If Cut, Seahawks Could Show Interest in These Six Players

With several teams well above the salary cap this offseason, some noteworthy names are likely going to hit the open market. Ty Dane Gonzalez takes a look around the league for potential cut candidates and determines whether or not there's a fit with the Seahawks.

The Seahawks are heading into the upcoming offseason projected by OverTheCap.com to have $36.5 million in available salary cap space—the eighth-best mark in the NFL. But while the majority of that is expected to be utilized retaining their own slew of free agents, general manager John Schneider and company will have to find ways to improve a roster that finished dead-last in the NFC West in 2021. 

This year's free agency class looks favorable for what Seattle requires, and it's likely to get even better after cuts are made around the league. Let's take a look at six players who may be on their way out of their respective organizations in the coming months. 

WR Jarvis Landry

Following a disappointing fourth year with the Browns—tarnished by ongoing drama, the departure of his best friend and a playoff-less finish—Landry's time in Cleveland appears to be just about up. An exit this spring is likely the preferred outcome for both parties, as cutting the five-time Pro Bowl selection would save the Browns nearly $15 million in salary cap space. 

When he hits the open market, it should not come as a surprise if the Seahawks crop up as one of his potential suitors. They have shown an interest in beefing up a receiving corps that already boasts a pair of All-Pros and a recent second-round draft pick, and Landry is unlikely to net a significant dollar figure after a pair of underwhelming years statistically. But while the numbers have regressed some, the 29-year old could thrive in a tertiary role behind Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf. His dynamic skillset, which includes effective outside run blocking, is right up Seattle's alley. 

DT David Onyemata

Led by Poona Ford, Al Woods and Bryan Mone, the Seahawks featured one of the NFL's better interior defensive lines in 2021. But thanks in part to the offseason exit of Jarran Reed, who recorded 6.5 sacks on 41 pressures during his last season in Seattle, the unit struggled mightily to rush the passer. Ford's 2.0 sacks on the year were entirely recorded in a pair of games against the Cardinals, while Woods and Mone—both suited best to stop the run—combined for just 10 pressures and 3.0 sacks. Onyemata, meanwhile, had more pressures (32) than the aforementioned trio combined, despite starting the year serving a six-game suspension for violating the league's policy on performance-enhancing drugs. 

The Saints are essentially in "salary cap hell" at the moment, with OverTheCap.com projecting them to enter this offseason roughly $76 million above the legal threshold. Therefore, several goodbyes will be in order, and the $8.5 million Onyemata can save them after June 1 makes him a prime cut candidate. He's going to play somewhere other than New Orleans in 2022, and he would provide Seattle with an element it's sorely missing in the heart of its front line.

EDGE Preston Smith

It's a great year to be in the market for pass rush, and the Seahawks certainly fit the bill. Smith isn't available just yet, but it feels like an inevitability at this point given the $50 million hole the Packers currently find themselves in. While they have quite a few levers to pull in order to get back under the salary cap, cutting Smith would eat up a little over a fifth of the deficit himself by saving them $12.4 million. 

At the age of 29, Smith posted a career-high in pressures (63) while tallying 9.0 sacks and playing strong run defense out on the perimeter. With that, he should be able to command a pretty penny if/when he reaches free agency, which could drive Seattle out of his market.

EDGE Danielle Hunter

With the hiring of new general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and a head coach soon to follow, even more significant changes are likely on the horizon for the Vikings. But whether they're looking to rebuild or bolster a roster that disappointingly went 8-9 in 2021, they don't have the necessary funds to make it happen right now. Over the salary cap by $15 million, Minnesota's going to be handing out some walking papers this spring; and Hunter, who's played in just seven games over the past two seasons, looks like a prime candidate. He can still play at a high level when healthy, but cutting him with a post-June 1 designation would net a precious $20 million in savings. 

That money is too much of a need for the Vikings to pass up on, especially when it comes to a player who's had his past two seasons cut short due to neck and pectoral injuries, respectively. Prior to suffering the latter injury, however, he managed to record more pressures (31) than any player on Seattle's roster in just seven games of work in 2021. He also would have finished fourth on the team in sacks (6.0) behind Carlos Dunlap (8.5), Darrell Taylor (6.5) and Rasheem Green (6.5), so he would certainly be a welcome addition in the Pacific Northwest. Plus, given his recent injury history, he may not warrant a price tag outside of the Seahawks' range, potentially creating a fairly low-risk, high-reward situation. 

EDGE Frank Clark

It's not often you see a player return to a team after it decided to trade them, especially when the team's unwillingness to pay said player resulted in such a transaction. But Clark is almost certain to be available this spring, and he offers a level of familiarity and productivity—albeit with some glaring character issues—the Seahawks could use in their pass rushing ranks. 

He's hit a bit of a plateau since heading over to Kansas City in 2019, which is part of the reason the Chiefs likely won't hesitate to save $19.5 million by cutting him with a post-June 1 designation. Some of his lowest single-season sack totals have come over the past three years, and his pressure rates have fallen well shy of where they were prior to his departure. That said, Seattle might be able to get the best out of him in a rotational role—if the relationship can be rekindled. 

CB Marcus Peters

The Seahawks may very well re-sign D.J. Reed and Sidney Jones and call it a night at the cornerback position. But if not, Peters is a really intriguing option who may find his way onto the market this spring. The former University of Washington standout missed the 2021 season after suffering a torn ACL in training camp and would save a cap-needy Ravens team $10 million if cut. 

In 2020, he surrendered 56 receptions on 90 targets for 684 yards and five touchdowns—more or less on par with his whole career. He plays with an aggressive style that would fit well with the direction Seattle appears to be going in, and offers length that falls more in line with the organization's preferences of the past. Looking to get his career back on track after a significant injury, the 29-year old could find a return to the Pacific Northwest appealing.