NFL free agents who remain unsigned into May tend to either be older vets with doubtful future productivity or younger journeymen who have never established themselves. Such players may eventually latch on with a team and provide good service, but fans shouldn’t fool themselves. There’s a reason current free agents have yet to sign, which is almost always based on limitations.
There are exceptions. Post-draft salary cap cuts can make an enticing player available at this time of the year. Such is the case with recent releases like edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney and wide receiver Gabe Davis. But even with them, there are red flags. Clowney’s age may be an issue, though I’d snap him up quite frankly if my team needed a pass rusher.
Davis is coming off a torn meniscus, and there are concerns about his health. However, I can’t help but think that the insane contract Jacksonville gave him last year, coupled with their recent drafting of Travis Hunter, has something to do with his iffy medical status.
So, as it stands today, Seattle is unlikely to find a surefire solution to the team’s current roster holes in the free agent market. That does not mean they aren’t some intriguing players who remain available. Making a smart call on one or two might pay big dividends. The current free agent who makes the most sense for Seattle at this moment is Shaq Mason.
How Shaq Mason fits into the revamped Seahawks’ offense
First-round draft pick Grey Zabel has already been anointed as the starting left guard in Klint Kubiak’s new offense. That could change throughout the summer, but Zabel will be lining up somewhere on the offensive line come September. If it is at left guard, the Seahawks still have a hole on the opposite side.
Who will be playing right guard for Seattle in 2025? Anthony Bradford, Christian Haynes, and Sataoa Laumea all took a turn in 2024, and none of the young players claimed the spot. In addition to Zabel, Hawks’ GM John Schneider drafted Bryce Cabeldue and Mason Richman this year.
Like Zabel, both are likely to get a long look at guard. Schneider clearly understands the need for better play on the line's interior.
What if none of the youngsters steps up? It is hoped that Haynes will take a big step forward after a disappointing rookie season, and I like Cabeldue quite a bit. But none of these players are sure. None have proven the ability to succeed at the NFL level.
The Seahawks will likely begin the season with a starting offensive line with no projected starter with more than three years of NFL experience. Might it make some sense to bring in a veteran?
A veteran presence on the offensive line could benefit the team in multiple ways. If none of the young players are ready at the beginning of the season, a veteran could serve as a placeholder as the youngsters gain experience. Even if someone like Haynes is prepared to start, a veteran would provide valuable depth and be able to step in in the event of injury without being overwhelmed.
And even if the veteran never has to take the field, his mere presence as a role model and mentor would be invaluable. It is astonishing how truly young Seattle’s offensive line is at present. They do not have a single player older than 26 on the roster.
Shaq Mason is 31. He’ll turn 32 just before the season begins. He has played ten years for three different teams and started 147 games. If Zabel does indeed take over the left guard position, Mason is a plug-and-play right guard. That is the spot he has played throughout his career.
He was perfect for the majority of his time in New England. Last year in Houston, Mason appeared to take a step back. At his age, there is legitimate concern that this signals the beginning of a decline that could continue. Houston revamped their entire line this offseason, and Mason was turned loose.
You know that expression “one man’s trash….?” Mason may not have played well in Houston last year, but I didn’t see anything physically wrong with him. Houston was in an offensive funk, which resulted in offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik firing and offensive line coach Chris Strausser.
It is open to debate whether Mason’s performance contributed to the decline or was a byproduct of a flawed system. Seattle should bring him in to find out.
Another prominent right guard is still on the market as of this writing. Brandon Scherff, most recently of the Jacksonville Jaguars, is a five-time Pro Bowler. Even if his best days are behind him, he would almost certainly be an upgrade to what Seattle currently has.
But Mason makes more sense than Scherff. He’s a few years younger. He will probably come cheaper. And he will fit Kubiak’s zone blocking scheme better than the bigger, more powerful Scherff. That doesn’t mean Mason can’t provide solid man-on-man drive blocking when necessary. But he does not carry the mass that Scherff does.
Both men move well for players of their size, but Mason moves better at this stage in their respective careers. He always had good feet, and I don’t think he has lost all that much from his early days in New England, where he was involved in many zone schemes.
Free agent signings always come down to a question of value. Right now, the Hawks have some salary cap space, so bringing in a veteran like Shaq Mason on a one-year deal makes sense.