Seahawks Re-Sign Neiko Thorpe
- The Seahawks announced that they’ve re-signed defensive back Neiko Thorpe, whom the club originally acquired from Oakland last offseason. While Thorpe didn’t play much on defense (just 97 snaps), he did see a good deal of time on special teams, where he managed over half the club’s plays.
Latest On Eddie Lacy’s Weight
Running back Eddie Lacy took three free agent visits in the past week, and one of the Seahawks, Vikings, and Packers weighed him at 267 pounds, tweets Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, who notes Lacy was listed at 234 pounds last year.
Lacy, who agreed to a one-year, $5.5MM deal with Seattle earlier today, has dealt with weight issues in the past, but he still ranked as PFR’s top running back heading into free agency. Seahawks coach Pete Carroll told reporters, including Sheil Kapadia of ESPN.com (all Twitter links), that Lacy’s target weight will be in the 240s, and noted the club would make a “concerted effort” to help their new signee stay in shape.
Lacy, 26, was averaging 5.1 yards per carry in 2016 before an ankle injury sidelined him after only five games. In the three years prior, the former second-round pick averaged 4.3 yards per attempt while scoring 23 total touchdowns. In Seattle, Lacy will compete with Thomas Rawls, C.J. Prosise, and others for carries.
Jared Cook To Visit Vikings
If tight end Jared Cook does not sign with the Seahawks, he’ll take a visit to the Vikings soon, Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press tweets. A return to the Packers, of course, is no longer possible after Green Bay signed Martellus Bennett. 
Cook now stands as the top tight end available and there are four teams known to have interest: the Seahawks, Vikings, Bills, and Lions. Interestingly, the Bills (Charles Clay), Seahawks (Jimmy Graham), and Lions (Eric Ebron) already have big name starters at tight end. It stands to reason that these clubs could be looking to emphasize two tight end sets in 2017.
The Vikings have Kyle Rudolph and David Morgan II under contract. They’re down a tight end, however, after Rhett Ellison signed a lucrative free agent deal with the Giants. Ellison offered a much different skill set than Cook, so they might still be in the market for a blocking tight end even if they sign him.
Latest On Latavius Murray, Jamaal Charles
Now that Eddie Lacy has landed in Seattle, Latavius Murray is changing course. Instead of meeting with the Seahawks today, Murray is visiting with the Vikings, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Interestingly, Jamaal Charles‘ scheduled visit to Seattle on Wednesday is still on, according to Schefter. 
Lacy’s deal with the Seahawks could start a run on free agent running backs. Teams have been wallflowers when it comes to engaging the top available RBs so far. Now, teams could finally start to get serious with Murray, Charles, Adrian Peterson, LeGarrette Blount, Darren McFadden, and others.
At the same time, Lacy was my No. 1 rated RB on the board and he had to settle for a one-year prove-it deal. The age and injury concerns will probably lead Charles, Peterson, Blount, and McFadden to similar pacts, perhaps with less money. Murray, I feel, could still have a shot at a multi-year deal, but if the market is soft for the position, he may also opt for a one-year contract to allow him to try the open market again next year.
Right now, the Seahawks have a strong RB group with Lacy, Thomas Rawls, and C.J. Prosise in the fold. Charles would be a great addition, but it’s hard to see there being enough carries to keep all four backs satisfied.
Seahawks To Sign RB Eddie Lacy
Eddie Lacy is going to Seattle. The Seahawks and the running back have agreed to a one-year, $5.5MM deal with $3MM fully guaranteed, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). 
Lacy now joins a running back group that already features C.J. Prosise and Thomas Rawls. Presumably, Lacy will be at the top of the order and receive the bulk of the carries. Now, the Seahawks will likely move away from other free agent RB targets like Latavius Murray and Jamaal Charles.
Even though Lacy has had problems with consistency and conditioning over the years, he was my top-ranked running back in this year’s free agent crop. The Packers were interested in retaining Lacy, but they apparently didn’t offer him much money to stay. The Vikings were also in the mix. The Vikings may now circle back to Adrian Peterson and, speculatively, I wonder if this could spark the Packers to also get involved with No. 28.
