The Seattle Seahawks made their first move in free agency Monday night, agreeing to terms with veteran defensive tackle Ahtyba Rubin on a new three-year deal.
The negotiating period continues Tuesday, and teams are able to officially sign players on Wednesday.
The Seahawks have holes to fill, especially if left tackle Russell Okung and outside linebacker Bruce Irvin sign elsewhere. Keeping that in mind, here are 10 players from other teams who they could pursue in the days and weeks ahead.
Nick Perry, OLB/DE, Green Bay Packers: The Seahawks will likely need to fill Irvin's spot on defense, and they might have to use multiple players to do so. Perry didn't drop back into coverage much in Green Bay, but he's an excellent athlete, and Seattle coach Pete Carroll is familiar with him from their days at USC. Perry had just 12.5 sacks in four seasons with the Packers, but he's only 25 years old. He could play defensive end when the Seahawks are in nickel and back up Cliff Avril at the Leo spot. As with most of the guys on this list, the Seahawks will likely only be interested at the right price.
Donald Penn, OT, Oakland Raiders: If Okung signs elsewhere, Penn could be a safe Plan B for the Seahawks. He'll turn 33 in April, but Penn has not missed a start in the past eight seasons. The Seahawks' window for another Super Bowl is wide open. Adding Penn on a short-term deal could buy them time to develop a younger left tackle for the future.
Stefen Wisniewski, G/C, Jacksonville Jaguars: He was a free agent last offseason and visited with the Seahawks before signing a one-year, $2.5 million deal with the Jaguars. Wisniewski will be 27 when next season begins and has started 77 games in his five-year career. He's been durable, too, having missed three games during that span. Wisniewski could be an option at center if the Seahawks view him as an upgrade over Patrick Lewis.
Courtney Upshaw, OLB, Baltimore Ravens: He's been a disappointment as a pass-rusher (five sacks in four years), but with the ability to play the run and drop into coverage, Upshaw could replace Irvin in the Seahawks' base defense. The 26-year-old could be a cost-effective addition to the front seven.
Arian Foster, RB, Houston Texans: With Marshawn Lynch retiring, the Seahawks will rely on Thomas Rawls to carry the load. But they need a third-down back who can replace Fred Jackson, someone who is a good pass-catcher and reliable in pass protection. In those areas, Foster would fit the bill. And if healthy, he’d obviously be a huge upgrade over Jackson as a ball carrier. Given that the Seahawks have other needs, they’ll likely only be willing to take a flier on Foster if he wants to sign a short-term, relatively inexpensive deal.
Kelvin Beachum, OT, Pittsburgh Steelers: He only started six games last season after suffering an ACL injury, but the Seahawks could quickly turn their attention to Beachum if they can't match Okung's salary demands. He is a quality left tackle, will turn 27 in June and has 39 career starts.
Evan Mathis, OG, Denver Broncos: The team took a look at him last August, but Mathis ended up signing a one-year deal with the Denver Broncos. He battled through injuries, but still started 12 games for the Super Bowl champs. Mathis is an athletic left guard who could compete with Justin Britt for playing time. He could also be an option if the team moves Britt back to tackle.
Will Beatty, OT, New York Giants: If he can prove he's healthy, Beatty could be an option to replace Okung. He missed all of last season, first suffering a pectoral injury and then hurting his rotator cuff. Beatty started 47 games at left tackle from 2012-14, but the Giants released him last month.
Jason Jones, DL, Detroit Lions: He spent 2012 with the Seahawks before joining the Lions the past three seasons. Jones (6-5, 275) could give Seattle defensive coordinator Kris Richard another versatile defensive lineman and an interior pass-rush option in the Seahawks' sub packages.
Chris Polk, RB, Houston Texans: The Seahawks have shown interest in him in the past. Polk would be an inexpensive option who is effective as a receiver and in pass protection. He runs with the physical style that Carroll prefers and could compete for a backup spot behind Rawls.
