Eight of the Seattle Seahawks' 22 starters hit free agency this offseason. Of them all, only left tackle Russell Okung remains a question mark at this point. As a result, the Seahawks are taking precautionary measures.
On Monday, Seattle signed two offensive linemen, marking the first two players the team has acquired during free agency that were not on the roster last season. Those linemen are former Arizona Cardinal Bradley Sowell and Sealver Siliga, who was briefly with the Seahawks in 2013 but has played the majority of the last three seasons with the New England Patriots.
Both were signed to inexpensive one-year contracts.
Sowell has spent the last two seasons as a backup after starting 12 games for the Cardinals in 2013. His contract is worth $1.5 million. Siliga has worked as a part-time starter over the last two seasons and signed for $1.4 million. The former appeared in just 33 snaps all season in 2015.
Okung's status, meanwhile, remains up in the air. This is concerning for the Seahawks as they have already lost starting guard J.R. Sweezy and backup guard/tackle Alvin Bailey to free agency. The Sowell and Siliga signings may be the first of several moves to address the now sudden needs up front.
Sowell has started at left tackle in his career and Seattle referred to him as a tackle in its statement. However, his addition is not a clear indication that Okung has decided to sign elsewhere. The former first-rounder is considering his options at the moment following visits with the New York Giants, Detroit Lions and Pittsburgh Steelers.
Should Okung decide that a change of scenery is in order, the Seahawks may be forced to evaluate the remaining left tackle talent on the open market. Pittsburgh's Kelvin Beachum, who visited Jacksonville Monday, and Oakland's Donald Penn, who has not been reported to have met with any teams thus far, are both possible options. Seattle could also target the position in the NFL draft or by trade.
Okung is representing himself in free agency which has likely slowed down the process. As a current player, he was not allowed to talk with other teams during the NFL's legal tampering period before free agency began.
The one-time Pro Bowler underwent shoulder surgery in February to repair a dislocation and has been nagged by injuries throughout his career. Health concerns may prevent him from earning the type of offer he wants - roughly $10 million per year - in free agency.
