be beneficial especially if we gain some savings at the QB position.
I just hope the new staff and will have a plan and not be afraid to take a risk.
I do agree Leonard Williams could be a rough deal considering length and AAV.
Here’s a comp that comes to mind: In 2017, Sean McDermott takes over as Bills coach. They’re not working with a full deck of draft picks, like Seattle this year. They stick with Tyrod Taylor for a year while they build out some of the holes in their roster. They take Tre’Davious White, Dion Dawkins, and Matt Milano. Only a mid-round flyer on Nathan Peterman at QB, and they give him a look late in the year. They’re a borderline playoff team. Then the next year they make an aggressive move to take Josh Allen when they’re in a better position to do that.
It still required a trade up. They still had to pay to 7. Going with Tyrod and winning 9 games did what exactly?
Well, winning is nice for fans and also for player buy-in. But also it bought them a year of getting a new regime in the building, a year of roster shaping, and a year of self-scouting. The fact that they waited a year to go after a QB when they had the means and opportunity to swing big rather than flailing at a bad idea the year before is more important long-term than how many games they won in year one.
Tyrods deal was $15 mil on a 167 cap. Where Genos cap hit is over 5% higher. Its not an even comparison .
If Geno was cheaper sure but the whole point is, Genos deal is market value deal and not beneficial, whereas the Tyrod deal was cheaper relative to the cap and actually beneficial. Genos is not.
I still think it beats the alternatives. I might just have a sunnier view of Geno than you do. He’s a mid-tier starter, they aren’t committed past this year, and right now he’s slated to be 12th in cap hit and 18th in cash layout among 2024 QBs. Considering some of the guys behind him are rookie contract guys who can’t get paid yet, I’d say that’s pretty solid value for where he is, especially with the very short commitment.
Yes I think 12th in cap hit and 18th in cash is overrated especially “ Considering some of the guys behind him are rookie contract.”
He won’t win any meaningful games though. He is a waste of salary cap space.
He might get them to the playoffs with the right moves around him. How many QBs are going to win more meaningful games?
More importantly, what’s a better move for this year? Even if he’s a post-June 1st cut (and you’re probably already using one of those designations on Adams), he’s coming with an almost $9 million dead cap hit. You’re not getting someone better with the remaining cap space this offseason. You’re not in a great position to draft someone for this year. You’re not bad enough to tank. Why cut him just for saving a little money and getting worse? It’ll be very clean to move on from him after this year.
Playing Geno Smith guarantees mediocrity. Hard pass for me.
They definitely need to move on from Adams. That trade has hurt the team in draft picks over the years.
Smith has a cap hit of 17 million they would still be hit with and QB on roster. Lock is a free agent.
“They’re not in range to draft a QB who will be able to start right away. ”
We draft 16th. I guess no great QBs after the 15th pick right? Smh
Williams, Maye, and Daniels will be gone. I think Nix or Penix is a reach there. Anyone else is unlikely to start early their rookie year if at all.
JJ McCarthy will be in that range as well.
I’m guessing he’s off the board before Seattle’s pick, and their first pick would be way too rich, but I also think he especially should sit for most if not all of year one, especially since he’s a young prospect. He’ll be 21 his whole rookie season, assuming his rookie season ends before the conference championships.
“The veteran market isn’t much this offseason.”
Once again you don’t know this. Speculation. There are GMs, OCs and HCs that believe they can win with a QB available this offseason. Goff turned out okay. TB and Baker just did it.