Seahawks bring back Quandre Diggs, Al Woods, Sidney Jones as free-agency opens

The Seahawks began the NFL free-agent period Monday by taking care of their own.

On the first day teams could officially begin negotiating with players who can become free agents Wednesday, Seattle reached agreements to re-sign four players — all potential starters or key rotational players — notably free safety Quandre Diggs.

Diggs, named a starter in the Pro Bowl after leading Seattle with five interceptions last season, agreed to a three-year deal worth a reported $40 million.

Others agreeing to terms were tight end Will Dissly (three years, $24 million), cornerback Sidney Jones (one year, $3.6 million) and defensive tackle Al Woods (two years, $9 million).

It was also reported that Seattle had lost one player — offensive lineman Jamarco Jones, who agreed to a two-year, $5.75 million deal with Tennessee.

That meant a third of Seattle’s impending 15 free agents had been accounted for as of Monday afternoon.

Key players who remain unsigned include left tackle Duane Brown, running back Rashaad Penny, cornerback D.J. Reed, right tackle Brandon Shell, defensive end Rasheem Green and center Ethan Pocic.

And as of Monday afternoon, the Seahawks had not been seriously linked to any outside free agents.

Diggs suffered a dislocated ankle and broken fibula in the last game of the season Jan. 9 at Arizona, which left some immediate question about his NFL future.

But Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said at the NFL combine this month that Diggs will be ready for training camp, “I don’t think there is any doubt.”

And Seahawks GM John Schneider said the team did not think that injury would impact his value.

“I don’t think it affects his market, as bad as it was and as awful as everybody felt for him,” Schneider said. “I think my impression is that he’s going to recover well, and I hate saying clean break or whatever about people because everybody just felt awful for him, but he’s doing great.”

And indeed, he now gets a deal making him the eighth-highest paid safety in the NFL at $13.3 million per year.

Diggs turned 29 in January and now returns to give Seattle a set combo at the back end of its defense with strong safety Jamal Adams under contract for four more years on a deal that will pay him $17.5 million a season, the highest for any safety in the NFL.

While full details of Diggs’ contract were not immediately clear, just based on yearly average, the Seahawks will be paying more than $30 million for its two safeties next season, which is $5 million more than any other NFL team devoted to its safety position in 2021, according to OvertheCap.com.

Diggs became a free agent after the Seahawks decided not to place a franchise tag on him that would have guaranteed him $12.911 million. He ends up getting a contract with an average value just over that number but undoubtedly structured in a way so that the cap hit for 2022 is less than it would have been under the tag.

The contract also represents a significant pay raise for Diggs, who just finished a three-year contract with an average value of $6.2 million.

According to the NFL Network, Woods’ deal includes $4.75 million guaranteed and represents a solid raise for Woods, who played last season on a one-year deal worth $2.5 million.

The 2021 season was Woods’ third stint with the Seahawks and maybe the best season of his career as he had 26 tackles and 1.5 sacks and was at the heart of a defensive line that helped the Seahawks allow just 3.8 yards rushing per game, tied for second in the NFL.

Woods, who turns 35 March 25, started all 16 games for the Seahawks last season at defensive tackle. His return means Seattle brings back its starting duo of run-down defensive tackles again in 2022 with Poona Ford already under contract.

Seattle also has added Shelby Harris, acquired in the Russell Wilson trade with Denver, with Harris also able to play both inside and outside — he was listed as the starting left end in the Broncos’ 3-4 defense, a scheme the Seahawks are expected to use more this year.

The return of Sidney Jones helps fill out the cornerback spot as the Seahawks wait to see what happens with impending free-agent D.J. Reed. Seattle also has Tre Brown remaining under contract giving the Seahawks at least two who started games last year returning.

Jones is reportedly getting a one-year deal with incentives that could push it to $4.4 million, more than double the $1.75 million he got last year on a contract Seattle acquired when it gave up a sixth-round pick in 2022 to Jacksonville for him.

All three return to a defense under new coordinator in Clint Hurtt, who had been the team’s defensive line coach since 2017 and got promoted in the wake of the firing of Ken Norton Jr. 

Dissly’s deal, at an average of $8 million per year, makes him the 13^th-highest paid tight end in the NFL according to OvertheCap.com.

The salary marks a whopping raise for Dissly, who had just finished his four-year rookie contract that paid him $3.1 million overall. 

According to multiple reports, the deal includes a $9.3 million signing bonus and $15.98 million in total guarantees and up to $510,000 in annual roster bonuses. It also has salaries of $5.6 and $6.49 million in 2023 and 2024. The 2023 salary is guaranteed only for injury at signing and becomes fully guaranteed on the fifth day of the 2023 league year. The 2024 salary is not guaranteed, making this in essence a two-year deal with Seattle able to get out of it heading into the final season if it wants. And it carries cap hits of $4.5 million, $9.2 million and $10.1 million from 2022-24. 

The average per year might have seemed at first glance like a lot for a player who had 21 catches for 231 yards last season.

But Seattle values Dissly more for his blocking, especially his role in the running game, which flourished down the stretch as Seattle finished with an average of just over 5 yards per carry, third in the NFL and second-best in team history.

Dissly was rated 14th out of 74 NFL tight ends in run blocking last year by Pro Football Focus. Of his 682 snaps last season, 366 came as an in-line blocker, according to Pro Football Focus. 

Dissly is now set to join Noah Fant, acquired in the Wilson trade, in Seattle’s tight end rotation along with third-year player Colby Parkinson.

Fant is regarded as more of a receiving tight end, making 68 receptions for 670 yards and four touchdowns in 2021.

The re-signing of Dissly and trade for Fant almost certainly means Seattle will not re-sign its other free-agent tight end, Gerald Everett. 

Everett was Seattle’s primary receiving tight end in 2021 with 48 receptions for 478 yards and four touchdowns, playing on a one-year deal worth $6 million.