2 pending free agents Seahawks fans should watch in Divisional Round
Jan 20, 2023, 2:14 PM
Javon Hargrave of the Philadelphia Eagles reacts after a sack against the Pittsburgh Steelers on October 30, 2022. (Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
(Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
With the Seahawks eliminated from the playoffs last weekend, Seattle is officially in offseason mode.
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But there are still games to be played as the playoffs continue this weekend, with four Divisional Round matchups taking place.
There’s no doubt the Seahawks need some help this offseason in order to improve upon their 9-8 finish to the season, and some help could come in the form of free agency.
So when looking at the eight teams remaining in the playoffs, are there any players who are set to be free agents who could help the Seahawks? Former NFL quarterback Brock Huard shared two defenders who Hawks fans should keep an eye on if they watch playoff action this weekend.
“I think Javon Hargrave is a fascinating guy,” Huard said Friday morning on Brock and Salk on Seattle Sports 710 AM.
Hargrave, 29, is a defensive tackle on the Philadelphia Eagles who was a Pro Bowler in 2021. He posted a career-high 11 sacks in 2022, his third in Philadelphia.
“Go back and look at his background,” Huard said. “Hargrave played in Pittsburgh in that 3-4 front – which has become such a conversation piece here (in Seattle) – and was still a productive player against the run, and then in Philly, he’s been freed up a little bit in their four-down front and (had) double-digit sacks as an inside guy. He’s one to keep an eye on. However, he is in the top five of most of these top free agent lists (so he’d be expensive).”
Another defender Huard will be keeping a close eye on plays inside linebacker for a top AFC team.
“I’ll give you a linebacker to watch … Germaine Pratt, inside backer for the Bengals,” he said.
Pratt, 26, is wrapping up the fourth and final year of his rookie contract. He was a third-round pick in 2019 out of North Carolina State. He broke up 10 passes and recorded 99 tackles and six tackles for loss in 2022.
“Dude can run … He’s 6-foot-2, 250 (pounds), just a rock a muscle (who) ran 4.6 at the combine (and was a) third-rounder to the Bengals,” Huard said.
And Pratt is especially good in one key area.
“He had a 90.1 coverage grade – the best mark in the NFL – in coverage according to Pro Football Focus. He also did that while missing 5.9% of his tackles, one of the lowest missed-tackle rates in the league,” Huard said.
Listen to the full second hour of Friday’s Brock and Salk at this link or in the player below.
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