Seattle Seahawks: 5 Free agents to sign before training camp
By Samuel Teets
Months into free agency, the Seattle Seahawks can still upgrade their depth chart by bringing in several of these free agents.
After going 11-5 during the regular season and making it as far as the Divisional Round, the Seattle Seahawks need more help to get back to the Super Bowl. With Russell Wilson at the helm, Seattle remains a perennial postseason contender, but the team’s roster doesn’t compare favorably to the NFL‘s other power players.
Either in the form of Pro Bowlers or role players, the Seahawks need more impact players on their roster.
These five free agents could make a big difference for Seattle this coming season.
5. Timmy Jernigan, DT
At this point, the Seahawks only desperately need starting players at a few positions, which we’ll cover later in the article. However, the team could use some depth at defensive tackle. While Poona Ford appeared in 15 games last year, Jarran Reed missed six games with a suspension and never found his rhythm. Another qualified presence on the depth chart could give Reed a nudge in the right direction.
Timmy Jernigan agreed to a one-year, $3.75 million contract with the Houston Texans earlier this offseason, but the deal fell through. Jernigan remains on the free agent market, which is moving at a snail’s pace this summer.
Jernigan started his career with the Baltimore Ravens, who selected him with the 48th overall pick in 2014. The Philadelphia Eagles eventually traded for the run-stuffing defensive tackle, who played a significant role in the team’s recent Super Bowl run. However, a string of injuries over the past two seasons made Jernigan expendable.
A herniated disc prevented Jernigan from appearing in most of Philadelphia’s games in 2018 before a broken foot cost him several weeks during the 2019 season. Jernigan only appeared in 13 games over the past two years.
When healthy, Jernigan can still make a significant impact defensively. However, there’s always the chance an injury shortens his season. For a bargain deal in the range of $3 million, it might be worth Seattle signing Jernigan for depth.