The ex-Alabama star averaged a so-so 4.1 yards per rush and posted a career-low three touchdowns in 187 carries in 2015. Last year, he was averaging 5.1 YPC through five games before an ankle injury ended his season. If healthy, Lacy could be one of the league’s very best rushers. He could then parlay that into a lucrative multi-year deal next year.
The running back market has been slow to develop this year and Lacy’s deal might finally get the ball rolling. So far, only Lacy and a few other backs on PFR’s top 10 list of free agent RBs have come off the board.
Photo courtesy of Pro Football Rumors on Instagram.
NFC West Rumors: Lang, Ware, 49ers, Rams
T.J. Lang saw the Lions change his mind at the last minute and possibly changing the fortunes of the team that beat Detroit in the wild-card round. The ninth-year guard was “99 percent” sure he was going to sign with the Seahawks after the sides’ Saturday summit. But the Lions improved their offer and ended up signing the Michigan native to a three-year, $28.5MM deal.
“I didn’t know Detroit was coming back with a counter-offer,” Lang said in an interview with 97.1-FM (via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press). “When I left Seattle I was about 99 percent sure I was flying back there to sign a contract and Detroit stepped up and things changed pretty quick.”
Lang’s former team did not offer him as much as the Lions did. The Packers proposed a three-year deal worth $21.5MM. While the Lions pact includes $19MM in guarantees, the Packers’ offer housed just $6.5MM guaranteed. Opining on the Packers’ usual free agency-phobic tendencies, Lang said Green Bay’s offer made this decision easier.
“I think just throughout the years they were able to get some guys back in town because they used the whole, we’re good, we’re competitive, we compete for championships every year. Do you want to play with the best quarterback in the NFL-type thing, you’re going to have to take a little less money, and I think it just kind of wore some guys out the last couple years and watching guys leave,” Lang said during the radio interview.
Here’s more from the NFC West.
- DeMarcus Ware‘s Rams visit did include discussions with Wade Phillips and new HC Sean McVay, Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com reports. But he adds the sides did not get into serious talks about the now-retired pass-rusher joining the Rams.
- UFA tackle Byron Bell visited the 49ers this weekend, ESPN.com’s Field Yates tweets. He did not play during the 2016 after dislocating his ankle on the first day of Titans OTAs last summer. Bell proved versatile for the 2015 Titans, however, starting 16 games but at three different spots — eight at right tackle, seven at left guard and one at left tackle. The 28-year-old Bell has been a career-long starter, serving as the Panthers’ primary left tackle from 2011-14.
- Kyle Juszczyk received an even better offer than the fullback-record deal (four years, $21MM) he signed with the 49ers, Peter King of TheMMQB.com reports. The fifth-year fullback’s agent told King one team would have paid Juszczyk more than what the 49ers offered. The Bills, Browns, Eagles and Jets were also in on this competition.
- The Seahawks‘ Jared Cook visit will create questions regarding Jimmy Graham‘s long-term spot with the team, Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times notes. Graham is already 30, having turned 25 during his rookie year. However, Cook is less than six months younger. Graham will be a UFA in 2018, and the Seahawks have potential third contracts for Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor to consider. Both have observed other safeties surpass their second Seattle contracts in terms of value in recent years. Pete Carroll said at the Combine there is no reason to doubt Graham’s status on the 2017 Seahawks. He will count $10MM against Seattle’s cap this year.
- Jarvis Jones‘ Rams visit will occur Tuesday, per Gonzalez. The Rams signed their most recent visitor, cornerback Kayvon Webster, on Monday night.
Jared Cook To Meet With Seahawks
One of the top unsigned UFAs, Jared Cook will make a trip to Seattle to meet with the Seahawks, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Cook saw the Packers move on by signing Martellus Bennett and Lance Kendricks, but he’ll now visit a team that has one of the league’s best tight ends in Jimmy Graham.
