Getty Seattle Times staff reporter Bob Condotta wrote he 'thinks Seattle's plan' is to re-sign left tackle Duane Brown.
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FL free agency will begin with the legal tampering period on Monday, March 14 at 12 p.m. ET. At that point, three starting offensive linemen for the Seattle Seahawks will become free agents.
Unless the team re-signs one of them before that date, which, according to Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times, is likely to happen.
Condotta wrote in a mailbag answer on Feb. 23 that “Seattle’s plan now is to re-sign” left tackle Duane Brown, who is regarded as the best of the three offensive linemen starters for the Seahawks set to become free agents.
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Seahawks Reportedly Want Brown to Return
Interestingly, Condotta wrote that a year ago, the Seahawks did not have Brown in their plans for the future. But the veteran left tackle played well, and the team has yet to develop a plan of succession at left tackle.
That makes bringing back Brown, who turns 37 in August, on a one or even two-year deal a distinct possibility.
“I think a year ago the Seahawks might have thought they had to begin preparing for life after Brown, which is part of why they told him they wanted him to play out the season and then talk contract (other than adjusting his deal to add a void year and give him injury protection for 2022),” wrote Condotta.
“And no question that the flyer the team took on Stone Forsythe in the sixth round a year ago was in part to hopefully give it a left tackle option down the road.
“But after Brown played all 17 games in 2021 and bounced back to perform well in the second half of the season, I think Seattle’s plan now is to re-sign Brown, especially with the team appearing in full ‘run it back’ mode.”
Brown is a former All-Pro, but he made that All-Pro team in 2012 and going into the 2021 season, Brown last made the Pro Bowl in 2017. But Brown earned his fifth trip to the Pro Bowl during 2021 while playing a team-high 97.88% of Seattle’s offensive snaps.
Duane Brown’s Market in Free Agency
Despite turning 37 before the season, Brown is expected to garner a lot of interest in free agency. Pro Football Focus ranked Brown as the 32nd-best player, including the No. 3 offensive tackle, set to become an NFL free agent in March.
At offensive tackle, PFF only ranked Terron Armstead and Orlando Brown, both of whom are in the top 10 on the list, ahead of Brown.
“Brown was looking for an extension before the 2021 season but had to settle for a reworked contract that moved his cash payment schedule forward entering his age-36 season,” the PFF staff wrote. “Brown is still several years younger than Rams stalwart left tackle Andrew Whitworth, so he will surely point to his situation in an effort to continue making decent money well into his 30s.”
PFF projects Brown will receive a two-year, $20 million contract with $14.5 million guaranteed.
Sheil Kapadia of The Athletic doesn’t regard Brown as highly, but Kapadia still rated Brown among the best 70 NFL free agents this offseason. Kapadia ranked Brown the No. 61 overall player and No. 6 offensive tackle set to be a free agent.