The first wave of NFL free agency is over, but there are still plenty of quality players out there. Players who may not be household names but can still make an impact for a team. One such player is Seattle Seahawks safety Ryan Neal.
On Friday, the Seahawks officially withdrew their restricted free agent tender on Neal, which will make him an unrestricted free agent. It appears Seattle is willing to let Neal test the market.
The Seahawks have withdrawn the restricted free agent tender from S Ryan Neal, making him a free agent and eligible to sign with any team.
He stepped up for the team with a career season in 2022, posting 66 tackles and 8 passes defensed.
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) March 31, 2023
In mid-March, the Seahawks placed a right of first refusal tender on Neal. This particular tag allowed Neal to negotiate with other teams, but Seattle would have had the right to match any competing offer. If the Seahawks had chosen to not match the offer, Neal would be allowed to leave and Seattle would not have been compensated any draft picks.
Now Neal is a free man, so to speak. It’s entirely possible he will eventually return to Seattle, but it won’t be on top dollar, especially with how crowded the safety room is and their tight cap situation.
