Three free agent running back targets for Seahawks to rebuild RB room

Seahawks RB free agent target No. 1: Leonard Fournette

I have to be almost and say I have liked the idea of the Seahawks adding Fournette for a few years now. He has proven to be a great back as part of a rotation and has developed his game into one where he can catch passes very well. But he is also a big back who can run between the tackles.

While Fournette struggled earlier in his career with injuries, he has stayed mostly healthy since 2019. He missed only one game last year and two in 2021. While he hasn’t turned out to be the explosive running back teams might have hoped for after he was drafted in 2017, he has made up for that by being able to get the tough yards and pick up first downs and touchdowns.

But Fournette’s ability to catch is what separates him from other free agent backs. He is a true three-down back. Fournete’s catch rate is 80.4 percent over his six-year career and he has caught 69 or more passes in three different years. In 2022, Fournette caught 73 of his 83 targets and had 3 touchdown receptions. Fournette also had 1,191 yards from scrimmage this past season.

Fournette is still just 28 years old. He should be able to be s solid back for a few more years. The question is how much Fournette is going to want to get paid. He was set to have a base salary of $6.5 million in 2023 but that is probably more than teams are going to be willing to pay him. If Fournette is willing to take about half that amount or even less, the Seahawks should definitely try to sign him.