The Seattle Seahawks currently have $8,669,616 in cap room for the 2023 season. This number will be affected once 2023 draft picks Devon Witherspoon and Zach Charbonnet sign their rookie deals and the cap number will lower to a bit over $3 million. But Seattle could create a bit more cap room by extending Uchenna Nwosu or releasing or restructuring Jamal Adams' deal.
Cap room is very malleable. If a team wants to find cap room somewhere, it can. Otherwise teams like the New Orleans Saints, who were way over the cap in 2022, would have to release a ton of good players. Did that happen? No.
Sure, the cap is a hard one in the NFL, but teams higher cap specialists because they can find ways around the cap ceiling. If the Seahawks want to add a bit more talent in free agency, they can. Below are three players that not only could be signed but could also be day-one starters.
Seattle Seahawks could use defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh
I should say first off that I have never been a big fan of Ndamukong Suh because of his sometimes crass behavior on the field. He comes off like a bully on the playground. I realize he plays in the NFL, but other players are as productive as Suh but don't step on other players or appear to choke opposing quarterbacks.
All that said, it doesn't really matter if I like a player or not; I am not talented enough to run an NFL franchise and don't get paid to do so. If I were running a team, though, and needed a player who was capable of handling nose tackle duties and doing so pretty well, I might take a look at Suh.
While he is 36 years old, he wouldn't need to be a long-term answer to play between Jarran Reed and Dre'Mont Jones. Suh can still help stop the run and get occasional pass rush penetration up the middle. He also wouldn't be overly expensive - he played in 2022 with the Philadelphia Eagles for just $2 million. Suh isn't a great human being on the field, but he would be an upgrade at nose tackle for the Seahawks over any player currently on the roster.
Seattle Seahawks could use inside linebacker Kyle Van Noy
The Seahawks appear to have wanted to get faster and younger this offseason. They signed inside linebacker Devin Bush who is only 25 years old and should have some speed, but one could make the argument that Seattle isn't yet totally sold on Bush because he was only signed to a one-year deal for a max of $3.5 million. Bush should be OK next to Bobby Wagner, but Seattle might also still be able to do better.
The hope could be that Bush has a terrific 2023 season and Seattle will worry about an extension next offseason. But if Seattle isn't truly thinking long-term about its ILB spots (even Bobby Wagner was signed to just a one-year contract) then maybe they would still want a player who can help them this year.
This is where Kyle Van Noy comes in. Van Noy is 32 years old so he, like Suh, would not be a long-term answer at his position. But does Van Noy improve the Seahawks in 2023? Yes, absolutely. Van Noy has been consistent at getting pressure on quarterbacks throughout his career (he has at least 5 sacks in five of his last six seasons), but he also grades well (per Pro Football Focus - subscription required) in pass coverage. Van Noy simply does more things better (quarterback hurries and pass coverage) than Bush at this point.
Van Noy next to Bobby Wagner would be a terrific duo. Maybe it won't be the same duo in 2025 (or maybe even in 2024), but as Wagner and Bush are only signed through 2023, Seattle signing Van Noy to a one-year deal isn't out of the question. Plus, Van Noy might be signed for only a bit over $2 million and Seattle can definitely afford that.
Seattle Seahawks could use defensive end Jadeveon Clowney
I know I have written about Clowney before and maybe that is tarnished by the pretty successful season he had for the Seahawks in 2019. Every other season since 2019, Clowney has had a very good year. In 2022, he wasn't very productive with just 4 quarterback hits, 2 sacks, and 4 tackles for loss. But Clowney is still only 30 years old so should have a few years left to play at a good level.
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Clowney is also capable of playing in a 4-3 or 3-4 base. Since Clowney left Seattle, the Seahawks have switched more to a 3-4. In that base, Clowney can play one outside linebacker spot with Uchenna Nwosu on the other side. Clowney isn't just a pure pass rusher, either. He can set a hard edge against the run and that would help fix a huge issue Seattle had in 2022.
The question is how much Clowney wants to make. He isn't afraid to wait until closer to the start of the season to sign a deal because while training camp is important to get acclimated to his new team and scheme, but Clowney is experienced enough and versatile to quickly fit in wherever he goes. Clowney hasn't made less than $7 million in a season since 2018 so he might want that much in 2023 too.
Still, at some point Clowney's injury history is going to scare off a lot of teams and that will lower his market value. But if Clowney were to be open to signing for $4 million, Seattle should jump at signing him. He would improve the run defense, add quarterback pressure, and hopefully help teach players like Boye Mafe and Derick Hall a few things about being an NFL player.