With Free Agency about to begin, I guess it's time to get started. I personally don't expect much activity by the Hawks because they don't have a lot of cap flexibility, but they also don't have a lot of needs going into 2017. SLB, CB, OL, general depth seem to be the priorities.
DeShawn Shead and Brock Coyle were not tendered contracts. They will probably re-sign Shead on a cheaper deal, given that he'll miss at least half of 2017 with his torn ACL. Coyle is too slow and too small to be really effective; I was kind of surprised he'd made it this long.
There was some speculation that Adrian Peterson had Seattle on his short list, however, unless he was willing to play for the veteran minimum, he's not going there. They already have 2 good backs with health concerns (Rawls, Prosise), so rather than make a big splash, I think they find someone on a cheap deal that stays healthy and gives them something they don't already have (goal line offense ability).
The Hawks have also been tied to many FA OL, since the line was such a disaster last year, but I think they give most of the line another year to jell. Garry Gilliam was an RFA and was given an original round tender, which I think is $1.79M. If somebody wants to pay him more, he'll be gone. The only guys with sure jobs on the line right now are Britt at C and Ifedi at either RG or RT.
They have $25.9M in cap space per OTC and Field Gulls.
They also have the #26 pick in the draft. They'll likely deal out of that spot for more picks, since they traded away a 4th rounder to NE and a 7th rounder to Oak. They did pick up two 3rd round comp picks so they have 5 picks in the first three rounds.
DeShawn Shead and Brock Coyle were not tendered contracts. They will probably re-sign Shead on a cheaper deal, given that he'll miss at least half of 2017 with his torn ACL. Coyle is too slow and too small to be really effective; I was kind of surprised he'd made it this long.
There was some speculation that Adrian Peterson had Seattle on his short list, however, unless he was willing to play for the veteran minimum, he's not going there. They already have 2 good backs with health concerns (Rawls, Prosise), so rather than make a big splash, I think they find someone on a cheap deal that stays healthy and gives them something they don't already have (goal line offense ability).
The Hawks have also been tied to many FA OL, since the line was such a disaster last year, but I think they give most of the line another year to jell. Garry Gilliam was an RFA and was given an original round tender, which I think is $1.79M. If somebody wants to pay him more, he'll be gone. The only guys with sure jobs on the line right now are Britt at C and Ifedi at either RG or RT.
They have $25.9M in cap space per OTC and Field Gulls.
They also have the #26 pick in the draft. They'll likely deal out of that spot for more picks, since they traded away a 4th rounder to NE and a 7th rounder to Oak. They did pick up two 3rd round comp picks so they have 5 picks in the first three rounds.