Huard: How 2025 free agent market benefits Seahawks

Heading into the offseason, the guard spots are the clearest and most obvious positions the Seattle Seahawks need to improve.

Fortunately for the Seahawks, this year’s free agent class appears to be well stocked in that area.

Why guard upgrades just became even more important for Seahawks

ESPN ranked the top 50 players who are set to hit unrestricted free agency, and seven of those top 50 potential free agents are guards. Kansas City’s Trey Smith is ranked No. 2, followed by Indianapolis’ Will Fries at No. 19, Dallas’ Zack Martin at No. 21, Philadelphia’s Mekhi Becton at No. 30, Detroit’s Kevin Zeitler at No. 35, Pittsburgh’s James Daniels at No. 38 and Chicago’s Teven Jenkins at No. 41.

It’s unlikely that all of those players actually reach free agency, as teams could reach extensions with them or apply the franchise tag to prevent them from hitting the open market. But simply the fact that so many legitimate guard options could be available is a good sign for the Seahawks.

“There should be a supply,” former NFL quarterback Brock Huard said during Thursday’s Blue 88 segment on Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk. “And there’s a little Baskin Robbins. You want an older guy, a little bit beat up? OK, (there’s a future) Hall of Famer in Zack Martin. You want a younger guy with the highest upside we’ve ever seen on the free agent market, if Trey gets there? Do you want some kind of in-between that’s played at a really high level that the next-level stats guys love?

“Man, there’s an opportunity,” he added.

Another positive for Seahawks

The lone Seahawks player on ESPN’s top-50 free agent list is inside linebacker Ernest Jones IV, who is ranked No. 46.

Jones was one of the most important players for Seattle in 2024. After being acquired from Tennessee in a late-October trade, he solidified the middle of the defense and helped key a dramatic turnaround that saw the Seahawks evolve into one of the best defensive units in the league over the second half of the year.

Jones is set to become an unrestricted free agent, but has voiced a strong desire to re-sign with Seattle.

Huard believes it’s a good sign that four other potential free-agent linebackers are ranked above Jones on ESPN’s list: Philadelphia’s Zack Baun at No. 12, San Francisco’s Dre Greenlaw at No. 15, Kansas City’s Nick Bolton at No. 24 and the Jets’ Jamien Sherwood at No. 37

“The fact he’s not the number one inside linebacker and there’s four other guys right there with them, I think that could once again help you from a dollars and cents standpoint,” Huard said.

Listen to the full Blue 88 segment at this link or in the audio player near the middle of this story. Tune in to Brock and Salk weekdays from 6 to 10 a.m. or find the podcast on the Seattle Sports app.

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