Seahawks Waive S Tedric Thompson

Seattle granted Thompson the opportunity to pursue a trade, but with no teams showing interest in the fourth-year safety, he will hit the waiver wire and potentially become an unrestricted free agent.

After failing to generate interest on the trade market, the Tedric Thompson era has reached its conclusion in Seattle.

As confirmed by a team source, the Seahawks have waived Thompson with a failed physical distinction, creating $2.133 million in cap relief. He will be subject to waivers and if unclaimed, he will become an unrestricted free agent.

After being forced into the lineup to replace an injured Earl Thomas in 2018, Thompson opened the 2019 season as Seattle's starter at free safety. The 2017 fourth-round pick out of Colorado struggled from the outset, allowing Bengals receiver John Ross to sneak behind him in coverage for a 55-yard touchdown in the season opener.

Though he did make two clutch interceptions in wins over the Rams and Browns in consecutive weeks and showed signs of progress, Thompson drew the ire of coach Pete Carroll when he allowed Ravens rookie Miles Boykin to slip behind him for another explosive 50-yard pass play in Week 7. As a sign he would lose his starting role, the Seahawks promptly traded a fifth-round pick to the Lions for Quandre Diggs.

Two weeks later, after making his final start against the Falcons, Thompson landed on injured reserve and underwent surgery on a torn labrum. He ended the season with 19 tackles, two interceptions, and two passes defensed in six starts.

Thompson was given permission by Seattle to pursue a trade, but even with him reportedly back to full health, no teams showed interest. With Diggs penciled in as the team's starter at free safety and Marquise Blair behind him on the depth chart, there wasn't a clear path for him to make it back into the lineup.

Only 25 years old, Thompson should have plenty of suitors in free agency, though finding a starting opportunity may be difficult. He proved himself to be a capable special teams player for the Seahawks and has 16 starts at free safety under his belt, making him an intriguing young option for teams seeking secondary depth.

In three seasons with the Seahawks, Thompson appeared in 29 games, recording 80 tackles, three interceptions, five passes defensed, and two fumble recoveries.