The Seattle Seahawks are beginning to make a habit of having monumental upheavals in the offseason. Last year, the team replaced long-time head coach Pete Carroll with Mike Macdonald. That seems to have worked out pretty well.
This offseason, the team has released one of the team's best receivers in franchise history, Tyler Lockett, and has traded quarterback Geno Smith. The defense has remained fairly intact, but the offense is going to be a lot of starting over.
At least now Seattle has a lot of cap room to work with. Trading Smith created $31 million in cap space alone. What should general manager John Schneider and the Seahawks do with all of their newfound wealth?
Three moves the Seattle Seahawks should make next after trading quarterback Geno Smith
Sign left guard Teven Jenkins
The Seattle Seahawks are trending toward being a team that runs the ball a lot more in 2025. There appears to still be a thought by many 12s that Seattle likes to run the ball too much. This has been statistically false over the last few years. Based on the pass-to-run percentage, Seattle threw the ball the fifth most in the NFL in 2023 and 2024. The team ranked 13th in 2022.
No matter if Seattle is somehow able to find a good quarterback to replace Geno Smith, the new offensive coordinator is going to try to have balance in his offense. But the only way of achieving efficiency is to have a much better offensive line.
Jenkins is a versatile guard, but he only played left guard for the Chicago Bears in 2024. He has proven to be a solid pass protector, but he is even better as a run-blocker. He is also just 27 years old, and his market value, according to Spotrac, is a now-affordable (for the Seahawks) $10.3 million a season. He would be an upgrade over recent left guards for Seattle and has a number of years to play at a high level.
Sign right guard Kevin Zeitler
With the left side fixed, Seattle should sign Zeitler. Sure, he is older for an interior offensive lineman (he is 35 years old), but he has been exceedingly good throughout his career. He also stays healthy, as he has not missed more than two games in any season since 2012. Spotrac has Zeitler projected to sign a one-year deal this offseason for $9.2 million.
He might only be a one-year rental for Seattle, but an offensive line with Charles Cross, Zeitler, Jenkins, and Abraham Lucas would be Seattle's best in years. Zeitler would also be a wise voice for young guards Christian Haynes and Sataoa Laumea. As Zeitler has only more than four sacks in a season twice in his career, he could play well enough to earn a second season in Seattle, too.
Sign linebacker Dre Greenlaw
The question about Greenlaw is not talent but health. He tore his Achilles tendon in the Super Bowl in February 2024, and then he missed all but two games this past season. In the 2022 and 2023 seasons, though, Greenlaw played in 15 games each season. He is also a nearly perfect off-ball linebacker for Mike Macdonald's system.
He is fantastic in pass coverage, does not miss many tackles, and is able to cover sideline to sideline with ease. Maybe his injury had an effect on his 2024 season, but he will still only be 28 years old when the 2025 season begins. Due to his injury, his asking price might also be lower than Seahawks free-agent linebacker Ernest Jones IV.
Not that Seattle has to worry so much about money now. After trading Geno Smith and releasing players such as Tyler Lockett, the team has around $60 million in cap room. The three players above would improve the overall roster and would likely only cost around a total of $26 million. The question then becomes about what to do at quarterback. That answer might come in the 2025 NFL draft.
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