The Seahawks are about to add to their needy offensive line.
It could be only a start.
Seattle and 27-year-old free-agent Josh Jones were closing in Monday night on agreeing to a one-year contract. NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport was the first to report that, and that the contract is expected to be a maximum of $4.75 million.
Jones’ contract is likely not guarateed. He agreed to it hours after the Seahawks got top free-agent quarterback Sam Darnold on a three-year, $100.5 million deal Monday.
This appears to a depth move, not one that takes Seattle out of contention to sign top free-agent guards Will Fries or Mekhi Becton, among other offensive linemen available. Guards and center are the Seahawks’ biggest needs.
Fries, 26 from the Indianapolis Colts, was reportedly heavily pursued by the Minnesota Vikings and multiple other teams. He broke his tibia in early October, ending his 2024 season with the Colts.
Teams pursuing Fries could not have him take a team medical examination until the start of the new league year on Wednesday.
Becton, 25, had a tumultuous start to his NFL career with the Jets after New York drafted the massive tackle (6 feet 7, 363 pounds) 11th overall in 2020. He revived his career with a strong 2024 season with the eventual Super Bowl-champion Eagles. Philadelphia moved him to guard, and he flourished.
The Seahawks have been linked to Fries, and to Becton, for weeks. They are letting 33-year-old veteran left guard Laken Tomlinson leave on an expired contract after one, ineffective season in Seattle. The team used three right guards last season before coached liked how 2024 rookie sixth-round pick Sataoa Laumea played to finish the year.
The big (6-5, 339-pound) Jones has played every O-line position, on both sides, except center in his five NFL seasons. The first three of those years were with Arizona. The Cardinals drafted him in third round in 2020 out of the University of Houston.
Jones has been a full-time starter only 1 1/2 of his five NFL seasons. That was in 2021 and at the end of ‘22 season, both for Arizona. He has played 34% of his teams’ offensive snaps in his career.
The Cardinals traded him plus a seventh-round draft choice to Houston for a fifth-round pick at the end of the 2023 preseason. He played that year for the Texans. He played only 26% of Houston’s offensive snaps in his only season there.
Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald’s former Baltimore Ravens signed Jones as a free-agent for the 2024 season. He was a backup for them, too, playing just 5% of the Ravens’ offensive snaps.
The Seahawks are expected to announce Jones’ contract on Wednesday, the opening day of the free-agent market.
Monday was the first day of the negotiating period the NFL sets up for teams and free agents before the market officially opens.