Cook is the top tight end available after Bennett took his spot in Green Bay. Despite Aaron Rodgers‘ desire to keep Cook in Wisconsin, the Packers have now replaced him and added his former Rams teammate as depth. The sides broke off talks on Friday, but the Bills and Lions previously resided as top Cook suitors.
Seattle, though, profiles as a more interesting destination due to Graham having proven he can thrive in the Seahawks’ offense last season. The former Saints dynamo rebounded from a severe knee injury and completed a 65-catch, 923-yard, six-touchdown season. Cook would obviously strengthen the Seahawks’ pass offense more, though.
[RELATED: Latest On Seahawks’ RB Search]
Luke Willson remains unsigned after serving as Graham’s complement last season. Seattle attempted to keep the fifth-year tight end before free agency began, but its offer wasn’t enough to keep Willson off the market. Cook would bring an upgrade if the Seahawks are serious about spending to fortify their passing game.
They lost out on the bidding to land T.J. Lang and still have issues up front, but the soon-to-be 30-year-old Cook showed with Rodgers he can be a difference-maker in big spots. He caught 18 passes for 229 yards and two touchdowns in Green Bay’s three playoff tilts. His return from injury last season coincided with the Packers’ six-game run to win the NFC North.
Latest On Seahawks’ RB Search
The Seahawks continue to organize a thorough search for a veteran running back. More clarity’s arrived on this expansive pursuit’s itinerary. Jamaal Charles will visit Seattle on Wednesday and Thursday, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter).
He will follow both Adrian Peterson and Latavius Murray. Peterson’s Seahawks summit encompassed Sunday and Monday, per Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (on Twitter), but it looks to have concluded with the future Hall of Famer unsigned.
Murray’s visit will precede Charles’, per Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (via Twitter). Eddie Lacy is scheduled to visit, but the timing of that meeting isn’t known yet. Lacy visited the Vikings already, and Murray is visiting the Jaguars before being slated to fly to the Pacific Northwest. Peterson and Charles have not scheduled any known summits with other teams during their initial time as UFAs.
Currently, Seattle’s backfield houses Thomas Rawls and C.J. Prosise. Neither of which eclipsed 400 yards rushing last season, and both struggled with injuries in 2016. Rawls, though, fared much better in 2015, averaging 5.6 yards per carry after succeeding Marshawn Lynch. Rawls rushed for 830 yards despite making only seven starts. However, his per-carry figure plummeted to 3.2 last season.
Luke Joeckel Gets Fully-Guaranteed $7MM From Seahawks
- Luke Joeckel‘s new one-year deal with the Seahawks will pay him a fully-guaranteed $7MM, with an additional $1MM available in per-game roster bonuses (Twitter link via Tom Pelissero of USA Today).
T.J. Lang Down To Packers, Lions, Seahawks
Appearing on WXYZ-TV in Detroit today, free agent guard T.J. Lang said he’s narrowed his potential landing spots to the Packers, Lions, and Seahawks, tweets Brad Galli of WXYZ. Lang added he hopes to make a final decision by today.
The best guard remaining on the market, Lang may be in a position to garner as much as $10MM per year, as Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports recently reported. Green Bay has interest in retaining Lang, while the 29-year-old has already completed visits with Detroit and Seattle. The Seahawks fielded one of the worst (and cheapest) offensive lines in the league in 2016, and have added only Luke Joeckel thus far, while the Lions are searching for a Larry Warford replacement,
Lang, a former fourth-round selection, has spent the past eight seasons in Green Bay, having already agreed to one extension with the club back in 2012. A full-time starter since his third year in the league, Lang has appeared in 119 games (94 starts) during his Packers tenure. In 2016, Lang graded as the No. 8 guard in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus.
The Falcons also expressed interest in Lang at one point, but as Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com reported yesterday, Atlanta no longer believes it’s in the mix for Lang’s third contract. Additionally, Lang had a visit scheduled with the Broncos, but that did not end up materializing after Denver signed Ronald Leary to a four-year deal on the first day of free agency.