BREAKING NEWS: Official Six cap casualties for the Seahawks

The Seahawks have just over a week to align with the 2025 salary cap, and here are some players they might part ways with to achieve compliance.

With just over a week remaining until the new NFL league year begins at 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday, March 12, all teams must be in compliance with the 2025 salary cap of $279.2 million by that deadline.

According to OverTheCap.com, six teams still need to make roster moves or restructure contracts to meet the cap requirements, including the Seattle Seahawks. As of now, the Seahawks are approximately $7 million over the cap—a manageable amount, but one that still requires adjustments.

The key question is which players Seattle might release to not only become cap-compliant but also create additional space for free agency signings, their incoming draft class, and other roster moves. With that in mind, here are the players whose potential release would have the biggest impact on the Seahawks’ salary cap situation.

WR Tyler Lockett
Potential cap savings: $17M

From a logical standpoint, moving on from Tyler Lockett makes financial sense for the Seahawks, but emotionally, it would be a tough decision for the franchise and its fans. As the longest-tenured player on the roster, Lockett’s presence in Seattle dates back to the era immediately following the infamous Super Bowl XLIX interception, making him a key part of the team’s history.

His longevity is a testament to his consistency and reliability, spanning an era when Bruce Arians, Jim Tomsula, and Jeff Fisher were still coaching in the NFC West, and the Rams were in their final year in St. Louis. However, the harsh reality is that Lockett’s production in 2024—49 catches for 600 yards and two touchdowns—no longer justifies his massive $30.895 million cap hit, especially with DK Metcalf and Jaxon Smith-Njigba emerging as the team’s top receiving options.

Unless he agrees to another contract restructure, similar to last offseason, releasing Lockett seems like the most straightforward way for Seattle to clear the necessary cap space without making additional roster moves. While it would mark the end of an era, it would also provide the Seahawks with the financial flexibility to address other roster needs heading into free agency and the draft.

S Rayshawn Jenkins
Potential cap savings: $5.28M

 

The Seahawks signed Jenkins to provide veteran stability alongside Julian Love after parting ways with Quandre Diggs and Jamal Adams during the 2024 offseason. While he started the season as the first-team safety, a hand injury landed him on injured reserve, and by the time he returned, Coby Bryant had taken over his role, leaving Jenkins in a rotational third-safety position.

Although he performed well in that role under Mike Macdonald’s defense, the current salary cap structure makes it difficult to justify carrying a third safety with a $7.78 million cap hit, especially in the era of the rookie wage scale.

Any lingering doubts about Jenkins’ future in Seattle were likely put to rest when reports surfaced that the Seahawks had granted his agent permission to seek trade options. In most cases, this happens when a team informs a player that they are likely to be released, and the agent is trying to secure a new deal before their client officially hits the open market. Given these circumstances, Jenkins appears to be a strong candidate for a cap-related departure.

iDL Roy Robertson-Harris
Potential cap savings: $6.6M

The case of Robertson-Harris presents an intriguing dilemma for the Seahawks. His release would free up nearly enough cap space to bring the team into compliance, with the added benefit of carrying no dead cap hit. However, moving on from him would further deplete an already thin defensive interior, especially with Jarran Reed and Johnathan Hankins set to hit free agency.

While the financial savings are clear, the challenge lies in finding a capable replacement—one who may cost nearly as much as keeping Robertson-Harris. This likely means that general manager John Schneider and his staff have been closely evaluating the free-agent market for interior defensive linemen to determine whether releasing Robertson-Harris would provide meaningful long-term cap relief or simply create another roster hole that needs filling.

LT George Fant
Potential cap savings: $3.8M*

Fant was brought in during the 2024 offseason as a safety net at right tackle, given concerns over Abe Lucas’ recovery from knee surgery. While Lucas’ rehab did extend well into the regular season, Fant was unable to fill the expected veteran role due to his own knee issue, limiting him to just 30 snaps across two games.

Under normal circumstances, moving on from Fant would be a straightforward decision. However, lingering questions about Lucas’ long-term health and Mike Jerrell’s development make his presence more valuable. At a $5.65 million cap hit, Fant remains a reasonably priced swing tackle option, provided he can stay healthy.

With several other ways for the Seahawks to clear cap space, there’s no immediate urgency to release Fant. Since his contract carries no guaranteed money, Seattle can reassess his status at any point, whether now or during final roster cuts in August, without any financial penalty.

EDGE Dre’Mont Jones
Potential cap savings: $11.573M

Many fans were ready for the Seahawks to part ways with Jones last offseason, but instead, the team opted to restructure his contract, converting base salary into a signing bonus to free up cap space for 2024. Now, many assume his release is inevitable, and while that may ultimately be the outcome, it’s not necessarily a foregone conclusion.

With potential losses along the defensive line, Jones’ ability to play both on the edge and inside on passing downs adds value that Seattle may be hesitant to lose. Additionally, since void years were already added to his deal during last year’s restructure, the Seahawks have another option: restructuring his contract again. Without needing his approval, they could create $9.887 million in cap space simply by converting salary into a signing bonus, which could make keeping him a more appealing choice.

EDGE Uchenna Nwosu
Potential cap savings: $8.15M/$2.15M/$8.66M

There’s no doubt that something is in the works with Nwosu. Originally, he had a $6 million guarantee set to vest the Friday after the Super Bowl, but both sides agreed to delay the vesting date to explore a potential contract restructure. While a reworked deal seems likely, there’s still a chance he could be a cap casualty—it’s just a question of how the Seahawks would handle it.

If Seattle were to move on from Nwosu before the $6 million guarantee kicks in, they would free up $8.15 million in cap space. However, doing so would go against the team’s typical contract structuring principles. On the other hand, releasing him after the guarantee vests would only create $2.15 million in immediate cap savings, though designating him as a post-June 1 release would increase that figure to $8.66 million.

The post-June 1 designation comes with trade-offs. Since the designation cannot be made until after the new league year begins, the savings wouldn’t help Seattle reach cap compliance before the March 12 deadline. Additionally, the $8.66 million in cap relief wouldn’t become available until June 2, meaning it couldn’t be used in free agency but could provide flexibility later in the offseason for signing draft picks, covering the practice squad, or managing injured reserve costs.

For now, it’s a waiting game to see how the Seahawks choose to proceed with Nwosu.