5 Seattle Seahawks players who struck gold during 2024 offseason
By Lee Vowell
Rayshawn Jenkins - Seahawks safety
Jenkins needed a home after the Jacksonville Jaguars released him in March in a cost-savings move. Many times that happens, especially for a 30-year-old safety, teams will dismiss the thought of signing the safety because they want a younger model. Jenkins was a good player, especially in coverage (Jenkins set a career-low for quarterback rating allowed when targeted), in 2023, so he still had value.
The Seahawks did not just sign Jenkins to a low-end deal. Jenkins was signed for two years, and if he earns the second year of the contract, he will make the second-highest total of his career. His cap hit in 2025 is $7.9 million. That isn't a ton to spend on a quality safety, but it's a risk for Seattle because Jenkins will be 31 years old and could lose half of a step quickly.
He appears to be a very good fit for new head coach Mike Macdonald's system, though. Jenkins could have a career year with the best defensive coach he would have played under. If he makes the Pro Bowl, Seattle spending $7.9 million on Jenkins might look like a steal.
Noah Fant - Seahawks tight end
Besides Leonard Williams, John Schneider wanted to bring back Noah Fant as well. The most surprising part of the deal might not be that the Seahawks still wanted Fant but that Fant still wanted Seattle. Had Shane Waldron still been the offensive coordinator this season. one might wonder if Fant would have said "no thanks" to Schneider.
Fant had career-low numbers in catches (32), targets (43), receiving yards (414), and touchdowns (0) in 2023, and likely none of those numbers were Fant's fault. Waldron was so bent on making sure Geno Smith and Drew Lock threw to the wide receivers that the tight ends and running backs were forgotten about. This hurt the overall offense, and Fant might have wondered how his asking price in free agency was being affected as well.
Schneider obviously believes in Fant as he gave the tight end a raise to return. Fant re-signed for two years and $21 million. His cap number of $7.5 million in 2024 is a career-high, and that number will increase to $13.5 million in 2025. The way new offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb uses Fant, though, will probably mean a lot more use of the tight end and a contract that makes complete sense.