The Seattle Seahawks already began the process of trimming down the roster on Sunday.
After selecting Damien Lewis on the second day of the 2020 NFL draft, giving them a whopping 19 offensive linemen on the roster, the Seahawks are releasing veteran right guard D.J. Fluker, according to a tweet from Fluker himself.
Releasing Fluker saves the Seahawks $4.2 million in cap space, money that could be used to sign a star defensive end – like Jadeveon Clowney or Everson Griffen.
As soon as the team drafted Lewis, a hulking right guard from LSU, with a third round pick, Fluker’s time with the Seahawks appeared in jeopardy.
“He won’t take a back seat to anybody,” coach Pete Carroll said about Lewis after the draft. “He’s going to come in here and battle for it. We feel really good. That’s really part of the reason why we took him. We want him to come in here and battle to play. All of that competition will make us better.”
Lewis only played right guard in college, and it looks like he is now the front-runner to start at right guard in Fluker’s absence.
The team also has B.J. Finney, Ethan Pocic, Jamarco Jones, Phil Haynes, Jordan Simmons and a handful of other guards on hand to compete for depth roles, more than enough bodies to replace Fluker on the field.
Off the field, Fluker’s dynamic personality in the locker room and goofiness on social media was a bright spot for this Seattle team over the past two years, and he will be sorely missed by this team and the fans.
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