General Manager Aaron Silcoff: My Seattle Seahawks Offseason Plan
- Aaron Silcoff
- Feb 24
- 6 min read
With the NFL combine underway this week in Indianapolis, I figured, now would be a good time to write about how I would like my favourite team, the Seattle Seahawks to handle the next few months.
Despite missing the playoffs, the team finished with a 10-7 record at the end of the 2024 season under first year coach Mike Macdonald, this was Seattle's first 10 win season since 2020. The Seahawks showed that they were a talented team but do have several obvious problems that must be addressed this offseason, particularly along the offensive line. They currently have the 18th overall pick in the draft, are roughly $19 million over the salary cap. In order to compete in the NFC West, head coach Mike Macdonald and general manager John Schneider need to make roster changes that include making some difficult decisions.
With that, here are some moves I would like to see the Seahawks make over the next several months that could help them make a return to the playoffs in 2025.
Step 1: Cap Management
Before the start of free agency on March 12, the Seahawks need create cap space as they are currently about $19 million in the red. The following is how they could clear up some space.
Cuts:
Tyler Lockett (WR): $17M saved- The Seahawks veteran has been a staple in the organization for years but after his least productive season of his career, both sides move on.
Uchenna Nwosu (EDGE): $8.6M saved — Effective when on the field but the best ability is availability which Nwosu no longer consistently is.
Noah Fant (TE): $9M saved —The tight end room takes a hit, but A.J. Barner showed potential in 2024. Not to mention, this upcoming draft class is supposed to be a fairly good one for tight ends.
Dre'Mont Jones (DL): $15.7M saved — Big savings, as Jones has not lived up to the contract the team signed him to in the spring of 2023.
Rayshawn Jenkins (S): $7.5M saved — The secondary loses experience, but Jenkins did miss a few games in 2024. I trust Macdonald to either find or develop a replacement
Roy Robertson-Harris (DT): $3.8M saved—He didn't do much after Seattle acquired him in October. I value the cap space more.
Total savings from cuts: About $61.6M opening up about $40M in cap space.
Extensions and Restructures:
Extended Geno Smith (QB)- New Deal: Two-year, $80M ($40M annually), with a $45M guarantee. His 2025 cap hit is currently $38.5M. Turn his $25 million 2025 salary into a signing bonus that is paid out over two years at a rate of $12.5 million per year. Put's Geno's contract up there with the likes of Jared Goff and Kyler Murray. Saves about $11M on the cap for 2025.
Extend D.K. Metcalf (WR)- New Deal: Four-year, $110M ($27.5M/year), $60M guaranteed. Drops 2025 hit to $17M, saving $14.8M for 2025.
Restructure Leonard Williams (DT)- Saves about $10M for 2025.
After these moves if you include dead money, this would give the Seahawks around $75-80M in cap space to work this offseason.
Step 2: Free Agency
With nearly $80 million in cap space, expect Seattle to be more aggressive than they have been in past year's when it comes to free agency.
Re-sign Ernest Jones IV (LB): Four-year, $52M ($13M/year)- Was a great addition the defense after a mid-season trade. Seattle must a find a way to bring him back.
Re-sign Josh Jobe (CB): Second-round RFA tender, $4.8M- Jobe showed flashes this season and I would like to see him stick around for a second year in MacDonald's system.
Sign Juwan Johnson (TE): Three-year, $21M ($7M/year), $12M guaranteed- With Klint Kubiak being the new offensive coordinator in Seattle, he brings in Johnson who was productive in his system with the Saints.
Sign Brandon Scherff (G): Two-year, $18 million deal still works ($9M/Year), $12M guaranteed- He might not be the player he once was but Seattle just needs bodies at the guard position who even just have the chance of being above average.
Sign Elijah Moore (WR): Two-year, $14M ($7M/year), $10M guaranteed- By cutting Lockett, Seattle would be fairly thin at the WR position after Metcalf and Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Moore provides some speed in the WR room and would be a solid option behind Metcalf and Smith-Njigba.
