Seahawks get busy on third day of free agency

Seahawks sign a handful of players at OL, S, and retain some of their own, 3/13/2024

The Seattle Seahawks are throwing some caution to the wind with regards to 2025 compensatory picks, signing safety Rayshawn Jenkins and tackle George Fant on Wednesday. In the last 24 hours or so, the Seahawks have now added depth at center, tackle, tight end, and safety, when we include tight end Pharoah Brown an interior lineman Nick Harris.

In addition, the Seahawks gave an original round tender to cornerback Michael Jackson and extended linebacker Darrell Taylor, which means that those two are back for 2024. Also returning is linebacker Jon Rhattigan, defensive tackle Myles Adams, and tight end Brady Russell. ESPN’s Brady Henderson said he expects the Seahawks to keep all of their exclusive rights free agents, meaning tackles McClendon Curtis and Raiqwon O’Neal, as well as Joshua Onujiogu. Seattle also re-signed cornerback Artie Burns.

Tackle Jake Curhan was not tendered, meaning he will probably leave unless he is brought back at a later date.

Also not returning is Bobby Wagner. The Washington Moons signed Wagner to a one-year contract which reunites him with Dan Quinn.

Seahawks 2024 roster

It leaves the Seahawks with an option at right tackle if Abe Lucas’s knee doesn’t allow him to play a full season in 2024, a tight end to backup the re-signed Noah Fant, and two players competing at center.

Defensively, the Seahawks know have Jenkins as a potential starting safety with Julian Love. Jenkins has started 79 games over the past five seasons, two with the Chargers and three with the Jaguars. He had 101 tackles and two interceptions last seasons and I wrote about Jenkins on Tuesday because as a cap casualty, signing him won’t cost Seattle a potential comp pick.

Fant was only on a one-year, $3 million deal with the Texans last year, starting 13 regular season games and two in the postseason. Signing with the Seahawks indicates that Fant is either okay being a backup or understands that he will need to have some position flexibility, unless Seattle is open to moving Abe Lucas inside to guard.

Re-signing Darrell Taylor gives the Seahawks an interesting edge room with Boye Mafe, Uchenna Nwosu, and Derick Hall leading the way. I would assume John Schneider isn’t taking first round edge rushers off of his draft board though. If the best available player is a pass rusher, it’s certainly not not-a-need. But getting to see Taylor with Mike Macdonald as his defensive coordinator is intriguing.

Rhattigan’s deal is non-guaranteed, so he is probably the least likely of all the names to be back next season. But the Seahawks could have just say goodbye and cut things off entirely, so it would seem that Macdonald and special teams coordinator Jay Harbaugh are happy to test the relationship out for a while.

That’s all the Seahawks news I know of right now, but it’s only the middle of the week.

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