The Seattle Seahawks have made some big acquisitions during the NFL free agency period. They also re-signed four of their own restricted free agents. They may not be star players, but they can still make star plays.
The Seahawks haven't made as big a splash in free agency as some 12s were hoping, it's true. But they did address several needs, especially with Rayshawn Jenkins at safety and linebacker with Jerome Baker. Seattle had already re-signed Leonard Williams and Noah Fant, both critical to the team's success this season and beyond.
Those were certainly key figures for the upcoming season, but it takes more than 11 starters on each side of the line of scrimmage to consistently win. A quality team doesn't just need backup players. It needs players who are capable of stepping in as part of a rotation without a big drop in the quality of play. You always hope it won't happen, but at times, that backup has to step into the starting role. Unfortunately, you can count on that happening in the NFL.
Seattle Seahawks addressed depth at three key positions with these RFA signings
Two of the four players are signed and will definitely be back on the sidelines - and often the field - for Seattle this season. The other two have been offered contracts but could still sign with another team. As they're restricted free agents, the Hawks have the right to match any higher offer and retain them. Each of these players has somewhat different circumstances as well, which we'll get to when discussing their grades.
Let me clarify here that these aren't simply players' grades, but the contract Seattle has offered them as well. Hopefully, that makes sense. I'd have a very different outlook on these guys if the Hawks had signed them to three-year deals at $3 million a year. So the contract and the player grades go hand in hand. I won't go into a deep dive on these players, either. If you're a 12, you already know who they are.
Artie Burns, Cornerback
Burns is the first of two players that will definitely return to the Seahawks for 2024. This will be his third season in Seattle, and hopefully, he'll see more work on special teams than on defense. It's not that he's bad by any means, just that the four cornerbacks ahead of him on the depth chart were all clearly better. For depth, I like it. Details haven't been announced yet, other than it's a one-year deal. It's likely to be similar to last season when he signed for the league veteran minimum. This year, that would be $1.125 for a player with five years of experience.
Grade: B+
The potentially huge payoff
Darrell Taylor, Edge rusher
I haven't exactly made it a secret that I'm not a fan of a player who does one thing and only does that one thing in 35 percent of his games. I get it, it isn't reasonable to expect the guy to get a sack or at least a hurry in every game. But you better do something when you're on the field. Taylor had five games last year with a sack.
Cool, but he also had six games in which he had one or zero tackles, no hits, hurries, sacks, and no tackles for a loss. He was on the field for at least 35 percent of the snaps in those games. He had another game in which he was a complete cipher, but as he had just nine snaps, I didn't include it. He's had some big games, sure, but you never know when they'll happen, and when he'll turn back into a blocking sled. A small one at that.
I understand why the Hawks are keeping him. Mike Macdonald is intrigued by those big games and undoubtedly thinks he can minimize the disappearing acts. He has a track record of doing just that in Baltimore. I'm not a fan of the $3.1 million the Seahawks signed him for, but considering that the only money that's committed is a $20,000 signing bonus, I like it. If he looks like the same player in 2024 as he did last year, the Hawks are out clean. If this had been last year's staff, I'd give this a grade of F. With a chance to turn his career around and no guaranteed money, I like it.
Grade: B
Possibly solid contributors
Jon Rhattigan, Linebacker
This would be the special teams' standout fourth season in Seattle. Unlike Burns, Rhattigan was a restricted free agent, so is free to sign an offer sheet from any other team. Again, the Hawks could match the offer if they choose.
Last year was the first time he got any snaps on defense; even then it was just 19. But he had over 300 snaps on special teams and has proved his value every season. The Hawks tendered him an offer of one year at $2.985 million. I know he's valuable, but is he that valuable? Reportedly, none of the money is guaranteed, so gain, they have an out if needed.
Grade: C
Michael Jackson, Cornerback
Entering his fourth year with the Seahawks, Jackson was tendered the same offer sheet as Rhattigan, one year for $2.985 million. There's one important difference, though. If another team signs Jackson and Seattle chooses to let him walk, they'll receive a fifth-round pick in compensation. That's a huge bonus for the Hawks, as it makes it that much less likely another team will sweeten the deal and steal him, and it gives Seattle a nice return for zero investment.
Jackson is clearly the most consistent of the four players, and other than the Week One fiasco where virtually no one played well, He acquitted himself admirably on the field. There's no shame in losing your job to Devon Witherspoon. I love this deal, as Jackson can ball.
Grade: A