As Jamal Adams heals, Seahawks make (low) move to retain popular, productive Ryan Neal
The Seahawks have taken the first step to keeping one of their most productive and popular players recently.
They may need to take more.
The NFL released its official list of free agents plus those restricted free agents tendered contract offers to remain with their teams. It showed Seattle gave safety Ryan Neal the tender offer at the level of right of first refusal. That’s the lowest of three tender-offer levels. It’s worth $2,627,000 on a one-year deal for the 2023 season.
The tender gives the Seahawks the right to match any offer Neal, 27, might receive from another team. If he signs with another team, Seattle gets nothing.
The higher tender levels would have brought the Seahawks draft-pick compensation if another team were to sign Neal. But higher tenders result in more expensive one-year contracts, and Seattle is managing their salary-cap space to rebuild the defensive front seven.
The move with Neal could also indicate the Seahawks remain hopeful of signing their strong safety for the majority of the last two seasons to a multiyear contract to keep him beyond 2023. The tender offer affords the team time to do that before the summer.
Neal said the day after Seattle’s 2022 season with a playoff loss at San Francisco two months ago he needed “clean-up” surgery on his knee this offseason.
Not offering him a tender would have made Neal a free agent. That’s what happened to Seattle’s other restricted free agents. Wide receiver Penny Hart, reserve linebacker and special-teams player Tanner Muse and backup running back Tony Jones are now unrestricted free agents able to sign with any team, the league announced.
Neal emerged as a trusted tackler on third downs and an outspoken resident of the locker room first as the Seahawks’ sixth, dime defensive back then as the replacement for injured Jamal Adams in the 2021 and ‘22 season.
Adams tore the quadriceps tendon and injured his knee in the first half of the first game last season, blitzing in on Denver quarterback Russell Wilson. He’s yet to play a full season in the three years since Seattle traded two first-round draft choices to the New York Jets then gave Adams a $70 million contract, a record for a safety in the NFL.
Full recoveries from torn quadriceps tendons are no sure things. The Seahawks likely want and need Neal as proven insurance paired with Pro Bowl safety Quandre Diggs in the back of their defense.
Adams posted online recently on his social-media accounts. They him running without a limp on a treadmill, continuing his rehabilitation from his latest major injury following shoulder and finger surgeries two years ago.
The Rebuild! #Prez pic.twitter.com/11jJQ4BooW
— Jamal Adams (@Prez) March 6, 2023
“He’s making his progress. He’s doing his stuff,” Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said two weeks ago at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis. “We’ll see him in the next week or so in person, so we’re anxious to get connected with him. But when he came out and visited with other guys and checked in, everything’s going the way it’s supposed to go.
“It is a difficult recovery. ...really intricate and they got to do a really good job. And again, it’s always, you’ve got to avoid the setbacks.
“As long as we can do that, then he should be on schedule and be back (for the season).”
The Seahawks were hosting recent New York Giants safety Julian Love plus recent Pittsburgh Steelers inside linebacker Devin Bush on free-agent visits Thursday, according to an ESPN report.
Michael Jackson, Myles Adams staying
The Seahawks announced they tendered offers to keep exclusive rights free agents Mike Jackson, Myles Adams and, as The News Tribune had learned Tuesday, Jon Rhattigan with Seattle for 2023.
The only way those three players weren’t coming back to the team this coming season was if the Seahawks decided not to tender them offers. There is no right of first refusal on exclusive-rights free agents.
Jackson started all 17 regular-season games and the playoff game for the Seahawks last season at cornerback opposite rookie Pro Bowl selection Tariq Woolen.
Adams played in 10 games and got 28% of defensive snaps in 2022, his second season with Seattle.
The Seahawks did not tender offers to Godwin Igwebuike, who shined on kickoff returns late last season, or wide receiver Cody Thompson. Thompson went on injured reserve last August and missed the entire 2022 season.
Here’s the full list of the Seahawks’ unrestricted free agents, as of the start of the league year Wednesday:
Official NFL transactions confirm #Seahawks extended lowest tender to S Ryan Neal, retain right to match any other offer he gets.
They let their other restricted free agents go non-tendered to become free agents, including WR Laquon Treadwell, both kick snappers. Ott may return pic.twitter.com/yD50gT4crX— Gregg Bell (@gbellseattle) March 15, 2023
