Seahawks Shopping Tedric Thompson
Seahawks free safety Tedric Thompson has been given permission to seek a trade, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). He adds that if they’re able to swing a deal, it’ll likely be for a late-round draft pick. 
Thompson saw his 2019 season cut short by a shoulder injury. Before that, he started in all six of their games and came away with two interceptions. Meanwhile, the advanced metrics were not high on his performance. At the time, Thompson was a bottom-five safety in the NFL, per Pro Football Focus.
The Seahawks did better in coverage without Thompson in the lineup, thanks in part to midseason trade pickup Quandre Diggs. Despite flashes of big-play ability, Thompson has not been consistent over three years with Seattle and he no longer fits into the club’s plans.
As it stands, Thompson is set to earn $2.3MM in 2020. If they don’t find a taker for him, they could release him instead to save $2.1MM.
Seahawks Reach Agreement With Brandon Shell
The Seahawks have come to terms on a contract with free-agent offensive tackle Brandon Shell, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN, the deal spans two-years and is worth up to $11MM. Following Schefter’s report, ESPN’s Rich Cimini added that Seattle had been narrowing its focus on Shell for the past few days.
Seattle needed to find a replacement for Germain Ifedi, who signed with the Jets earlier in the day. It seems that the Seahawks and Jets will essentially be swapping tackles.
The Jets selected Shell in the 5th round of the 2016 draft (127 picks after the Seahawks selected Ifedi). In his four years with Gang Green, Shell started 40 games, appearing at both tackle spots and at right guard. Shell graded as the 51st best tackle last season out of 81 qualified players (Ifedi ranked 64th), per Pro Football Focus.
Seahawks To Bring Back DE Bruce Irvin
After four seasons away from Seattle, Bruce Irvin is set to return to the team that drafted him. The Seahawks and Irvin agreed to terms on Wednesday, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).
A 2010 first-round Seahawks pick, the veteran defensive end has ventured to the Raiders, Falcons and Panthers in the years since. Now 32, he will come back to the Pacific Northwest.
The veteran linebacker joined the Panthers last offseason, and he proceeded to start 12 of his 13 games. Despite playing in his fewest number of regular season games since 2013, Irvin still finished the campaign with a career-high 8.5 sacks. He also added 36 tackles and one forced fumble.
This signing probably doesn’t take Seattle out of the running for Jadeveon Clowney. We learned earlier today that the pass rusher has been disappointed by his market. The Seahawks have made an effort to keep him and the feeling is that their offer could be the best he gets.
Weak Market For Seahawks’ Jadeveon Clowney?
Jadeveon Clowney has been disappointed by his offers thus far in free agency, NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo (Twitter link) hears. The Seahawks have made an effort to keep him and the feeling is that their offer could be the best he gets, Garafolo adds. 
It’s a surprising development, considering that many of this year’s top pass rushers have already been spoken for. Matt Judon, Yannick Ngakoue, Chris Jones, Leonard Williams, and Bud Dupree were all yanked back via the franchise tag and DeForest Buckner was shipped from the 49ers to the Colts, which should have left Clowney as the belle of the ball. Instead, his market has stagnated.
Earlier this month, the Giants and Colts were both said to have interest in Clowney, but they’ve since addressed their needs. Our best guess is that Clowney’s injury history is scaring clubs off and his asking price probably hasn’t been adjusted to factor for that. And, in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, teams might not be able to give the former No. 1 overall pick a thorough physical.
Clowney posted just three sacks in 2019, but he was still effective against opposing passers and running backs. For his work, Pro Football Focus ranked him as the 20th best edge defender in the NFL, ahead of notables such as Olivier Vernon, Vinny Curry, Von Miller, and Dupree.
Seahawks Sign OL B.J. Finney
B.J. Finney is joining the Seahawks. NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero reports (via Twitter) that the lineman has signed a two-year, $8MM deal with Seattle.
The 2015 undrafted free agent out of Kansas State has spent his entire five-year career with the Steelers. Finney emerged into a rotational lineman in Pittsburgh, and he’s appeared in 16 games in each of the past two seasons.
In total, the 28-year-old has appeared in 59 games throughout his career. He also has 13 starts, including four this past season.
Seattle, like any team at this time of year, is naturally searching for offensive line help. Finney is their first notable signing, although they did re-sign tight end Luke Willson.
RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/17/20
Tuesday’s restricted free agent and exclusive rights free agent tender decisions will be posted below. Deals will be updated throughout the day.
RFAs
Tendered at second-round level:
- Chargers: DB Michael Davis
Tendered at original-round level:
- Falcons: RB Brian Hill
- Raiders: OT David Sharpe
- Seahawks: C Joey Hunt, DL Branden Jackson
- Steelers: OT Zach Banner
ERFAs
Tendered:
- Chargers: DL Isaac Rochell, T Trent Scott
- Jaguars: LB Austin Calitro
- Packers: WR Jake Kumerow, WR Allen Lazard
- Panthers: OL Jordan Roos
- Rams: TE Johnny Mundt, C Coleman Shelton
- Seahawks: DT Bryan Mone, DB Ryan Neal, WR Malik Turner
Non-tendered:
Five Teams Interested In Phillip Dorsett
Free-agent wideout Phillip Dorsett tells ESPN’s Josina Anderson that the Jets, Seahawks, Chargers, 49ers, and Raiders have all shown preliminary interest in his services. Dorsett added, “I just want to come in and have a great opportunity to play and showcase how I can really flourish as a player.”
While Dorsett has never lived up to the expectations placed upon a first-round pick (the Colts selected Dorsett with the 29th overall pick in 2015), he has consistently been a healthy pass-catching depth option over his five-year career.
Dorsett was most productive in 2016. Appearing in 15 games with a career-high 7 starts, Dorsett caught 33 receptions for 528 yards and 2 touchdowns with the Colts. Indianapolis shipped Dorsett to the Patriots the following offseason in a trade for quarterback Jacoby Brissett. In New England over the past three seasons, Dorsett was a decently productive depth piece, accruing 73 receptions for 881 yards and 8 touchdowns.
Of course, the Patriots struggles to find legitimate options at wide receiver over the past few seasons have been well documented. Yet even amidst the dire straights, Dorsett was never able to emerge as a top option. Still, given his long history as a sturdy player, it’s no surprise that many teams remain interested in his services.
Seahawks Re-Sign Luke Willson
The Seahawks are holding on to Luke Willson. The tight end – with help from the Ultimate Warrior – confirmed that he’ll return to Seattle in 2020, via Twitter.
Willson, a 2013 fifth-round pick, spent the first five years of his career with the Seahawks. That streak was interrupted in 2018 when he spent one year with the Lions.
In Detroit, he saw time in 14 games and notched 13 catches for 87 yards. Then, in March of 2019, he had a cup of coffee with the Raiders before missing the final cut. In September of last year, he circled back to the Seahawks and went on to appear in eight games.
Willson finished out ’19 with eight catches for 79 yards. For his career, he has 110 grabs for 1,295 yards and eleven scores.
Seahawks Re-Sign DT Jarran Reed
Jarran Reed will be back in Seattle next season. NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero reports (via Twitter) that the defensive tackle has re-signed with the Seahawks. It’s a two-year pact worth $23MM.
The 2016 second-round pick has spent his entire career with the Seahawks. Following a pair of forgettable seasons to start his career, Reed absolutely broke out during the 2018 campaign. He finished that season having compiled 50 tackles and 10.5 sacks in 16 games (16 starts).
Reed was suspended for the first six games of the 2019 season after violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy, but he still managed to get into 10 games for Seattle. In total, the 27-year-old finished the season with 27 tackles and one forced fumble.
It’s been a relatively quiet day in Seattle. Besides placing tendering a handful of players (including tight end Jacob Hollister), this is their first reported move.
Seahawks Place Second-Round Tender On TE Jacob Hollister
Despite having one of the deepest tight end corps in the NFL, the Seahawks won’t let Jacob Hollister walk for nothing. NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets that Seattle is placing a second-round tender on the tight end.
If any team signs Hollister to an offer sheet and the Seahawks decline to match, they’d get that team’s second-round pick in return. That could actually be an option in Seattle, where the team has already added veteran Greg Olsen this offseason. They’re also rostering Will Dissly, who hauled in four touchdowns last season before succumbing to injury.
As for Hollister, the 26-year-old joined the Seahawks last offseason after spending two years with the Patriots. He ended up having a breakout season, hauling in 41 receptions for 349 yards and three touchdowns.