Huard: The 2 best value signings for Seahawks in free agency

As we head deeper into the second week of NFL free agency, the Seattle Seahawks have a number of new names on the roster.

Seattle Seahawks add Tremayne Anchrum Jr to O-line in free agency

The Seahawks’ biggest move financially was to keep one of their own, inking defensive tackle Leonard Williams to a three-year deal worth up to $64.5 million. Seattle’s other most notable move? That would be a trade for Washington Commanders quarterback Sam Howell, which involved multiple draft picks being swapped by the two teams.

In terms of outside free agents, the Seahawks haven’t backed up the Brinks truck by any means, but former NFL quarterback Brock Huard thinks they’ve gotten good value out of many of their signings, with two in particular standing out.

“I think Rayshawn Jenkins is a great deal,” Huard said during Tuesday’s Brock and Salk on Seattle Sports.

Schneider: What safety Rayshawn Jenkins means for Seattle Seahawks’ defense

Jenkins, 30, is a veteran safety who has 80 career starts with 10 interceptions under his belt since entering the league in 2017. He signed a two-year deal worth up to $12 million and with $6.2 million guaranteed.

“It is really similar to that Julian Love (deal last offseason),” Huard said, pointing to the Seahawks’ other expected starting safety. “It’s two years, it’s $12 million. He’s gonna count $4 million against the cap this upcoming season. He got a pretty significant bonus out of that $12 million, which he should with the productivity he’s had. But that just feels right.”

The Seahawks invested more in the safety position than anyone else in the NFL over the last few years between Pro Bowlers Jamal Adams and Quandre Diggs, as well as signing Love on top of that last offseason. But that doesn’t appear to be the case anymore.

“That’s how you build your team,” Huard said. “… You don’t have bad safeties, you don’t have maybe the most elite safety, but you play with really good, smart safeties, and you pay them $6 million and $4 million on your cap. To me, that sounds like a winning formula.”

The other contract Huard likes? Tight end Pharaoh Brown, who Huard said he’s “really intrigued” with. Seahawks general manager/president of football operations John Schneider clearly likes what Brown brings to the table after signing him to a one-year deal worth up to $3.2 million.

“He’s a guy that can take care of the ‘C’ gap, he can really block down, he’s nasty,” Schneider told Seattle Sports’ Wyman and Bob last week. “He’s gonna bring a toughness to our to our offense. He’s a tempo setter. He’s a little bit of an old soul that way. He’s going to fight you and not back down, and I think that’s going to rub off on our offensive identity. I think you’ll see that in the run game, for sure.”

Here’s what Huard said about Brown on Tuesday.

“We won’t really be able to gauge it until regular season game No. 1, because you don’t feel him crashing down on the ‘C’ gap and hammering guys and driving his own guys into the ground through OTAs and minicamps and training camp and even preseason football. But one year (for) $3 million for what they deem the best blocking tight end in the league? That would be pretty darn good value, too,” he said.

Hear the full conversation from Tuesday’s Brock and Salk in the Blue 88 segment of the podcast player near the top of this post. Find podcasts of every hour of Brock and Salk at this link.

More on the Seattle Seahawks in free agency

• Huard: What Seahawks’ new LBs do better than Wagner, Brooks
• What GM Schneider says plan is for Seahawks’ returning OL Fant
• Seahawks sign linebacker Jerome Baker to 1-year deal
• Seahawks’ Schneider: How Williams’ deal impacted Brooks leaving
• Salk: What are Seattle Seahawks doing in free agency? Three possible explanations

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