Here are 10 players the Seattle Seahawks could pursue in free agency

The Seattle Seahawks will join the other 31 NFL teams in vying for the players across the league hitting free agency later this month. The new league year begins March 17, with the legal tampering window opening two days prior.

The Seahawks have a bunch of free agents in-house who they’ll need to make decisions on. But who could they pursue from other teams?

Read on for 10 names — a mix of dream options, positional needs and schematic fits.

G Brandon Scherff
Team in 2020: Washington

Russell Wilson’s grievances with his pass protection have been a dominant Seahawks’ storyline early in the offseason. Addressing the offensive line could (and should) be at the top of Seattle’s priority list — even if that means breaking away from its usual propensity for low-budget linemen to acquire an elite talent upfront.

Scherff might be the best offensive lineman scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent; a four-time Pro-Bowl guard and a 2020 first-team All-Pro selection. If Washington lets him walk, the Seahawks could join a long list of potential suitors.

Scherff is a long-time right guard. With a rising star in Damien Lewis manning the spot for the Seahawks already, Scherff could potentially slide in at left guard for Seattle. He’d replace Mike Iupati, who’s retiring.

Apart from the chances he stays in the nation’s capital, Scherff may be (far) out of Seattle’s price range. He’ll likely command market-setting money, even though he hasn’t played a full season since 2016.

G Joe Thuney
Team in 2020: New England Patriots

WIth Iupati retiring, Thuney — like Scherff — would be a dream upgrade. And he’s probably a more natural fit than his counterpart, as he’s been the Patriots’ starting left guard since 2016 — he played some tackle and center last season as a fill-in, too. Scherff has made his mark as a right guard.

But like Scherff, there are two questions with Thuney: 1) Will New England actually let him walk? And 2) Can the Seahawks even meet his market value? Thuney played under the franchise tag last season, and should be one of the two highest-paid guards in football after the upcoming free agency period.

C Corey Linsley
Team in 2020: Green Bay Packers

Ethan Pocic was a pleasant surprise for the Seahawks in 2020, becoming the starting center. But he’ll hit free agency later this month, and that — coupled with Wilson’s desires for better pass protection — could lead Seattle to look for an upgrade in the middle.

By all indications, Linsley will be the top center on the market. He started in all 99 career appearances with the Packers since 2014.

Again — like with Thuney and Scherff — the hurdle to a Linsley signing with the Seahawks could be money.

CB Richard Sherman  
Team in 2020: San Francisco 49ers

As noted before, a return of the Legion of Boom legend to Seattle makes a lot of sense on paper. The Seahawks have a big need at outside cornerback, with both Shaquill Griffin and Quinton Dunbar set to become unrestricted free agents. Sherman, already versed in Pete Carroll’s defensive principles, could be a stopgap option at left corner. And he should come at a cheap price entering his age-33 season. He played in just five games in 2020.

Can any bad blood be pushed aside to make a reunion happen?

QB Andy Dalton
Team in 2020: Dallas Cowboys

A Wilson trade, at least in the immediate future, remains unlikely. But with a Wilson-less Seahawks’ future now at least in the ether — no longer a laughable thought — having a quality backup with extensive starting experience becomes a much larger priority. In the last three seasons, Wilson’s backup (Brett Hundley in 2018; Geno Smith the past two seasons) have a combined one appearance.

Dalton is one of the best backup quarterbacks in the NFL. A three-time Pro Bowler during his days with the Bengals, Dalton took over as the Cowboys starter last season when Dak Prescott suffered a season-ending injury early in the year.

WR Marvin Jones
Team in 2020: Detroit Lions

Jones is one of the more productive receivers set to hit free agency (76 catches for 978 yards and 9 TDs in 2020), but at 30 years old, he shouldn’t be as expensive as some of the other top pass catchers.

Jones could be a nice No. 3 option to complement DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett in the Seahawks’ wide receivers room. Seattle needs more depth at the spot, after all, and David Moore is set to become an unrestricted free agent.

CB Michael Davis
Team in 2020: Los Angeles Chargers

Davis, listed at 6 feet 2 and 196 pounds, has the kind of physique that could appeal to Carroll, who’s known for his affinity for long outside cornerbacks.

An undrafted free agent in 2017, Davis has been a starting corner for the Chargers the past two seasons. He’s shown a playmaking ability, too. He has five interceptions since 2019.

DT Sheldon Rankins
Team in 2020: New Orleans Saints

The Seahawks could be in the market for a defensive tackle, with starter Poona Ford set to become a restricted free agent and Jarran Reed unsigned beyond 2021. The 26-year-old Rankins tore his Achilles back in January of 2019, but he’s now more than two years removed from the injury.

Rankins hasn’t reclaimed his pre-injury 2018 form, when he had eight sacks and started all 16 games. But Carroll and general manager John Schneider in the past have not shied away from former first-round picks who’ve never quite lived up to their potential. Rankins was the 12th overall pick in the 2016 draft by New Orleans.

The Seahawks have familiarity with Rankins on their coaching staff, too, as Seattle defensive line/assistant head coach Clint Hurtt coached him at Louisville in 2012-13.

TE Gerald Everett
Team in 2020: Los Angeles Rams

The Seahawks have been linked to a few tight ends this offseason. That doesn’t appear to be a coincidence. New Seattle offensive coordinator Shane Waldron has extensive experience coaching tight ends, who figure to play a key role in his Seahawks’ offense in 2021. With Everett, Waldron would kickstart that vision with a player he’s worked with the past four seasons with the Rams.

DE Aldon Smith
Team in 2020: Dallas Cowboys

There was a report last fall that the Seahawks had called the Cowboys about Smith, who was reinstated into the league last May after being suspended the past four seasons and had a productive 2020 in Dallas. Maybe this free agency, Seattle can ink a deal with the former 49ers pass rusher.

Why Smith may make sense: Carlos Dunlap’s future with the Seahawks is somewhat in limbo. Dunlap has said he’d love to be back in Seattle, but him coming back on his scheduled $14.037 million cap charge for 2021 seems unlikely, especially given the tight salary cap situation for the upcoming season. If Seattle and Dunlap can’t agree on an extension (to soften the cap hit), he could be released and sign elsewhere.