The Seattle Seahawks have to be extra picky about what they do in free agency this offseason. The team can create a bit of money, but some of that will go to signing draft picks and some will go toward signing players to the practice squad. But Seattle has position needs that have to be addressed as well.
If Seattle releases players such as wide receiver Tyler Lockett and safety Quandre Diggs, they will likely find teams that want to sign them. Watching Lockett play for another team would be terrible, though. Maybe Seattle can work out an extension with him and save some money that way.
But a few Seattle free agents might not find homes elsewhere. Not bringing them back could force those players into early retirement. The last player on this list is a fan favorite, however.
Seattle Seahawks right guard Phil Haynes might not find a home
Haynes is not old as he is just 28 years old, but that is not young for an offensive guard who has never proven he can stay consistently healthy to be counted on to play most of a season for consecutive years. What team, other than what Seattle has done with Haynes, wants to take up a roster spot with a player they think they may not be able to count on?
Moreover, what team would want to hire an offensive lineman they likely assume will only be a backup but one that might not be that good when he does play? In 2023, Haynes played on 299 pass-block snaps and allowed 5 sacks and 12 total pressures. In 2022, he played on 300 pass-block snaps and allowed 4 sacks but 18 total pressures. The rub is that according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), Haynes still graded better (though not well) as a pass-blocker than a run-blocker.
Haynes has also had just one year in which he was able to appear in double-digit games. That was in 2022, but Haynes started just three of those games. In every other season, Haynes has played in eight games or fewer and only eight combined between 2019 and 2021. Now that Pete Carroll is no longer with the team, Seattle should have no allegiance to keep Haynes and no other team might want him either.
Devin Bush might have dropped to the bottom of his career
Bush was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2019 and his best season in the NFL was his rookie year. He finished third in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting in 2019, but then he suffered an injury in 2020 and his entire career has seemingly been affected. To be fair to Bush, he was never a good fit for Pittsburgh as they have traditionally liked to blitz quite a bit and Bush has very little skill for that.
But after Pittsburgh officially gave up on him after the 2022 season, Bush signed a one-year deal with the Seahawks as Seattle probably thought presumed starter Jordyn Brooks would be able to make it back early in the season. Bush was going to be the likely starter next to Bobby Wagner. Instead, Brooks turned into some kind of superman and was ready in Week 1.
This meant that Bush moved to a backup role and very often became a healthy scratch on game days. He only appeared in three games for Seattle and proved that while he doesn't miss that many tackle attempts, he also doesn't get in the correct position to make lots of impactful tackles. What speed he has is lateral instead of being able to attack the line of scrimmage.
But Bush proved one more thing with Seattle and that is that he can be a dirty player. In the final game of the season, Bush hit Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray well after Murray had slid to give himself up. Bush then celebrated the hit while Murray struggled to get up. Bobby Wagner took Bush aside and screamed at him for what he had done. Seattle doesn't need Bush back and likely no other team needs him to take a roster spot.
Bobby Wagner might be too old for some teams
This one is tough. There is no doubt that Wagner can still be a very good linebacker in the league. He was named Second-Team All-Pro this season and led the NFL in combined tackles. If he wants to continue playing, though, that might not be in Seattle. The reason is that Mike Macdonald might want to do a bit of a re-set with his defense and get younger and that would mean the soon-to-be 34-year-old Wagner doesn't come back.
The question for Wagner is if he wants to keep playing. He likely has made enough money during his career to live comfortably for the rest of his life. But most athletes have a difficult time stopping playing a sport they have played since childhood, especially those who are still good at what they do.
Wagner may want to keep playing but does he want to start over with a new team again, unless he re-signs with the Los Angeles Rams? That is something no 12 probably wants to see.
If Wagner does not want to play for any team other than the Seahawks, he might not play. Seattle, even with the extra cap room because of the higher salary cap this offseason, is still tight against the cap. Seattle could not pay Wagner the $7 million he made this past season. Plus, some of the money not spent on Wagner could go to a linebacker such as Patrick Queen who played for Macdonald with the Baltimore Ravens. Queen is much younger than Wagner and would be the green dot on Seattle's defense.
Seeing Wagner leave again would not be fun. But he also might be too old for Seattle to bring back. This is especially true as the Seahawks are unlikely to be able to pay Wagner what he is worth.