Overhaul on defense continues: Seahawks Love their new ex-Giants DB has played 3 spots
The Seahawks’ overhaul of their defense has reached the secondary.
Seattle and free-agent defensive back Julian Love from the New York Giants have agreed to a two-year contract worth up to $12 million, including his incentive. One of Love’s agents, Ryan Matha, confirmed the deal Friday on his Twitter account online.
The Seahawks like Love’s versatility and ability to play multiple positions in their secondary this year.
The Giants selected Love in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL draft. Since then he has been their team captain plus played as a deep safety in coverage, a strong safety against the run and a nickel defensive back inside against slot receivers when New York went to a fifth defensive back.
He started 16 games at safety for the Giants last season.
Seattle had rookie Coby Bryant star as its nickel back in 2022. The Seahawks have $70 million strong safety Jamal Adams coming off his third surgery from the last two seasons, a major one after he tore his quadriceps in September.
The team gave a lowest-level tender to restricted free agent safety Ryan Neal this week. If he doesn’t sign an offer from another team the Seahawks have the right to match, Neal will play 2023 on a one-year contract.
Love is the latest new player on a Seahawks defense that subverted much of what Pro Bowl quarterback Geno Smith and the offense did last season for Seattle.
The Seahawks this week have signed sacking defensive linemen Dre’Mont Jones, signed back tackle Jarran Reed and agreed to a one-year deal with former Pittsburgh Steelers inside linebacker Devin Bush.
League sources told The News Tribune the Seahawks remain keenly interested in signing back free agent Bobby Wagner. Seattle general manager John Schneider said last week on Seattle’s KIRO-AM radio he and Pete Carroll have talked to Wagner and will continue to talk to the former Seahawks’ All-Pro middle linebacker about a possible contract.
Smith signing a three-year contract with a base value of $75 million and including $30 million in incentives this month has given the team the financial flexibility to spend in free agency on defense.
Jamal Adams’ situation
Adams tore the quadriceps tendon and injured his knee in the first half of the first game last season, blitzing in on Denver quarterback Russell Wilson. He’s yet to play a full season in the three years since Seattle traded two first-round draft choices to the New York Jets then gave Adams a $70 million contract, a record for a safety in the NFL.
Full recoveries from torn quadriceps tendons are no sure things. The Seahawks likely want Neal as proven insurance paired with Pro Bowl safety Quandre Diggs in the back of their defense.
Now they have Love for that, too.
The two most expensive players on the Seahawks’ roster for 2023 per salary-cap charges are safeties. Adams and Diggs each have cap charges of $18.1 million this year.
Adams posted online recently on his social-media accounts video of him running on a treadmill without a limp. He is continuing his rehabilitation from his latest major injury following shoulder and finger surgeries two years ago.
“He’s making his progress. He’s doing his stuff,” Carroll said two weeks ago at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis. “We’ll see him in the next week or so in person, so we’re anxious to get connected with him. But when he came out and visited with other guys and checked in, everything’s going the way it’s supposed to go.
“It is a difficult recovery. ...really intricate and they got to do a really good job. And again, it’s always, you’ve got to avoid the setbacks.
“As long as we can do that, then he should be on schedule and be back (for the season).”
This story was originally published March 17, 2023 at 12:01 PM.
