While free agency opened only a week ago and more moves will happen in time, activity has slowed down to a crawl for the Seattle Seahawks and the rest of the NFL with cap space drying up quickly across the league landscape.
In the case of the Seahawks, who have signed six outside free agents and handed defensive tackle Leonard Williams a massive three-year, $64.5 million extension, general manager John Schneider doesn’t have much wiggle room left to work with. Per OverTheCap.com, without accounting for contracts for linebackers Tyrell Dodson and Jerome Baker as well as tackle George Fant, the team has $16.235 million in cap space remaining.
Assuming each of those contracts will carry at least $3 million cap hits, Schneider will have to make additional moves to create space to make any other notable free agent signings, meaning it is time to shift focus back towards the 2024 NFL Draft.
After acquiring quarterback Sam Howell from the Commanders last week, the team has just two picks in the first 100 selections and seven picks overall to continue filling out the roster for next season.
Known for his propensity to move up and down the draft board, the decision to ship a third-round pick to Washington and the growing gap between picks on day one and two increases the likelihood Schneider will be looking to move down from No. 16 overall in the first round.
Keeping that in mind, in the aftermath of a busy first week of free agency, Schneider goes to work with a pair of trade downs in my latest seven-round Seahawks mock draft.
Along with sending pick No. 16 and No. 108 to the Dolphins for picks No. 21, No. 55, and No. 198, I facilitated a second deal moving down in the third round to acquire an additional day three pick from the Packers.
