Seahawks Re-Sign TE Luke Willson and CB DeShawn Shead

On Friday, the Seattle Seahawks brought back two of their own, re-signing both tight end Luke Willson and cornerback DeShawn Shead to modest, one-year contracts. 

The Seahawks confirmed that they have agreed to terms with TE Luke Willson and CB DeShawn Shead, two key players on last season’s team.

The 27 year old Willson is the last remaining piece of Seattle’s dreadful 2013 draft class. Willson played in 11 games in 2016, catching 15 balls for 129 yards and 2 touchdowns. Throughout his time in the Pacific Northwest, he has backed up both Zach Miller and Jimmy Graham, but his speed, reliability and unselfish attitude have made him a key part of Seattle’s success over the past few years. The addition of Nick Vannett last year, combined with the big contracts given to Vance McDonald, Martellus Bennett, and several other tight ends, had caused many to assume that Willson would price himself out of Seattle’s range.

However, a loaded draft class drove the market down and led to Willson coming back to Seattle on a relatively modest one year deal that can earn him up to 3 million dollars with incentives. Next year, Willson will once again back up Jimmy Graham and form a dynamic trio with Graham and Vannett. Willson announced his signing with this fantastic video via twitter:

His signing is an incredibly low risk, as he gives Seattle a serviceable safety blanket and reliable hedge at a fair price. If Willson excels, he can become a starter elsewhere and earn Seattle a valuable compensatory selection in 2018. If he underwhelms or gets hurt, there is zero financial risk down the road. Willson’s re-signing gives Seattle a fantastic backup TE in 2017, but it still may not prevent Seattle from capitalizing on a dominant tight end class in April’s draft.

In addition, Seattle has also brought back cornerback DeShawn Shead. Shead’s re-signing is a bit more complex. The Portland State alum was a member of Seattle’s vaunted 2012 draft class, joining the team as an undrafted free agent. After switching between safety and cornerback, Shead became Seattle’s number two cornerback after Byron Maxwell left. He was also a special teams standout who was captain of the unit in 2016.

Shead appeared in line for a relatively hefty pay day this offseason after excelling opposite Richard Sherman last season, but an ACL injury suffered in the second half of the playoff loss to Atlanta has crushed those hopes. Shead was a restricted free agent, but Seattle chose not to extend him a tender, allowing him to test the open market. He had taken a visit to Buffalo before returning to Seattle. One million of his one year, 1.5 million dollar contract is guaranteed, despite the fact that he’ll likely miss most of next season.

https://twitter.com/Kam_Chancellor/status/843213882139332609

When he’s healthy, Shead will likely return to his spot as a starting cornerback. In the meantime, his absence leaves Seattle with a depleted defensive backfield aside from Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas, and Kam Chancellor, as well as a massive hole at cornerback. If they do not draft a cornerback, Jeremy Lane will slide in across Sherman, with either Neiko Thorpe, Perrish Cox or DeAndre Elliott filling Lane’s spot inside at nickel cornerback.

Like Willson, Shead’s signing is very low risk. If his comeback doesn’t go as expected, then he will be a cheap re-signing next offseason. If he comes back and returns to form, then Seattle can give him the large contract he deserves in 2018.

Neither signing is incredibly splashy, but they are the type of moves Seattle needs to make if they want to return to the Super Bowl next season.