The Seattle Seahawks exceeded everyone’s expectations this past season, reaching the playoffs when many thought they’d have a top-three pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Coming off the surprising success, it seems many around the NFL are even higher on the Seahawks after the offseason.
Seattle wasn’t one of the biggest spenders in NFL free agency, but it used its cap space to keep one of the best offenses in football together and strengthened its defense. The Seahawks re-signed quarterback Geno Smith and then bolstered their front seven.
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NFL executives speaking with The Athletic’s Mike Sando said they liked the Seahawks’ offseason moves, especially the addition of Dre’Mont Jones and the specific type of deal Smith signed.
“The Geno deal is really smart, very fair, because it is a year-to-year option on a player who played well for you over a single season, and who you respect, but might not be the long-term answer. Dre’Mont Jones was a good signing. What they did was pretty good.”
Anonymous NFL executive on Seattle Seahawks signing Geno Smith, Dre’Mont Jones
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Seattle’s deal with Smith should work out perfectly for both sides. The veteran quarterback gets to be one of the highest-paid NFL players in 2023, earning money that came after he spent the majority of his career bouncing around the league.
The Seahawks also structured the deal to be team-friendly. It only carries a $10.1 million cap hit this season, providing Seattle’s front office with more money to spend. Furthermore, the Seahawks could release ($13.8 million) or trade Smith ($22.5 million) next offseason for significant cap savings to keep improving their roster.
Adding Wagner and Jones weren’t the only additions that earned praise. Another NFL official highlighted linebacker Devin Bush as a player who could be better in Seattle than he was with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Jones, the 6-foot-3 defensive lineman, provided Seattle with an excellent interior pass rusher at a reasonable cost. Meanwhile, the Seahawks signed linebacker Devin Bush and reunited with All-Pro linebacker Bobby Wagner to finally address a position that has been an issue for years.
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“Devin Bush is a better fit for Seattle than he was in Pittsburgh. He is not a 30 linebacker. He is more of a search-and-flow guy.”
NFL executive on Seattle Seahawks linebacker Devin Bush
All of this came before the 2023 NFL Draft, with Seattle holding two first-round picks and five top-100 selections. Considering how well the 2022 Seahawks draft class performed this past season, expectations should be high for the 2023 rookie class.
