Seahawks GM Shares Surprising Reason Behind Failed Free Agency Signing
The Seattle Seahawks made a few notable moves in free agency by bringing in quarterback Sam Darnold and defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence, but they’ve largely ignored their most pressing need: the offensive line.
As many know, Seattle’s offensive line struggled in 2024, allowing a league-high 54 sacks. Despite this, their only significant addition has been offensive tackle/guard Josh Jones, who’s expected to be a backup. When it comes to improving the starting lineup, the Seahawks have made little progress.
However, it wasn’t for lack of effort. General manager John Schneider confirmed that they were pursuing free agent guard Will Fries and even offered him a $50 million deal. However, they wanted to have Fries undergo a visit and physical before finalizing the contract, as he had suffered a broken leg in Week 5 of the previous season with the Indianapolis Colts. The Minnesota Vikings, who ultimately signed Fries to a five-year, $88 million deal, did not require a visit or physical before making the deal.
“We were in on a big-time guy that we wanted to bring in and get a physical on,” Schneider told reporters. “When you spend that kind of money on a player, we wanted to visit. The other team didn’t want to visit and they just went ahead and did the deal.”
While it’s disappointing that the Seahawks couldn’t finalize a deal with Fries, their cautious approach makes sense. Recovering from a broken leg, especially for a big player like an offensive lineman, is no small feat, so Schneider and his team wanted to evaluate Fries’ recovery first.
The $50 million offer the Seahawks extended would likely have been a three-year deal worth about $16.7 million annually, while the contract Fries signed with Minnesota averages $17.6 million per year over five years, meaning the Vikings also outbid Seattle financially.
For now, the Seahawks must move forward and focus on improving their team to ensure Darnold has a better chance to succeed, starting with bolstering the offensive line.
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