Seattle Seahawks: 5 Players who likely won’t return in 2020

3. Germain Ifedi, RT

Seattle’s offensive line could crumble this offseason. Germain Ifedi and starting guard, Mike Iupati are both free agents. While neither player stands out as a star, they both appeared in all 16 regular-season games for the Seahawks. Arguably, 2019 was Seattle’s most impressive offensively since the Marshawn Lynch days, and both linemen deserve credit for the roles they played.

However, two of the team’s other vital linemen are hitting the market as well. Versatile tackle, George Fant signed with Seattle as an undrafted free agent in 2016. Since then, he’s moved all over the line, plugging up holes as they appear. He even gets in some offensive sets as a tight end. This season, Fant appeared in all 16 regular-season games, and Pro Football Reference credits him with seven starts.

The backup center, Joey Hunt, is also an unrestricted free agent this offseason. A sixth-round pick in 2016, Hunt saw minimal action during his first two years in Seattle. He played on an irregular basis in 2018, but Hunt played a more significant role this season. When starting center, Justin Britt went down with a torn ACL in Week 8, Hunt took over and started the final eight games of the season.

So, the Seahawks could lose four impactful offensive linemen, including two full-season starters. Of that group, it seems most likely that the team will not be able to pay Ifedi. The former 31st overall pick did have his fifth-year option declined by Seattle, but he responded by playing the best football of his career.

If Seattle had the choice, they’d probably keep the improving right tackle, but the team is in an unfriendly financial situation. Ifedi’s fifth-year option would’ve cost the organization just North of ten million dollars. No team will offer him that much annually, but he could reasonably ask for between $5-7 million per year.

The Seahawks don’t have enough room to give Ifedi $5-7 million per year while still maintaining other free agents.