Seahawks eyeing free agent move right before the regular season begins to make sure Sam Darnold succeeds in first season with Seattle
Would make plenty of sense for their offense.
Free agency around the NFL by this point of the offseason is not filled with tons of starting potential. For the Seattle Seahawks, they could grab a potential starter for their new-look offense under offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak. They’re already showing interest in an experienced piece for their offensive line.
Dalton Risner to visit with Seahawks during free agency buzz
According to Jeremy Fowler, veteran guard Dalton Risner is going to visit the Seahawks. Risner recently visited with the Cincinnati Bengals and still plans to also work out for the Steelers, potentially. He isn’t in a rush to sign, but Seattle could use him before the regular season begins.
To put it lightly, the interior of the offensive line was a weakness for Seattle a season ago. There is no way around that. This year, they’ll have rookie Grey Zabel manning one of the guard spots, and he has dominated so far in training camp and the preseason. The Seahawks are expectedly really excited about him.
Outside of him, Olu Oluwatimi and Anthony Bradford are currently projected as starters on the interior. Jalen Sundell is the expected backup center, while Christian Haynes is behind Bradford at guard. If the Seahawks add Risner, he would immediately compete for the starting role against Bradford at guard.
Risner was impressive in pass protection last season during ten starts for the Minnesota Vikings. If Seattle signs him, he would also be reunited with Sam Darnold, his QB with the Vikings last season. They may already hold a connection when it comes to recognizing defenses and making adjustments.
The veteran guard did not allow a sack last season and avoided penalties as well. Risner is 30 years old.
Darnold has proven that he is a much more impressive QB while not under pressure. When his offensive line breaks down, like it did at times late least year in Minnesota, he struggled to find consistency and turned the football over much more often. With Risner in the fold, Seattle would probably feel a bit more comfortable about their baseline of play along the OL.
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