Seattle was among the teams to make a notable splash on the trade front, acquiring Leonard Williams from the Giants. The veteran defensive tackle’s contract was restructured to make the deal feasible, but a new pact should not be expected in the near future.
The Seahawks sent New York a second-round pick in 2024 along with a 2025 fifth-rounder. In return, the Giants agreed to rework Williams’ deal, leaving the Seahawks on the hook for only a prorated portion of the veteran’s minimum.
That arrangement helped the Giants secure notable draft compensation for a veteran on an expiring deal, and gave Seattle a cost-effective starter on their defensive front.
In many cases, acquiring teams quickly work out extensions for players upon trading for them. That turned out to be the case for the Bears with Montez Sweat, who inked a monster deal before making his Chicago debut.
At the age of 29, though, Williams finds himself in a different situation. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports no extension is likely before the end of the 2023 season for the Pro Bowler.
Williams’ sizeable cap hit was a key talking point entering the campaign, but the Giants elected to neither move him during the summer or work out an extension to flatten his 2023 hit. That decision, along with the notable trade offer from the Seahawks, has now resulted in Williams heading to the west coast.
His play in Seattle will determine his value on an extended look by his new team or on the open market if he reaches free agency.
The former top-10 pick saw his production dip toward the end of his time in New York, despite his playing time remaining consistent. After posting 11.5 sacks in 2020, Williams took a step back in that department each subsequent campaign, recording just 1.5 in 2023.
An uptick in that category during his audition period in the Emerald City would go a long way in boosting his free agent stock, though a repeat of his three-year, $63M contract handed out by the Giants will surely not take place in 2024.
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