Evan Mathis would be a upgrade over the in-house options the Seattle Seahawks currently are considering at left guard. He also would be expensive, perhaps too much so given the Seahawks' salary-cap situation.
Those are the two thoughts that come to mind with ESPN's Adam Schefter reporting that Mathis is scheduled to make a free-agent visit with the Seahawks this weekend. Schefter's report comes with a major caveat, which is that it's uncertain whether Mathis will follow through with the visit because of interest from other teams.
It's no surprise that the Seahawks would be interested in Mathis given the state of their offensive line in general and the left guard spot in particular. Earlier this week, Seattle moved starting right tackle Justin Britt to left guard, a decision that in part is a reflection that none of the candidates vying for that that job have done enough to claim it.
Mathis, 33, has made the Pro Bowl the last two seasons, and in 2013 was a first-team All-Pro. But here's the problem: In addition to the possibility that he signs elsewhere, his asking price could preclude a deal with the Seahawks, who don't have much 2015 cap space remaining after signing quarterback Russell Wilson and linebacker Bobby Wagner to extensions.
Before his release from Philadelphia earlier this offseason, Mathis reportedly was seeking a raise from the $5.5 million he was scheduled to make in 2015. It's hard to imagine the Seahawks fitting anything close to that figure into their current budget unless they were to release someone to make room.
The Seahawks certainly could use Mathis. They just may not be able to afford him.
