Seattle Seahawks: Sorry John Schneider, you can’t keep everybody
Schneider was being nice at the presser when he said, everyone. Because there is no way the Seahawks would seriously consider keeping right tackle, Brandon Shell. Undrafted free agent rookie Jack Curhan played as well, if not better at times, when filling in for Shell.
On the other side of the line, Duane Brown was good, not great at left tackle in 2021. He staged a pseudo-hold-out during camp because he wanted a new contract. Brown will be 37 next season, and it’s unlikely he’ll take a big pay cut from the $11.5M AAV in his expired contract. That money (and, to be fair, a little more) is better invested in someone younger with a longer shelf life.
Anyone can be replaced (some more than others)
Alex Collins (also a Seahawks UFA) showed that NFL running backs are interchangeable. The old days of a team riding their “Bell Cow” back are over. It takes more than one running back for a team to succeed over a 17-game season.
Rashaad Penny kicked some serious butt at the end of last season. However, his injury history, combined with the way RBs are used today (especially in Pete Carroll’s system), it’s not worth opening the vault for him.
The situation is the same for most other Seattle Seahawks free agents. This sounds harsh, and in one way, it is, but football is a business. Before coming off as totally heartless (or some might say clueless), several Seattle UFAs can help the team again in 2022.
“only four running backs in this draft class have caught over 100 passes for their college careers — with Borghi No. 1 on the list with 156 grabs” #GoHawks
WSU's Max Borghi, Abraham Lucas each meet with Seattle Seahawks at NFL Combine https://t.co/hb52X0Q7Ow via @247sports
— Kenyon Lyle, PharmD (@roguepharmd) March 5, 2022