NFL free agency is off and running, and we’re keeping track of every major signing, trade and release of the 2021 offseason, with analysis from our NFL Nation reporters and grades from our experts. The new league year begins March 17 at 4 p.m. ET, which means free-agent signings can be made official after that. The first round of the 2021 NFL draft begins April 29 on ESPN.
The Seahawks offseason was already eventful before the calendar turned to March. They have a new offensive coordinator in Shane Waldron and an unhappy quarterback in Russell Wilson, who’s been the subject of trade speculation.
The situation with Wilson adds intrigue to how the Seahawks will approach free agency. They’ll have to balance Wilson’s desires for offensive-line upgrades with their other roster needs — which include cornerback, pass-rusher and running back — and will have to fill all of those holes with limited resources. Seattle begins free agency with around $20 million in cap space and only owns four picks in April’s draft, with no first- or third-rounder.
Here’s a breakdown of every 2021 NFL free-agent signing by the Seattle Seahawks, and how each will impact the upcoming season:
The Seahawks are working to extend Ford with a two-year deal.
What it means: The Seahawks are keeping one of their young, ascending playmakers in the fold for at least the next two seasons. That’s something they haven’t done enough of in recent years. Ford is only the fourth homegrown player acquired since 2013 to get a multi-year second contract from the team. Another is Jarran Reed, whom Ford has started alongside the past two seasons. The Seahawks have a strong defensive-tackle tandem in Ford and Reed, but they need a primary pass-rushing threat off the edge after releasing Carlos Dunlap. Their current edge players consist of some nice complementary pieces, but no one of Dunlap’s caliber.
What’s the risk: Ford was going to be back with Seattle in 2021 one way or another. It was just a matter of whether he’d be tendered as a restricted free agent or given a multi-year deal. The two-year deal means the Seahawks are paying Ford earlier than they have to, but a one-year tender would have put him on track to hit free agency next March, when another strong season and the expected increase in the NFL’s salary cap could have made him much more expensive to re-sign. What’s not clear is what his cap number will be in 2021 compared to what it would have been with a first-round ($4.766 million) or second-round ($3.384 million) tender.
What’s the risk: Durability has been an issue with Witherspoon, who has played in 47 of a possible 64 regular-season games and never more than 14 in any of his four NFL seasons. Injuries and occasional coverage errors had Witherspoon in and out of the 49ers’ lineup. Financial details of his one-year deal were not available, but it’s likely an inexpensive bet on a player that Seattle believes is ascending at 26 years old.