Getty Seahawks linebacker Jordyn Brooks at Lumen Field on November 23, 2023.
The Seattle Seahawks have numerous difficult decisions to make this offseason. With an all-new coaching staff, it’s difficult to predict which of their 14 pending free agents they will keep.
Linebacker Jordyn Brooks is considered the team’s second most valuable pending agent behind Leonard Williams. According to Spotrac.com, Brooks is projected to earn a four-year, $45 million contract.
Seattle’s former first-round pick from the 2020 NFL Draft is a pending free agent after the Seahawks declined to pick up his fifth-year option last offseason. Brooks’ option would have locked him into a fully guaranteed $12.72 million salary for 2024. Instead, after returning from an ACL tear suffered late in the 2022 season, he played the final year of his rookie contract with a base salary of just under $2.28 million.
ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler believes the Seahawks could lose Brooks to the Dallas Cowboys in free agency. “Dallas could be in the market for a linebacker after last season’s struggles at the position,” Fowler wrote on March 3. “Jordyn Brooks, a Dallas-area native and one of the top free agent linebackers, would be a good fit.”
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Bleacher Report’s Zach Bachar agrees. “Brooks could be a potential solution at the position moving forward, as he’s surpassed 110 combined tackles in each of his previous three seasons. He also recorded a career-high 4.5 sacks in 2023, with eight total tackles for loss.”
Last season, Brooks tallied 111 total tackles, 5 quarterback hits, 4 passes defensed, and 1 interception for a pick-six. The Athletic’s Randy Mueller ranks him as the No. 5 best linebacker entering free agency.
Seahawks GM John Schneider Called Keeping Jordyn Brooks a ‘Priority’
As it stands, the Seahawks have approximately $7.1 million in effective cap space, which means general manager John Schneider has his work cut out. In addition to Brooks, Bobby Wagner and Devin Bush are pending free agents. If all three walk, Seattle will not have a single linebacker with starting experience under contract in 2024.
When asked if he’d like to re-sign with Seattle after the season ended, “Of course,” Brooks said, per The Athletic’s Mike Dugar. “This has been home for me, the start of my career, so I would love to be back.”
Schneider also seems keen on keeping the Texas Tech alum in Seattle. “Jordyn was a first-round pick, we didn’t pick up the option last year. He struggled, tried to fight his ass off with the injuries and everything. But [he and Williams], they are all a priority,” Schneider told reporters at the NFL Combine.
Dugar predicts Brooks stays in Seattle “Based on Schneider’s history, re-signing Brooks and pairing him with an inexpensive running mate would appear to be the likeliest path forward,” Dugar wrote.
Does Jordyn Brooks Fit into Seahawks Head Coach Mike Macdonald’s Game Plan?
GettySeahawks linebacker Jordyn Brooks at Lumen Field on October 22, 2023.
Following Pete Carroll’s exit, Seattle hired Mike Macdonald as their new head coach and Ryan Grubb as offensive coordinator. Leslie Frazier is their new assistant head coach and they hired Aden Durde as defensive coordinator.
While Schneider may have a propensity for homegrown talent, Macdonald may feel differently about Brooks. Ever since Macdonald was hired, rumors of Seattle snagging Baltimore Ravens linebacker Patrick Queen have only intensified.
When Seattle selected Brooks as their No. 27 overall pick, the Ravens drafted Queen at No. 28. At the time, Macdonald was Baltimore’s linebackers coach.
However, Queen would cost nearly double as Brooks. Spotrac.com projects his market value to earn the 24-year-old five-year, $92.6 million deal.
SI’s Corbin K. Smith suggested Seattle may let Brooks walk do to his missed tackle rate. Last season, Brooks missed 21 tackles, 16% of his opportunities. “Throughout his four years in Seattle, he never has truly made the jump to elite at his position,” Smith surmised. However, after allowing 13 touchdowns throughout his first three seasons in Seattle, he allowed zero last year.
Between his age and showcased improvements, Smith believes Macdonald will keep Brooks. “His youth, production, athleticism, toughness, and competitive juices should make him the top priority to invest in long-term as a centerpiece of Macdonald’s defense for years to come.”