The Seattle Seahawks are close to improving their offensive line.
The Seattle Seahawks are looking to upgrade their offensive line, and free agent Connor Williams seems to be an option. Williams, who tore his ACL with the Miami Dolphins last season, is expected to have a deal with the Seahawks in the next 48 to 72 hours, according to his agent Drew Rosenhaus on the Joe Rose Radio show.
Williams tore his ACL last December against the Tennessee Titans, and Rosenhaus mentioned that he’ll be ready to play in Week 1.
“He was on his way to a Pro Bowl season and a lucrative contract extension. Tore his ACL. And this guy fought so hard. He’s healthy. He’s going to be able to play in the first game,” Rosenhaus said. “It is the most amazing recovery I have ever seen in my career.”
Williams visited with the Seahawks earlier in training camp, and the two sides must like each other if a deal is on the horizon.
The Seattle Seahawks will be getting one of the league’s best centers
Connor Williams switched to center when he signed with the Miami Dolphins in 2022 after beginning his career as a left guard for the Dallas Cowboys. Before tearing his ACL last season, Williams had only allowed six quarterback pressures and a single sack on 280 pass-blocking snaps.
The Dolphins decided to replace Williams with former Titans center Aaron Brewer, signing him to a three-year, $21 million deal. Williams might be looking for a contract around that amount of money, especially considering how he played before he was injured. The Seahawks have roughly $10 million left in cap space after freeing up some money with Pro Bowl safety Julian Love’s contract extension.
The Seahawks did not have the best offensive line in 2023, and adding Williams would greatly improve their play in the trenches. Keeping Geno Smith clean in the pocket will be major if the Seahawks want to stay competitive this season and make the playoffs, and Williams could be the major piece they need.
Williams has also shown to be good in run blocking, which will open the field for Kenneth Walker III, who has turned into a dynamic running back since entering the league. The Seahawks were near the bottom of the league in rushing yards last season, and that can change with an athletic center like Williams manning the middle. He posted a 90.5 run-blocking grade which was the second-highest grade for centers, according to PFF.
Bringing back the core group on offense is big for the Seahawks, as they look to build on what they’ve done the past few seasons with Smith as the quarterback. It’s not certain if Williams would be available to play in any preseason games when he signs, but if so, it would be good for him to create some chemistry with the offense.
