Latest signing continues a trend in Seahawks’ free agency approach

While remaking their roster this offseason under new coach Mike Macdonald, the Seattle Seahawks have signed a flurry of outside free agents to one-year contracts.

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Early in free agency, the Seahawks replaced linebackers Bobby Wagner and Jordyn Brooks by signing former Buffalo Bills starter Tyrel Dodson and former Miami Dolphins starter Jerome Baker to one-year deals. They added depth elsewhere by inking former New England Patriots tight end Pharaoh Brown, former Cleveland Browns center Nick Harris and former Dallas Cowboys defensive lineman Johnathan Hankins – among others – to one-year deals.

And last Friday, Seattle addressed its void on the interior offensive line by signing veteran guard Laken Tomlinson to a one-year contract.

Former NFL linebacker and current Seahawks Radio Network analyst Dave Wyman discussed the trend Monday on a pair of Seattle Sports shows.

“I like it,” Wyman said on Bump and Stacy. “I think it’s a prove-it deal, right? This is a great place for free agents to be. And you want them to be hungry coming in. … It’s a prove-it type of thing, and I think that’s gonna be really valuable. I think you’re gonna see these guys play their best football.”

Later that afternoon, Wyman’s co-host Bob Stelton mentioned on Wyman and Bob that some of the one-year signings could end up being placeholders until younger talent is acquired and developed.

“I don’t know if they’re looking at them as, ‘They’re gonna occupy the spot for now, but we’ve gotta find our future at these spots in the draft,'” Stelton said.

The one-year deals also give the Seahawks’ new coaching staff an opportunity to evaluate players and determine if they’re a fit for their longer-term plans. And as Wyman pointed out, some of Seattle’s free-agent signings could benefit from the fresh start that comes with being in a new organization. Wyman said he experienced that when he signed with Denver in 1993 after six seasons with the Seahawks.

“It’s a new coaching staff,” Wyman said on Wyman and Bob. “I feel like it’s the land of opportunity. … You’ve got a new coach who is judging people fresh. I talk about it all the time – when I went to Denver, I felt like it was a fresh start for me.”

“There’s a lot of question marks,” he added, “but I do love the way that (Seattle) has gone about this with signing these guys to one-year deals.”

To hear the full segment from Monday’s Wyman and Bob, listen in the podcast near the middle of this post or at this link. 

More on the Seattle Seahawks

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• Rost: With Seattle Seahawks’ top pick, expect the unexpected
• Brock’s Seahawks Draft Profile: A complete safety
• Huard reacts to Seahawks GM’s comments on drafting QB
• Wyman highlights UW Huskies LB as Seahawks draft target

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