There are always many changes to an NFL team over the offseason. This offseason is no different for the Seattle Seahawks.
While last year the story was how the Seahawks were being torn down and would not be competitive in 2018, this year, the story is how Seattle will build on a very good season.
It won’t be easy. Frank Clark is due a new contract and big. K.J. Wright is a free agent as well, and we might not bring him back if the price tag is too high. There will not be a mass exodus of big names like there was last season, but changes are coming.
Who should Seattle make sure they re-sign?
Frank Clark
I think the Seahawks will do everything they can to sign Clark to a long-term extension. Clark is young and has done nothing but improve since entering the league. So, he will probably command an annual salary around $11-14 million. That would put him in the top 10 of highest paid defensive ends. A franchise tag would be an acceptable substitute for a long-term extension, but it would be more money and for only one year. Hopefully Seattle doesn’t have to fall back on that.
It seems as if Clark likes playing here, and he has not said anything negative about coming back next year. A team with a lot of cap room this year could give him a contract big enough to steal him away, but we will have to see how it all unfolds during the free agency.
K.J. Wright
Wright has been with this team as long as anybody. (Well, now that Earl Thomas is probably gone he has been in Seattle longer than anybody.) He was drafted in 2011, a year before Russell Wilson and Bobby Wagner got there. He should be re-signed because the Seattle defense plays better when he is on the field.
Wright is a long, athletic linebacker who can stop the run and cover most tight ends and running backs in the pass game. While not as athletic as his counterpart, Wagner, he makes up for it with superior football instincts and intelligence. Wright is the silent killer next to Bobby, because you have to pay more attention to Wagner. This lets Wright roam relatively free most of the time and allows him to make plays. Hopefully he doesn’t demand a huge contract and Seattle can sign him for two or three more years.
D.J. Fluker
This big boy signed a one-year deal last year and proved he is worth another contract. Fluker brought massive strength and a bit more of an edge to Seattle’s offensive line. He played well in both the run and pass game, and he was instrumental in firing up the team with some of his pancake blocks. Fluker was an inspirational leader in the locker room. You could also see the fun he was having just being with the team. He only played in 10 games in 2018 because of injury, but a full offseason with the Seahawks training staff hopefully will make him available for more games in 2019. Re-signing Fluker would go a long way toward showing the team’s commitment to the running game.
Justin Coleman
Coleman is one of the most crucial players on the defense as far as I’m concerned. He is an excellent slot corner. Coleman has a nose for the big play, as evidenced by his three defensive touchdowns with Seattle in the past two years. He lets Tre Flowers and Shaquill Griffin stay on the outside, and he takes care of the slot. He is a better tackler than he gets credit for and his special teams play is exemplary. This guy is a competitor and plays hard every play. He was on defense for almost 700 snaps (67% of total snaps) last year and he played 50% of the special team snaps (50%). Coleman is a glue guy; he can take care of a hole on your team by himself. He has proven to be very reliable and should get a nice new deal this offseason.
David Moore
Moore came out of the woodwork to make plays for Seattle’s offense this year. He sat on the practice squad all of the 2017 season. Then, when he got his chance he took full advantage and never looked back. Moore had 26 catches for almost 500 yards and five touchdowns. This doesn’t seem like a lot, and it isn’t, but he is the third receiver on a run-first team. So, he does not get many chances. Moore averaged more than 17 yards per catch, yet he only caught about half of the passes that went to him. He shows room for improvement, and I don’t think another team will throw a big contract at him from his performance in 2018. So, he should be available for Seattle to resign.
Ok, I know that is already five. But, George Fant is a free agent too and Seattle needs to re-sign him. He was crucial in the sixth offensive lineman role and was a good backup tight end. He should be able to be re-signed for a relatively low salary and could help with the run game again in 2019.
