Seahawks’ agreement with free-agent OT Brandon Shell seems to signal Germain Ifedi’s exit
The second-tier remake of the line of scrimmage continues for the Seahawks.
Seattle has an agreement on with former New York Jets guard and tackle Brandon Shell on a free-agent contract.
The deal is worth $11 million over two years, according to ESPN’S Adam Schefter.
Shell turned 28 last month. He was the Jets’ fifth-round draft choice in 2016.
He has played right tackle, right guard, even some extra, blocking tight end in his NFL career. That fits the Seahawks’ style of adding offensive linemen who can play multiple positions.
They added another one Tuesday in B.J. Finney, a free-agent arriving from Pittsburgh.
For those wondering if the Seahawks were going to keep Germain Ifedi, their starting right tackle the last four seasons who officially became an unrestricted free agent Wednesday: this agreement with Shell seems to end Ifedi’s time in Seattle.
Ifedi’s been on dwindling time with the Seahawks since last spring, when the team declined its fifth-year contract option for about $11 million it could have given Ifedi for 2020.
For those into Pro Football Focus ratings, which are notoriously debatable for offensive linemen in particular: PFF rated Ifedi: 63.3 in pass protection and 58.8 in run blocking in 2019. It had Shell at 64.7 in pass blocking and 63.6 in the run game.
Earlier this week, the Seahawks lost reserve offensive tackle George Fant in free agency to...the Jets, on a deal averaging $10 million per year. Fant had been Seattle’s extra, blocking tight end on running downs the last two seasons.
The Seahawks signing Shell also suggests Jamarco Jones, whom the team drafted two years ago from Ohio State to eventually be a starting NFL tackle, may become the new left guard. Jones impressed Seahawks coaches in his first games of his life at guard last season as an injury replacement for D.J. Fluker.
That was on the right side. Seattle has Fluker back for left guard on the final year of his contract with a salary-cap charge of $4.2 million. But Mike Iupati, the starting left guard last season, officially became an unrestricted free agent Wednesday.
Another option at left guard: Phil Haynes. The Seahawks drafted him in the fourth round last season but he did not play in a game. He missed training camp and the first two months of the season following surgery to repair a sports hernia.
This story was originally published March 18, 2020 at 4:01 PM.
