Uchenna Nwosu’s contract situation with the Seattle Seahawks took an unexpected turn on Thursday.
Originally, Nwosu was set to have a $6 million injury guarantee for the 2025 season take effect on Friday. However, according to ESPN’s Brady Henderson, the Seahawks and the veteran edge rusher have seemingly agreed to delay that guarantee.
Seattle is facing a significant salary cap challenge this offseason, with OverTheCap estimating the team is about $16.7 million over in effective cap space. As a result, Nwosu is among several players who could see their contracts restructured or be released to create financial flexibility.
The former USC standout holds the fifth-largest cap hit on the roster for 2025 at just under $21.2 million. This comes after signing a three-year extension worth up to $59 million before the 2023 season, keeping him under contract through 2026. However, injuries have hampered his production over the past two seasons.
What does this mean for Seattle’s 2022 breakout star? Former NFL quarterback Brock Huard shared his perspective during his Blue 88 segment on Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk.
“That’s a lot of money that should have been guaranteed today, but given the injuries and production not meeting expectations, the Seahawks want to step back and restructure this deal,” Huard said.
“Uchenna is smart enough to realize, ‘They’re not just trying to push me out. They want me here. If we can find some middle ground, I understand where they’re coming from too.’”
Smart move?
Uchenna Nwosu quickly became one of the Seattle Seahawks’ standout defenders during their unexpected playoff run in 2022, his first season with the team. He led the squad with 12 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks, and 26 quarterback hits, along with 66 total tackles and three forced fumbles.
However, Nwosu has only played 12 games over the following two seasons. In 2023, he was sidelined for the final 11 games due to a torn pectoral muscle, and in 2024, he missed 11 games with knee, thigh, and quad injuries.
After sitting out 22 games in two years, analyst Brock Huard understands why Nwosu might not be eager to enter the free agent market this offseason.
“There are 24 starting defensive tackles in the upcoming draft, plus numerous edge rushers and more in the free agent class,” Huard noted. “I wouldn’t want to be part of that group after the last two seasons.”
Huard views Nwosu’s situation as an indicator that the player has confidence in the Seahawks organization, believing the two sides will ultimately reach a restructured deal.
“This comes with general manager John Schneider being with the team for 15 years, assistant GM Nolan Teasley for 12, and college scouting director Aaron Hineline for nearly 20,” Huard explained. “With all that experience and familiarity, I see this as a positive sign—there’s trust that they’ll find a way to work things out.”
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