NFL Rumors: Seattle Seahawks Signing Jahri Evans

In the NFL, sometimes the rich get richer. According to NBC Sports, the Seattle Seahawks are on the verge of landing Jahri Evans in free agency. The former six-time Pro Bowl offensive guard should help strengthen the offensive line and make life easier for everyone on that side of the ball.

Those who watched the Seattle Seahawks last season know that their offensive line was one of the weak spots for the team. Starting quarterback Russell Wilson was frequently scrambling around the field because defensive players were chasing him down. Wilson had to be quite creative to keep the offense going.

With the offensive line being in shambles, the Seattle Seahawks felt the need to immediately try to find a solution in the NFL Draft. During the first round, management opted to select Germain Ifedi out of Texas A&M. At 6-foot-5, 325 pounds, the hope was that Ifedi could provide protection for Russell Wilson.

Seahawks sign former Saints All-Pro offensive lineman Jahri Evans https://t.co/tF7lPxVThQ pic.twitter.com/diyl497bp4

— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) August 6, 2016

Since the switch to the NFL from NCAA football can be a difficult one, the Seattle Seahawks initially opted to move Germain Ifedi from offensive tackle to offensive guard. Right guard has been where Ifedi has lined up during training camp. With the arrival of Jahri Evans, Ifedi might be shifted outside to right tackle.

The presence of Jahri Evans at right guard should help Germain Ifedi. At 32-years of age, Evans has seen all sorts of alignments and blitz packages in the NFL. That experience will enable him to help Ifedi when they are on the line of scrimmage.

Jahri Evans was made available because the New Orleans Saints released him back in February. The Pennsylvania native had refused to renegotiate his $18 million contract. At one point in time, Evans was the highest-paid guard in the NFL. Desperately needing salary cap space, the Saints needed to get rid of some luxuries.

According to CBS Sports, Jahri Evans missed five games last season because of knee surgery. The Seattle Seahawks are obviously aware of this. The franchise would not sign Evans unless their medical staff checked out the knee and felt comfortable enough to give him a contract.

Fortunately for the Seattle Seahawks, they have one of the best offensive line coaches in the NFL. Tom Cable has been around for a very long time, and he simply knows how to make the best of his players. Cable will know how to put Jahri Evans to good use.

Back in March, the Seattle Seahawks signed veteran offensive tackle J’Marcus Webb. The hope at the time was that he would be a stop gap solution at the right tackle position. Webb will need to do his best to keep Germain Ifedi from taking the position from him.

The Seattle Seahawks normally like to keep nine offensive lineman on the game day rosters. Right now, they have 14. That means that a couple of players will be out of a job soon. J’Marcus Webb might be a candidate because of financial reasons, as the veteran recently signed a $6 million contract with the Seahawks.

In order to make room for Jahri Evans, the Seattle Seahawks have already released Kona Schwenke, as reported by Seahawks.com. The 24-year-old offensive lineman from Notre Dame has already unsuccessfully tried to make the roster with the Kansas City Chiefs, New England Patriots, New York Jets, and Oakland Raiders. Schwenke will attempt to find another home in the NFL.

On paper, the Seattle Seahawks appear to have improved their chances of returning to the Super Bowl by strengthening their offensive line with the addition of Jahri Evans. A lot of that will depend on his health, however.

[Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images]