4 extremely early free agents the Seattle Seahawks should monitor in 2024

Seahawks should monitor T.J. Hockenson

The Seahawks have one free agent signed through 2023 and that is Will Dissly. Dissly is a great blocker, but the promise he showed in his first two seasons hasn't developed over the last three. It might be the way Seattle uses tight ends, of course, and maybe no one is going to get that many targets, but even though Dissly is a capable receiver, he's much more of a great blocker.

Noah Fant came to Seattle as part of the trade that sent Russell Wilson to Denver in 2022, and the Seahawks did pick up his fifth-year option for 2023, but he didn't produce a ton last season. Maybe things will change this year and Fant will feed off of opposing defenses having to cover DK Metcalf, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and Tyler Lockett, but Fant hasn't yet proven he can be a sensational tight end in the NFL.

Hockenson has already proven himself as a fantastic receiver. He caught 86 passes for 914 yards and 6 touchdowns in 2022, and that was split between the Detroit Lions and the Minnesota Vikings. Detroit traded Hockenson midway through the season to the Vikings and Hockenson was even better with Minnesota. He also seemed to improve as a blocker with the Vikings. Maybe it was the scheme or maybe he just understood what was needed of him more clearly with Minnesota.

Hockenson is going to cost a pretty penny in free agency, however. He will only be 27 years old at the start of the 2024 season and teams value versatile tight ends more and more. He might not be the next George Kittle, but he also isn't that far off. Plus, if Lockett, Smith-Njigba, and Metcalf are healthy and playing well, Hockenson would feast on opposing defenses.