NFL: What is Ricky Seals-Jones' new contract with the Washington Football Team?
The Washington Football Team's tight end continues to grow, as the team announced earlier this week they had signed NFL veteran TE Ricky Seals-Jones to the team.
Washington's tight-end group now consists of Logan Thomas, John Bates, Sammis Reyes, Deon Yelder, Temarrick Hemingway, Tyrone Swoopes, and Dylan Cantrell.
With that being said, what did Washington and Seal-Jones agree to in terms of his contract with the team?
NFL: Seals-Jones is an underrated signing for Washington
As of now, it is unclear what kind of contract Washington gave the 26-year-old, but considering how head coach Ron Rivera has handled these situations in the past, the contract was likely a veteran minimum.
In the NFL, the veteran minimum contract is based on the number of years a place has been in the league. Seals-Jones has been in the league for about five years now, which allows him to receive a contract with a minimum of $990,000. Based on other Washington tight end salaries, this is likely what was offered to him.
Seals-Jones first signed with the Arizona Cardinals as an undrafted free agent in 2017, playing two seasons with the team. The product from Texas A&M racked up 46 catches for 544 yards and four touchdowns.
He was then claimed off waivers by the Cleveland Browns in 2019, where he would play in 14 games and rack up 14 receptions with 229 yards and four touchdowns.
In the 2020 NFL offseason, Seals-Jones signed with the Kansas City Chiefs, playing in just two games for the Chiefs. He was eventually released by the team at the start of 2021.
Considering how Logan Thomas was the only reliable and productive tight end for Washington in the 2020 NFL season, which was also a breakout year for the quarterback-turned tight end, Washington is certainly desperate to add plenty of depth behind Thomas.
The team, however, drafted John Bates in the 2021 NFL Draft, which certainly filled the need for depth and a tight end who blocks well. They also signed Sammis Reyes, a former basketball player for the Chilean national team.
With a rather stacked group, it is safe to say that Rivera will certainly have a good choice to choose from once the time comes to finalize the 53-man NFL roster.