The Seattle Seahawks executed the first of what will likely be many cap-saving transactions this offseason when they restructured defensive tackle Leonard Williams’ contract two weeks ago.
Seattle converted $18.7 million of Williams’ salary into a signing bonus and added two void years, lowering his cap number from $29.1 million to $14 million. The team is still $13.4 million in the red, though, according to Over the Cap, so more must be done over the next few weeks. Here we’ll look at some of the other player contracts Seattle can address to become compliant while also creating room to improve the roster.
All contract and salary cap information provided by Over the Cap and all stats provided by TruMedia unless stated otherwise.
QB Geno Smith
Age at start of 2025 season: 34
2025 cap hit: $44.5 million
Savings by release or trade: $31 million
Dead money: $13.5 million
Smith is scheduled to have the eighth-highest cap among NFL quarterbacks next season. Head coach Mike Macdonald and offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak made it clear last week that Smith is their QB1 this season. I’d be surprised by any transaction other than a contract extension, which can save up to $23.8 million.
WR DK Metcalf
Age at start of 2025 season: 27
2025 cap hit: $31.9 million
Savings by release or trade: $10.9 million
Dead money: $21 million
As part of a contract restructure ahead of last season, a portion of Metcalf’s base salary was converted into a signing bonus and prorated across the length of the deal, which included three new void years. That’s how Metcalf enters 2025 with the third-highest cap hit among NFL wide receivers behind Davante Adams and CeeDee Lamb.
Metcalf caught 66 passes for 992 yards and five touchdowns last season — a down year by his standards. After the season, Macdonald said the team needed to do a better job getting the ball to Metcalf. While sitting next to Kubiak at his new offensive coordinator’s introductory news conference, Macdonald said Metcalf usage plans were top of mind for every candidate he interviewed. Kubiak had the best plan.
So, it’s hard to envision Macdonald trading or releasing his 27-year-old wideout while the team wants to contend for a championship. The more likely move to lower Metcalf’s cap number would be an extension, which can save up to $13.5 million.
WR Tyler Lockett
Age at start of 2025 season: 32
2025 cap hit: $30.9 million
Savings by release or trade: $17 million
Dead money: $13.9 million
Lockett’s 2025 cap number is scheduled to be the league’s fourth-highest among receivers. It is highly unlikely he will return to the Seahawks at that number. When asked whether he anticipates having Lockett on the team next year, Macdonald said, “We’re working through that right now.” Macdonald said that sort of decision will probably be made “when the time comes in the next month or two.”
The Seahawks could really kick the can down the road by extending Lockett, which can save up to $11.2 million. The other option is a pay cut. Lockett was relegated to WR3 in 2024 behind Metcalf and Jaxon Smith-Njigba and he took that role in stride despite believing he could have been more productive with more targets. In his introductory news conference, Kubiak intimated that Seattle will lean on heavier personnel, which would make it unlikely Lockett would see an uptick in target share in 2025. That could determine whether either side feels it’s best to bring him back, pay cut or not.
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OLB Dre’Mont Jones
Age at start of 2025 season: 28
2025 cap hit: $25.6 million
Savings by release or trade: $11.6 million
Dead money: $14.1 million
Jones’ three-year, $51 million contract is the richest deal general manager John Schneider has ever given an external free agent. Multiple void years were added as part of a restructure last offseason to create cap space. As a result, Jones is projected to account for 9.1 percent of the salary cap in 2025.
Jones plays both outside linebacker and defensive tackle, so his cap number ranking among players at his position varies by outlet. Over the Cap classifies Jones as an interior defensive lineman and lists him with the fifth-highest 2025 cap hit behind Chris Jones, Christian Wilkins, DeForest Buckner and Daron Payne. Spotrac puts Jones with the edge rushers, where he has the sixth-highest cap hit, trailing Joey Bosa, T.J. Watt, Brian Burns, Bradley Chubb and Maxx Crosby.
Jones’ pressure rate of 11.5 percent over the past two seasons ranks 64th out of 174 defenders with at least 400 snaps rushing the passer. The league average is 11 percent. He has 8.5 sacks in that span. Jones is a good player being paid like an elite one in 2025. Those tend to be the players released in the name of cap space, though that would trigger a large dead cap hit. If Seattle wants to pull a different lever, the team can save up to $9.9 million with a restructure and up to 11.9 million with an extension.
