Key offseason dates for February, March

When will the Seahawks need to do some important things this year?

Mark your calendars.

February 9 - Super Bowl

February 14 - Contract triggers for Julian Love, Uchenna Nwosu

As noted this week, it is most financially sensible to release Nwosu with an understanding that the team wants to bring him back. Why not work out a pay cut ahead of time? It is most sensible for Nwosu to ask to be released and test the market first.

Love’s “option” is a guaranteed $4.8 million bonus and $1.2 million base salary for 2025.

February 18 - Teams may designate franchise and transition tag players

Deadline: March 4

As usual, the Seahawks won’t tag anyone. The only recent tag went to Frank Clark before he was traded to the Chiefs. If the tag for linebackers didn’t include edge rushers, maybe Ernest Jones would be a consideration. Since it does, he won’t be tagged.

Some potential franchise tag candidates around the league are Trey Smith (a situation the Seahawks should be monitoring), Dolphins safety Jevon Holland, Sam Darnold, as well as receivers Tee Higgins and Chris Godwin. It would be surprising if the receivers got tagged, not only because of the buyer’s market but also because their tags would be even higher than the norm.

In Higgins’ case, he was tagged last year so a second tag would come in at $26 million for one season. Godwin has been tagged in each of the last two years.

February 24-March 3 - NFL Scouting Combine

The Seahawks coaching staff didn’t attend the combine last year, a change from Pete Carroll’s tenure, and we shouldn’t expect that to change in Mike Macdonald’s second offseason. Last year, John Schneider said “I think (coaches not attending) is kind of where it’s going.”

Indeed.

The Rams pretty famously do not care about the combine or 40-yard dash times and their recent draft classes have been great. Maybe they just got lucky, which happens, but the combine is probably losing its luster a little bit with recent technology giving teams a better idea of game speed by measuring it…in games.

The combine is mostly useful for medical evaluations and interviews and media feeling like they’re doing something very important.

March 10-12 - Start of free agency

We are a little over a month away from teams being able to negotiate with outside free agents. The Seahawks have historically shied away from activity in the first week of free agency, but will Seattle’s latest disappointing finish — missing the playoffs for the third time in four years and not winning a playoff game since 2019 — compel Schneider to be more aggressive? Especially with regards to high-profile guards?

When he realized the Seahawks were going to fire Pete Carroll last year, was that the first time that Schneider felt his seat getting hot? By missing the playoffs in 2024, and partially because of Seattle’s underwhelming free agent returns, Schneider must get a sense that he needs a few home runs in 2025.

Swinging for the fences increases the risk of a strikeout, but nobody goes to a baseball game to watch bunts, walks, and singles.

March 12 - Teams can make trades

Don’t overrate this deadline: Teams can make trades now, as far as I know, they just can’t officially execute them until March 12. The Rams, for instance, are trying to get a sucker to bite on Cooper Kupp’s remaining contract right now. Mike Macdonald’s recent endorsement of Geno Smith as the Seahawks quarterback in 2025 could be 100% true…It’s also what you would expect a head coach or GM to say if they wanted to make teams believe that they won’t release Geno so you better come trade for him.

We will only know for sure that the Seahawks are keeping Geno if and when:

• They extend him OR…

• They guarantee the $31 million he’s owed in 2025

My opinion is that the Seahawks will release Geno and I’ve never been afraid to admit when I’m wrong, it’s just that words are hollow (often for tactical reasons) and in the NFL the only thing that is guaranteed is money that is guaranteed. And most of it isn’t.

March 17 - Roster Bonuses due for Tyler Lockett, Geno Smith

So the date to keep in mind is March 17, when Geno’s $16 million roster bonus kicks in. There is a slight chance that Seattle would pay the $16 million to make Geno a more attractive trade target (the acquiring team would then owe Smith $15 million instead of $31 million) but if he’s on the roster on March 17 or if they accelerate that payment like they did in 2024, then we can pretty much accept that the Seahawks aren’t making a change at quarterback right now.

Lockett’s situation is much easier to predict: He gets a $5.3 million roster bonus if he isn’t released from his contract by this date, and he’s due a $10 million base salary + $100,000 per game in 2025. He’s not worth $17 million at this stage in his career. Unless he agrees to wipe out the bonus, reduce his salary to the veteran minimum, and play for incentives, Lockett is most likely going to be released.

And even if he did all that, shouldn’t the Seahawks be seeking his replacement?

March 30-April 2 - League meeting

The NFL’s annual owner’s meeting takes place at the end of March, which is when a lot more dealings and rules happen, possibly even some draft-related trades. This could also bring Pete Carroll and Mike Macdonald together in some capacity for the first time as head coaches, or Pete and John Schneider as “rivals” to some degree, which is interesting.

The Draft will be held April 24-26.

Seaside Joe 2169