The Seattle Seahawks are in the market for superstars this offseason, and while they have more cap space than usual they are still going to have a hard time affording top-tier talent on the open market, unless they make some chances to their roster.
The signing of Greg Olsen and the re-signing of Jarran Reed sucked up a huge chunk of Seattle’s cap space, and any chance of re-signing Jadeveon Clowney or bringing in another quality free agent likely rests in the team’s ability to shed some salary.
Here are four players who could find themselves looking for a new job this offseason, starting with the most obvious candidate.
Tight End Ed Dickson
Cutting veteran tight end Ed Dickson would save the Seahawks $3.8 million dollars, and seems like a no-brainer following the team’s addition of Olsen and the reported return of both Jacob Hollister and Luke Willson.
With four tight ends already in the fold, and Dickson unable to play a single game last year thanks to injuries, it seems like a near certainty he will be released soon.
The soon-to-be 33-year-old may have a hard time finding another gig, although his experience and strength as a blocker should land him another opportunity before he has to call it a career.
Center Justin Britt
The team’s recent addition of lineman B.J. Finney further added fuel to the fire that the Seahawks plan to cut Britt, which would save them a whopping $11.4 million in cap space.
Britt, 28, suffered a torn ACL in the middle of the 2019 season and gave way to Joey Hunt down the stretch. Hunt was re-signed on Monday, and Seattle also has Ethan Pocic and now Finney in the mix – all who are capable of starting at center in the NFL.
Britt has been a reliable starter for the Seahawks since 2014, but coming off a serious injury and with a contract that pays him like a top-tier center, it may be time to get younger/cheaper in the middle while allocating that money toward the defensive side of the ball.
Safety Tedric Thompson
Although cutting Thompson wouldn’t provide a ton of salary relief, it seems like a forthcoming move considering the team’s decision to bring in Quandre Diggs last season. With Diggs, Bradley McDougald, Marquise Blair and Lano Hill all in the mix, Thompson is likely the odd man out in the safety rotation, especially after going on the injured reserve as soon as the Diggs trade was finalized.
Thompson started six games for Seattle last year, recording two interceptions but often struggling in deep coverage, a huge part of Pete Carroll’s defense from the free safety spot.
The added $2.3 million from cutting Thompson could be used toward a new pass rusher or offensive lineman, and the team can easily find more depth in the secondary if they deem it necessary.
Linebacker K.J. Wright
It’s hard to imagine the Seahawks getting rid of one of their team leaders and franchise icons, especially coming off a career renaissance season at age 30, but Wright would clear $10 million in cap space, and the team does have Cody Barton and Ben Burr-Kirven waiting in the wings at the linebacker positions.
Still, Wright’s success in pass coverage and career-high 132 tackles last year are too valuable to get rid of altogether, so more likely the team will attempt to restructure his contract to potentially clear some cap space this season without losing a fan favorite.
The Seahawks can always find ways to clear space if need be, and with free agency just getting started, there will be a lot of player movement in the next few weeks.
