NEWSLETTER
The Seahawks shocked the NFL world by going 9-8 and reaching the playoffs in the 2022 season. Head coach Pete Carroll did a tremendous job leading the team and Geno Smith had a career year. The 49ers eliminated them in the Wild Card Round and now their attention turns to the 2023 offseason. Here’s what you need to know about Seahawks free agents in 2023.
Seahawks 2023 NFL Free Agents Overview
Most of the focus was going to be on quarterback Geno Smith, but he signed a 3-year, $105 million extension to stay in Seattle. He shattered career highs across the board throwing for over 4,200 yards with 30 touchdown passes. Backup Drew Lock is a free agent.
Poona Ford was the largest cap hit in 2022 for the team. He had a quieter season than usual on the defensive line. The Seahawks have to decide if they want to bring him back after three sacks and six tackles for loss in 2022.
Offensive guard Austin Blythe retired following the 2022 season so the team will be looking for 2023 free agents to replace him. Blythe is only 30 years old but decided to hang it up after being a 17-game starter in 2022.
Linebacker Cody Barton racked up 136 tackles and will hit free agency. The Seahawks might try to re-sign Barton due to linebacker Jordyn Brooks missing time with a torn ACL to start 2023.
Unrestricted Seahawks Free Agents
To be an unrestricted free agent, there are a couple of qualifications. To start, the player needs four or more years of NFL experience. Also, their contract has to have expired or been voided. They can negotiate with any team without any restrictions or draft-choice compensation. Here’s a list of impending free agents for the Seahawks who are unrestricted.
Quarterbacks
Geno Smith – QB
Drew Lock – QB
Running Backs
Rashaad Penny – RB
Travis Homer – RB
Cullen Gillaspia – FB
Wide Receivers and Tight Ends
Marquise Goodwin – WR
Centers, Guards, and Tackles
Kyle Fuller – C
Defensive Tackles, Defensive Ends, and Edge Rushers
Poona Ford – DE
L.J. Collier – DE
Darryl Johnson – DE
Linebackers
Cody Barton – LB
Cornerbacks and Safeties
Artie Burns – CB
Justin Coleman – CB
Jalen Tabor – CB
Johnathan Abram – S
Josh Jones – S
Ryan Neal – SS
Special Teams
Tyler Ott – LS
Carson Tinker – LS
Restricted Free Agents
A restricted free agent is a player who has played for three or fewer accrued seasons and has an expiring contract. The team can assign a tender to the player, which allows them to match any offer the player receives from other teams. The team receives draft compensation if the player signs elsewhere.
2023 NFL restricted free agents for the Seahawks:
Penny Hart – WR
Tanner Muse – OLB
Jon Rhattigan – LB (exclusive rights free agent)
Salary Cap and Roster
The Seahawks made noise last offseason by trading franchise quarterback Russell Wilson. In 2023, what else do they have up their sleeve? The salary cap is $224.8 million for the 2023 season.
After Geno Smith and his new contract, Jamal Adams is the largest cap hit at $18.1 million for next year. Receivers DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett have cap hits of $13.7 and $16.7 million. General manager John Schneider will have plenty of cap space to work with as they hope to improve the depth chart after a surprising season.
Seattle Seahawks Free Agents 2023 FAQs
NFL free agency will commence on March 15, 2023. It begins at 4 p.m. eastern time. The date signifies the start of the new league year and the end of all player contracts. Many players are set to hit the market and gain free agency status.
An unrestricted free agent is a player whose contract has expired, and they have no ties to their former team. Starting on March 15, they are free to negotiate with any team in the league without restrictions.
A restricted free agent can be extended what is called a qualifying offer. If offered, they are still allowed to negotiate with other teams around the league. Their current team is allowed to match any offer.
There is a “legal tampering” period that begins on March 13. Teams can talk to certified agents but no signings can be made until free agency is official.