OLB Uchenna Nwosu
Age at start of 2025 season: 28
2025 cap hit: $21.1 million
Savings by release: $2.2 million (pre-June 1) or $8.7 million (post-June 1)
Dead money via release: $19 million (pre-June 1) or $12.5 million (post-June 1)
Savings by trade: $8.2 million
Dead money via trade: $13 million
Nwosu signed a two-year, $19 million deal in March 2022, a fairly large free-agent contract by Seattle’s standards. He played so well in Year 1 of that deal that the Seahawks signed him to a three-year, $45 million extension in July 2023. But since that extension, he has just three sacks, three tackles for loss on run plays, one run stuff (tackle for no gain) and a pair of forced fumbles in only 12 games played.
When healthy, Nwosu is the team’s best edge defender, but his availability could be viewed as a legitimate concern. That said, given the Seahawks are seemingly uninterested in rebuilding, it would be counterproductive to move on from Nwosu. Restructuring his contract while adding void years would be more in line with the team’s goal of contending in the immediate future. Seattle can save up to $6.6 million via restructure and up to $10.6 million with an extension.
TE Noah Fant
Age at start of 2025 season: 27
2025 cap hit: $13.4 million
Savings by release or trade: $8.9 million
Dead money: $4.5 million
Fant in three seasons with the Broncos: 170 receptions, 1,905 yards, 10 touchdowns
Fant in three seasons with the Seahawks: 130 receptions, 1,400 yards, five touchdowns
In Denver, Fant was producing like a borderline top-10 tight end. In Seattle, he’s producing like a borderline top-20 tight end. The circumstances aren’t the same, of course, but there’s an argument Fant has been underutilized in Seattle. The Seahawks could agree with that assessment and either cut bait in the name of cap relief, leave Fant’s contract as is or extend him with the hope that he’s more productive in Kubiak’s offense. There are pros and cons to all three options, but the latter two would most align with Seattle’s goal of winning now.
S Rayshawn Jenkins
Age at start of 2025 season: 31
2025 cap hit: $7.8 million
Savings by release or trade: $5.3 million
Dead money: $2.5 million
The emergence of Coby Bryant in the second half of the season is a big reason for Jenkins’ placement on this list. In 13 games, Jenkins recorded 53 tackles, two sacks, two run stuffs and a fumble recovery that he returned for a touchdown. But before being placed on injured reserve with a hand injury, he had problems manning the second level in run support and pass coverage, which is why Seattle stuck with Bryant upon Jenkins’ return.
Releasing or trading Jenkins would necessitate finding another backup safety, but the draft can take care of that. Or the team can look to acquire depth with another veteran on a deal closer to the $1.5 million it gave K’Von Wallace last offseason.
DT Roy Robertson-Harris
Age at start of 2025 season: 32
2025 cap hit: $6.6 million
Savings by release or trade: $6.6 million
Dead money: None
Robertson-Harris appeared in 11 games as a Seahawk and played 174 snaps after joining the team via trade in exchange for a 2026 sixth-round pick. He recorded 13 tackles, one tackle for loss, three run stops and a pass breakup. Listed 6-foot-5 and 290 pounds, Robertson-Harris played a big defensive end role that gave the Seahawks a stronger presence on the edge against the run. He was a useful player in his role, so it wouldn’t be surprising if Seattle tried to bring him back on a cheaper contract.
OT George Fant
Age at start of 2025 season: 33
2025 cap hit: $5.6 million
Savings by release or trade: $3.8 million
Dead money: $1.8 million
Seattle signed Fant as a veteran depth option behind Charles Cross and Abe Lucas. There’s still a need for such a player, but the problem now is whether Seattle can rely on Fant after a knee injury limited him to just 28 snaps across two games in Weeks 1 and 9 last season. His cap number is projected to be only 2 percent of the salary cap, but there’s value in rostering him only if the team can trust he’ll be available.
If Stone Forsythe isn’t re-signed as a free agent this offseason, Fant would be one of two backup offensive tackles on the roster along with 2024 sixth-round pick Michael Jerrell. Releasing Fant would create the need for another backup tackle, which theoretically the team could try to find in the draft. The other option would be to sign a different veteran swing tackle at a lower cost, and ideally with a better recent injury history. Given Fant’s age, those are options Seattle might explore, particularly if there are any long-term concerns about his knee.