Sign Chase Young (EDGE): One-year, $8M (incentives up to $10M)- The Seahawks had interest in trading for Young during the 2023 season before he eventually ended up in San Francisco. While he may never be the player we thought he'd be after his rookie season, Young could try to revive his career in Seattle in 2025.
Sign Justin Simmons (Safety): One-year, $9M- Simmons signed late with Atlanta last offseason and just based on comments from him, I think this year he'd like to sign with a team earlier. Seattle could use a veteran presence and I think he'd be a good addition in a secondary with Devon Witherspoon, Riq Woolen, and Coby Bryant.
Sign Drew Lock (QB): One-year, $4M- While we did not see much from Sam Howell in 2024, that second half he played against the Packers showed me he cannot be trusted if Geno Smith does go down. Lock comes back to Seattle after a year in New York to backup Smith.
With these signings, Seattle maintain flexibility for the future while becoming a more formidable team in 2025.
Step 3: Trades
The Seahawks are typically not that active in the trade market during the offseason but there is one player I'd love to see them try to add and that would be Dolphins defensive tackle Zach Sieler.
In my scenario, Seattle will need to find more defensive line support as they have cut Dre'Mont Jones and Roy Robertson-Harris, while letting Jarran Reed walk in free agency. Sieler, who would fit Macdonald's disruptive front, finished the year with ten sacks in 2024. Miami may move him with two years remaining as they need to free up cap space. Mike Macdonald's scheme, which relies on versatile linemen who can rush the passer and stop the run, is an ideal fit for Seattle, and Sieler.
Trade Details: A 2025 4th-round pick (137 overall) and a 2026 4th-round pick to Miami for Zach Sieler.
Step 4: The Draft
Round 1, Pick 18: Tyler Booker, G, Alabama - 325-pound, 6'5" mauler. Booker could starter at left guard right away, working with Scherff to fix the interior O-line. Would be an ideal fit for Kubiak's zone-blocking scheme.
Round 2, Pick 50: Princely Umanmielen, EDGE, Ole Miss- High-motor rusher, 6'5", 255 pounds, who MacDonald can mold into a stud pass rusher.
Round 3, Pick 82: Tez Johnson, WR, Oregon - Adds depth and quickness behind Metcalf, JSN.
Round 5, Pick 173: Trevor Etienne, RB, Georgia - Gives Seattle a good change-of-pace option behind Walker and Charbonett.
Round 6, Pick 187: Riley Leonard, QB, Notre Dame - Developmental QB3 who can learn behind Geno.
Round 6, Pick 212: C.J. West, DL, Indiana - Piece to try to offset Jones/Robertson-Harris cuts.
Round 7, Pick 236: Jake Majors, IOL, Texas- Depth piece.
In addition to addressing immediate needs, this draft class adds depth at several positions, setting up Seattle for success in 2025 and beyond. Like teams such as Philadelphia, who have made their draft strategy simple by selecting the best players from top programs, I decided to follow a similar approach for the Seahawks' class.
Notable Players on Week 1 Roster
QBs: Geno Smith, Drew Lock, Riley Leonard
RBs: Kenneth Walker III, Zach Charbonnet, Trevor Etienne
WRs: D.K. Metcalf, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Elijah Moore, Tez Johnson, Jake Bobo
TEs: Juwan Johnson, A.J. Barner
OL: Charles Cross, Abe Lucas, Tyler Booker, Brandon Scherff
DL: Leonard Williams, Chase Young, Princely Umanmielen
LB: Ernest Jones IV
CBs: Devon Witherspoon, Riq Woolen, Josh Jobe, Coby Bryant
S: Justin Simmons, Julian Love
Is this team a true Super Bowl contender? Probably not, but I believe that this core of players should be able to return to the playoffs as a wildcard team at the very least while also competing for the NFC West Division title in 2025. Through smart free agency signings, the development of key players, and steady growth under their coaching staff, this team has the potential to surprise many and go on playoff runs in the near future. Even if they might not be prepared to win a Super Bowl just yet, the groundwork for long-term success is in place.
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