The Seattle Seahawks have some glaring needs this offseason. One is addition by subtraction. This means the team is going to have to release or restructure some current contracts in order to create cap room to bring in players who might help the team more.
One particular player should be available in free agency but at a high asking price. That is because, according to The Athletic (subscription required), the Kansas City Chiefs are not expected to franchise tag guard Trey Smith. Maybe the Chiefs assume they can get a contract worked out before Smith chooses another team, but it is a risk.
Seattle will be far down on the list of teams predicted to sign Smith. Not because the Seahawks cannot use him, but because Seattle doesn't have the cap space. Yet. The team could easily move on from players such as wide receiver Tyler Lockett and edge rusher Dre'Mont Jones, among others. The team can create more than $50 million by doing so.
Seattle Seahawks might have a chance to chase guard Trey Smith in free agency
Is that enough to sign Smith, who could reach a deal that pays him at least $20 million a season? Yes, but then that would make Seattle signing other players, draft picks, and the practice squad more difficult. Plus, general manager John Schneider has not done anything to imply that he would be willing to spend that much on a guard.
But perhaps this offseason will be different. Every Seahawks fan and everyone in the Seattle organization likely knows that while the team has some needs, fixing the offensive line should be of the highest priority. Does bringing in Smith fix that alone? No, but it goes a long way toward doing so.
The guard allowed just one sack in 829 pass-block snaps in 2024. He only allowed two sacks each in 2022 and 2023. He is an even better run-blocker, and he is only 25 years old. There were questions about Smith's health when he was drafted in 2021 (he had a blood clot issue in college), but those fears have been put aside as he has missed just one game in his career.
Again, Smith will be an expensive player to sign, but the Seahawks are also close to being a playoff-caliber team. With a better offensive line, there is no reason to believe that Seattle will not make the postseason next year. Once there, the defense should be good enough to make Seattle a dangerous team to play.
Smith at right guard, teamed with left tackle Charles Cross, should at least get Seattle to being a middle-of-the-pack offensive line in the league. That could make Seattle capable of winning the NFC West.