Free Agent Finds: Offensive Line
The unquestioned biggest area of improvement needed in 2017 belongs to the offensive line. The 2016 line was terrible, making the 2015 group look like 5 Pro Bowlers by comparison. The 2017 Free Agent class offers some intriguing names and raises the question of what type of monetary resources are the Seattle Seahawks willing to dump on its O-Line?
Before we begin, lets clarify a major misconception which is that Seattle ignores its O-Line, and doesn't put enough resources into it. The Seahawks are constantly pouring draft capitol into the line, and have found several good lineman in the process. The more accurate way to describe the Seahawks philosophy is that they do not put money into the line.
Seattle does not wish to pay a good offensive lineman "elite" money. In theory, the idea makes sense. But in practice, it has been a major flop. Even in 2013-2014 when the line was good, Russell Wilson and Marshawn Lynch cleaned up a lot of the mess created by Tom Cable and his O-Line.
Spinning this forward, there are several intriguing options in free agency, mostly at tackle. Lets breakdown a few names now.
Andrew Whitworth- Let's start with a true, top-shelf lineman. Whitworth finished the year as the second ranked left tackle according to Pro Football Focus, trailing only Trent Williams of the Washington Professional Football Franchise. Whitworth has recently stated that while he hopes to stay in Cincinnati, he plans on testing the market and sign with a "Super Bowl contender".
The Seahawks certainly qualify as a " Super Bowl contender" and have a clear need at Left Tackle. Whitworth isn't the prototypical Seahawks O-Lineman, as he is an older play (35 years old) and isn't know as a "cutter". He is a standard tackle who is exceptionally good at his craft.
The market value for Whitworth is a bit of an unknown, as his age is a major factor in his earning power. Donald Penn of the Oakland Raiders might be the best gauge for Whitworth's market value, although Penn was 2 years younger than Whitworth is now.
Penn signed a 2 year deal which will effectively pay him $13.25 from last year through the end of the 2017 season. Whitworth is a better player than Penn so anything less than $7.5 AAV (average annual value) is probably unrealistic. The Seahawks are $26 million under the cap, and could splurge on one or two players. Whitworth is essentially a solid bridge to the Seahawks next LT, whether it be George Fant or somebody not currently on the Seahawks roster.
Russell Okung- It makes a ton of sense doesn't it? You know him and you like him. He knows your system and likes your culture. It almost makes too much sense. Okung bet on himself last off-season, and in just about any way you slice it, he lost. Okung was good in 2016 for the Denver Broncos, but was not good enough to force Denver to pick up his massive option for the 2017 season.
If Seattle can get back their guy on a similarly structured deal, Seattle should be eager to test those waters. Okung is no longer a All-Pro caliber tackle, but serves as a solid, albeit unspectacular player. The Seahawks do not need a super star O-Line, but they need to not be terrible. Russell Okung fits that mold.
Breno Giacomini- Easily the most affordable player mentioned thus far, Giacomini anchored the righ side of the offensive line for 3 seasons. He was an ideal picture of what Cable wants in his right tackle, and the team appears to be disenchanted with its current RT, Garry Gilliam.
The real question is if Breno has anything left in the tank. 2016 was a lost season for the "Angry Russian", losing most of his season to a couple of back injuries. At 6'7", Giacomini having back issues is no surprise. The question must become, " How long can he play."
It is extremely likely he will be unable to get anything more than a 1 year deal with low guarantees, so as a late free agent flyer, isn't it worth a shot?
Ricky Wagner- Wagner has been a solid right tackle for the Baltimore Ravens in the past, and is ranked as the 36th best player in this free agent class by Pro Football Focus. 2016 was a bounce back season for Wagner, after a terrible 2015 that left him with a grade below 50 (PFF 1-100 scale).
Because he is viewed as a RT only, Wagner is likely to be considerably cheaper than Whitworth and perhaps Okung. His market value sits at $6.9 million AAV, according to Spotrac. Seattle could save a great deal of money if they believe Wagner can play LT. Signing a potential good LT to RT money is a great way to shave a million or so dollars off your cap.
Kelvin Beachum- There were some rumors that Seattle liked Beachum in 2016 before he signed in Jacksonville, and now could have their second chance to snag their man. Beachum isn't a Pro Bowl caliber guy, but he is certainly a serviceable tackle with upside.
The best of the rest- The Seahawks appear to be content with their interior line of Mark Glowinski, Justin Britt, and Germain Ifedi. But if they decide to add to their interior, Kevin Zeitler, Ron Leary and Larry Wolford make some sense. All are younger veterans who have solid NFL track records.
Riley Reiff is an enigma, but is the kind of athlete Seattle typically loves on its O-Line. If Seattle wants to save a few dollars, tackles Ryan Clady, Sebastian Vollmer, and Andre Smith make some sense as buy low targets.
Menelik Watson likely has appeal to Tom Cable, and T.J. Lang and Luke Joeckel are probably long shots, but worth a look. While we have no idea what Seattle will do, one thing is abundantly clear: The Seahawks need help on the offensive line. Will they spend money to fix the problem? Only time will tell.
