Five positions Seahawks MUST address in free agency

CORNERBACK:

The Seahawks have a couple free agents of their own in DeShawn Shead and Jeremy Lane to take care of. They would love to have both of them back, but we’ve seen before how other teams can overvalue and outbid Seattle to lure their CB’s away (see Maxwell, Byron). Even if they bring them both back the Seahawks have some depth at the position, but how good is that depth? Tharold Simon and Mohammed Seisay are big, long, Seahawk-y type CB’s who are both untested and coming off seasons spent on injured reserve, and Tye Smith never saw the field after being drafted last April. The team must find a starting-caliber corner to play opposite Richard Sherman, especially if Lane and/or Shead depart.

Here’s a sampling of some of the available FA CB’s:

Sean Smith, Kansas City, 28, $7 million 2015 cap hit. Originally a 2nd round pick by the Dolphins, Smith blossomed after signing with the Chiefs. Want a big CB? Smith is 6’3″ and 218 lbs. Was suspended by the NFL for 3 games in 2015 after a DUI, and on the field he’s never made a Pro Bowl team but would be considered in that next tier. It’s unlikely the Hawks would want to pay this steeply for another veteran CB, but if they did…..Smith could be worth the investment.

Morriss Claiborne, Dallas, 25, $5.2 million. Claiborne has struggled mightily since being the 6th pick in the 2012 draft, but could be a change-of-scenery bounce back candidate given his age and overall talent.

Trumaine Johnson, LA Rams. , 26, $1.7 million. Johnson is another big CB built in the Seahawk mold (6’2″ 205 lbs).

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