3 desirable free agents Seahawks should sign before 2023 NFL draft

Seahawks should sign edge rusher Justin Houston

Houston is an ageless wonder. He is 34 years old but has missed just five games in the last four years. Since 2017, Houston has had 8 sacks or more in each season except one. In 2022, Houston had 9.5 sacks and 17 quarterback hits in 15 games. My point is that even though he isn’t young, he is still productive. And he won’t break the bank to sign.

Sure, after signing Bobby Wagner the Seahawks look like they have even more negative-adjusted cap, but as I said previously, there is a way to make cap room if a team wishes. And Seattle hasn’t even re-worked Jamal Adams’ contract which seems needed whether Seattle signs more free agents or not. Adams will have a cap hit of $18.11 million in 2023 and who knows if he is even going to play much after suffering an injury in 2022. Releasing Adams with a post-June 1st designation created $8 million more in cap room but that means nothing for now. A re-work of the deal makes more sense for Seattle and could even be better for Adams long-term.

Houston, however, made just $4.5 million in 2022 and his asking price isn’t going to be higher than that. He made only $2,075,000 in 2021. Adding Houston for around $3 million fills a need for Seattle in 2023.

Seattle has remade its defense a bit by adding defensive linemen and linebackers and a safety but they haven’t added a pure pass rusher. That is what Houston is and is a good one even at 34 years old. Houston wouldn’t have to play every day but would be lethal in a pass-rush rotation that includes Uchenna Nwosu and Darrell Taylor.