Vikings Exploring Sheldon Richardson Add
While the Vikings have already made their big splash, and one of the defining moves of the NFL’s free agency era, they may not be done looking into big-name talent.
Minnesota has inquired about a possible Sheldon Richardson signing, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. Richardson is one of the top free agents still unattached.
However, the Seahawks are still interesting in bringing Richardson back and would prefer to retain the sixth-year defensive lineman, per Pelissero.
Richardson assimilated into a 4-3 scheme last season and would obviously do the same in Minnesota. The Vikings have a bit of a hole at defensive tackle alongside Linval Joseph. Tom Johnson is a free agent. Richardson, though, would cost much more than Johnson. He is, however, just 27 and should have a few prime years remaining despite not quite being as dominant in Seattle as he was at his Jets peak.
Seahawks To Host TE Ed Dickson
The Seahawks are “deep” in the tight end market, and will now host free agent Ed Dickson on a visit, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).
Seattle also has a meeting scheduled with fellow tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins, so the club is clearly trying to use the open market to replace Jimmy Graham, who signed with the Packers on Tuesday. Other free agent tight ends of note include Tyler Eifert, Virgil Green, Antonio Gates, and the recently-released Eric Ebron.
Dickson, 30, didn’t play a large receiving role during his first three years with the Panthers, but an injury to starting tight end Greg Olsen allowed Dickson to play on 80% of Carolina’s offensive plays last season. While he wasn’t a world-beater, Dickson did manage 437 yards and a touchdown, solid numbers considering he’d managed just 370 receiving yards from 2014-16. He’s also on the Falcons’ radar as they seek a complementary tight end.
At present, Seattle’s depth chart is comprised of Nick Vannett and 2017 undrafted free agent Tyrone Swoopes. Veteran Luke Willson is an unrestricted free agent.
Contract Details: CBs, McDougald, Ellis
Let’s take a look at the details from the latest contracts signed in the NFL, with all links going to Twitter unless otherwise noted:
- Bashaud Breeland, CB (Panthers): $24MM, three years. $8.5MM signing bonus, $10.4MM guaranteed. Base salaries of $900K, $6.75MM, $7.25MM (via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle).
- Brent Grimes, CB (Buccaneers): One year, $7MM. Guaranteed $3.5MM base salary. $3.5MM roster bonus due March 18. $3MM in incentives for playing time, INTs, Pro Bowl. (per Wilson).
- Nevin Lawson, CB (Lions): Two years, $9.2MM. $4.55MM guaranteed, $2.25MM signing bonus. Base salaries of $2.3MM (guaranteed) and $2.4MM. $1.25MM roster bonus due on third day of 2019 league year (via Wilson).
- Bradley McDougald, S (Seahawks): Three years, $13.5MM. $6.5MM guaranteed, $4MM signing bonus (via Wilson).
- Justin Ellis, DT (Raiders): Three years, $13.5MM. $4.25MM cap hold in 2018. 2019: base salary of $2.25MM, roster bonus of $2.25MM each protected for injury. Otherwise, Raiders can opt out by Day 3 of 2019 league year (per Michael Gehlken of the Las Vegas Review-Journal).
- Nate Ebner, ST (Patriots): Two years, $5MM. $1.2MM guaranteed signing bonus. Base salaries of $1.2MM, $2MM (per Ben Volin of the Boston Globe).
Seahawks, Jaguars To Host Austin Seferian-Jenkins
The Seahawks and Jaguars both plan to meet with free agent tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins, according to Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Seattle will get the first shot at Seferian-Jenkins, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
ASJ is drawing plenty of interest on the open market, and while the Seahawks and Jaguars will host him in the coming days, they aren’t the only clubs targeting the former second-round pick. Both the Saints and Falcons have also been connected to Seferian-Jenkins, who spent the 2017 campaign with the Jets.
Seattle is on the lookout for a new tight end after losing veteran Jimmy Graham to the Packers on Tuesday. While the Seahawks still have Nick Vannett on their roster, the club could use an established starter. Jacksonville, meanwhile, recently exercised its 2018 option for Marcedes Lewis, but Seferian-Jenkins would offer an upgrade on the longtime Jaguar.
In 13 games (10 starts) a season ago, the 25-year-old Seferian-Jenkins posted 50 receptions for 357 yards and three touchdowns. While his 50 catches ranked 13th among tight ends in 2017, Seferian-Jenkins doesn’t offer much as a blocker, as Pro Football Focus ranked him as just the 35th-best run-blocker.
Pro Football Rumors currently ranks Seferian-Jenkins as the No. 4 available tight end and the No. 37 free agent overall.
Jordy Nelson To Visit Seahawks, Saints
Jordy Nelson‘s free agent tour is underway. The former Packers wide receiver is set to meet with the Seahawks and Saints, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). Nelson is already scheduled to visit the Raiders.
This will be the 32-year-old wide receiver’s first time in free agency. The Packers released Nelson on Tuesday, but he’s indicated he still wants to play. He’s heading into what would be his 11th NFL season, and based on where receiver contracts have gone this week, it’s logical there’s a big market for his services despite Nelson having gone through his least productive season.
