5 free agents that could give Seattle Seahawks new life in the New Year

No. 2 - Tight end Drew Sample

The Seattle Seahawks have a good trio of tight ends in 2023, but two of them, Noah Fant and Colby Parkinson, are set to be free agents. If I was either Fant or Parkinson, I would not return to the Seahawks. The reason is that both are probably capable of putting up much better receiving statistics with a team that uses them better. This would leave only Will Dissly in Seattle's tight end room for 2024 and Dissly is more of a blocker than a receiver.

Sample isn't going to come to Seattle and expect to get 60 targets in a season either. The 27-year-old also won't be expensive. In 2023, his contract only paid him $1,232,500 with the Cincinnati Bengals. He is a solid blocker in both pass protection and the run game, and he has caught 77.3 percent of targets over his five-year career. Plus, Sample was born in Bellevue, Washington, and played at U-Dub and would likely be highly motivated to come home.

No. 3 - Defensive tackle D.J. Reader

Reader suffered an injury late in 2023 - he tore his quadriceps in Week 15 - but he is expected to be healthy enough to play by Week 1 of 2024. The injury, and the fact he is about to turn 30, could impact his free agent market. But Reader is exactly the kind of player that Seattle needs as he is capable of being one of the better nose tackles in the NFL. Reader previously tore his other quad in 2020 but overcame that and was more productive after the injury.

Reader is a beast against the run and active enough on the inside where he can get occasional pass rush. His addition could slide Jarran Reed back over to defensive tackle and that would help a bit in case Leonard Williams leaves in free agency. Dre'Mont Jones might be helped by having Reader next to him as well. Reed has had a good season but teams account for Reader more and that means more room for Jones to operate.