Fansided

NFL free agency 2019: Grades for every team

By Kevin Parvizi

PHILADELPHIA, PA - NOVEMBER 25: Odell Beckham #13 of the New York Giants yells prior to the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on November 25, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - NOVEMBER 25: Odell Beckham #13 of the New York Giants yells prior to the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on November 25, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /
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GLENDALE, AZ – SEPTEMBER 23: Offensive guard Mike Iupati #76 of the Arizona Cardinals looks on prior to taking the field for the game against the Chicago Bears at State Farm Stadium on September 23, 2018 in Glendale, Arizona. The Chicago Bears won 16-14. (Photo by Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, AZ – SEPTEMBER 23: Offensive guard Mike Iupati #76 of the Arizona Cardinals looks on prior to taking the field for the game against the Chicago Bears at State Farm Stadium on September 23, 2018 in Glendale, Arizona. The Chicago Bears won 16-14. (Photo by Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images) /

Seattle Seahawks

Key Additions: OG Mike Iupati, K Jason Myers

Key Departures: FS Earl Thomas, CB Justin Coleman, OG JR Sweezy, K Sebastian Janikowski, DE Dion Jordan, QB Brett Hundley, RB Mike Davis, DT Shamar Stephen

Grade: D

To nobody’s surprise, the Seattle Seahawks had a rough offseason, losing a variety of role players in addition to free safety Earl Thomas, whose departure was sealed after the Seahawks failed to give him a contract last year. The image of him flipping off the Seattle bench after a season-ending injury will forever be etched in the fan base’s memories as a powerful statement of the cost NFL players bear.

Anyway, the Seahawks did add one important piece in Mike Iupati, who is a Los Angeles Rams stint away from signing with every team in the NFC West. Iupati has long established himself as one of the league’s better guards, and he essentially swaps places with JR Sweezy, who joined the Arizona Cardinals; Iupati is the better player between them.

The rest of the losses don’t sting too much, though Dion Jordan and Shamar Stephen have talent on the defensive line and Justin Coleman will be missed as one of the league’s best nickel corners. Seattle will have to think about replenishing the position in the draft this year.

Mike Davis has a chance to be a feature back for the Chicago Bears, but he was logjammed behind two better players in Rashaad Penny and 2018 breakout player Chris Carson. That’s not to say Davis wasn’t useful for the Seahawks in stretches last season, but when Carson took off and Penny found his form as a first-round pick, the writing was on the wall for Davis.

Free agency hasn’t mattered much for the Seahawks since the fateful offseason where they signed both Cliff Avril and Michael Bennett on bargain deals. Going forward, this team needs to trust Russell Wilson, possibly the second-best quarterback in the NFL behind Patrick Mahomes, more and get back to where they were at evaluating draft prospects on the defensive side of the ball.

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