On Friday, the Seattle Seahawks made a notable defensive signing in NFL free agency that will surely hurt a playoff rival in the NFC.
The strength of the Seattle Seahawks last season was their offense. Led by “Comeback Player of the Year” Geno Smith and their talented wide receivers. With the primary offseason goal of getting Smith back on the roster completed, the Seahawks shifted their focus to addressing a weakness in free agency: Their defense.
Related: NFL free agent tracker 2023 – Latest signings, contract info, news for all 32 teams
Today they made an acquisition toward that pursuit that might not be considered a big-ticket splash but could be a steal in NFL free agency. CBS Sports NFL insider Josina Anderson was one of the first to report on Friday that the Seattle Seahawks had come to terms on a deal with free agent safety Julian Love.
Following the news, ESPN league insider Adam Schefter revealed the terms of the contract between Seattle and the New York Giants veteran, which is two years and will pay the 24-year-old as much as $12 million.
The Giants took Julian Love out of Notre Dame in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL draft. After serving as a backup for his first three seasons in the league, Love was promoted to a starting role in 2022, and he delivered in a big way for Big Blue.
Last season, he led the team in tackles with 124 in 16 starts, and also posted two interceptions, five passes defended, and a forced fumble. His starts, INTs, and tackles were all career highs for the newest member of the Seattle Seahawks secondary.
Love is a very under-the-radar edition that brings a strong veteran presence to a secondary that got solid performances last season from rookies Tariq Woolen and Cody Bryant. The Seattle Seahawks could have one of the best defensive backends in the NFC as next season progresses.