Part of those struggles likely came because of Aaron Rodgers‘ injury. As recently as 2016, Nelson produced the fourth 1,000-plus-yard season of his career and caught 14 TD passes.
The Seahawks are losing Paul Richardson to the Redskins, and the Saints’ Michael Thomas supporting cast is uncertain. The latter has consistently found room for several producers beyond its No. 1 target, but Nelson would be one of the highest-profile receivers to come through New Orleans during Drew Brees‘ run. New Orleans already has an auxiliary wideout in his early 30s, however, in Ted Ginn.
The Seahawks have Doug Baldwin and Tyler Lockett representing their most notable pass-catchers, and Jimmy Graham is departing for Green Bay and will likely assume some of the red zone responsibilities Nelson enjoyed during his Packers run.
These suitors’ financial situations are fairly similar as free agency is set to start. All have between $25-$30MM, according to OverTheCap.
Jeremy Lane Formally Charged With DUI
The Seahawks have already parted ways with Jeremy Lane this offseason and the cornerback has now found himself in some legal trouble as he attempts to find a new football home. Lane was formally charged with a DUI in relation to a January arrest, according to Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times. He is scheduled to be arraigned on March 26.
Lane struggled last season — Pro Football Focus graded him as one of the five worst cornerbacks in the NFL — and the Seahawks cut him on March 9, joining Richard Sherman as cornerbacks cut by Seattle this offseason. The Seahawks drafted Lane in the sixth round in the 2012 draft and he’s spent his entire career in Seattle. He was slated to be sent to the Texans as part of the package to acquire left tackle Duane Brown during this past season but failed his physical and remained with the Seahawks.
Lane, 27, received a bulk of his playing time with the Seahawks over the last two seasons, appearing in 19 games and starting 15. He has not picked off a pass since collecting two interceptions in 2013. Lane is in a cornerback free-agent market that’s headlined by the likes of Trumaine Johnson, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Johnathan Joseph and Adam Jones.
DeShawn Shead To Visit Lions, 49ers
Former Seahawks cornerback DeShawn Shead is visiting the Lions on Tuesday, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). If he leaves without an agreement, he’ll meet with the 49ers on Wednesday. 
Shead’s contract tolled for the 2018 season, but the Seahawks honored a promise to make him an unrestricted free agent in that event. Seattle hopes to retain Shead, but they may not get the opportunity to re-sign him given the outside interest he has and their own numbers crunch.
Shead returned from a broken leg to play in two games last season for the Seahawks, The cornerback, 30 in June, was Seattle’s full-time right cornerback opposite Richard Sherman in 2016. With Sherman and Jeremy Lane already out of the picture, it sounds like Shead could be the next Legion of Boomer to wind up elsewhere.
Seahawks Place Second-Round Tender On Justin Coleman
The Seahawks have placed a second-round tender on restricted free agent cornerback Justin Coleman, reports NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter). 
The tender value is expected to be around $2.914MM.
Following a pair of seasons with the Patriots, Coleman was acquired by the Seahawks last September in exchange for a seventh-round pick. The former undrafted free agent ended up setting career-highs across the board in 2017, as he finished the campaign with 42 tackles, two interceptions, and two touchdowns in 16 games (five starts). Pro Football Focus was fond of Coleman’s performance last season, ranking him 37th among 120 eligible cornerback candidates.
After parting ways with Richard Sherman, the Seahawks may be counting on Coleman to play an even larger role in 2018. The team is currently rostering four other cornerbacks in Neiko Thorpe, Shaquill Griffin, DeAndre Elliott, and Alex Carter.
Seahawks To Host RB DeMarco Murray
The Seahawks will host free agent running back DeMarco Murray after he meets with the Lions on Tuesday, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).
Seattle fielded one of the league’s worst running games in 2017, as the club ranked in the bottom third of the NFL in both yards per rush and rushing DVOA. While the Seahawks will return Chris Carson, C.J. Prosise, and J.D. McKissic in 2018, Eddie Lacy is an unrestricted free agent while Thomas Rawls and Mike Davis are restricted free agents.
Murray, whom the Titans released last week, is not only entering his age-30 campaign, but coming off the worst season of his career. While he appeared in 15 games, Murray ceded work to second-year back Derrick Henry, and tied a career-low with only 3.6 yards per carry.
It’s not all bad news for Murray, however, as he was still able to manage 39 receptions in the passing game. Additionally, Murray is only one season removed from a 1,200 yard season on the ground, and — even in down year — still ranked as a league-average back in DVOA, Football Outsiders‘ per-play value metric.
Seahawks Hope To Keep DeShawn Shead
The Seahawks are planning to release DeShawn Shead on Monday in a procedural move, but they hope to re-sign him, as Brady Henderson of ESPN.com writes. Shead’s contract tolled, but Seattle is honoring a promise made to him by allowing him to explore free agency. 
The Seahawks will be up against other suitors for the 28-year-old (29 in June), including the Lions. After moving on from Richard Sherman and Jeremy Lane in recent days, the Seahawks would ideally like to maintain some consistency in the secondary.
The Seahawks have four cornerbacks under contract for 2018, but only one – Shaquill Griffin – has started for the team.