Seahawks Release Al Woods, Continue Defensive Line Purge

Despite being a team captain and continuing to play at a high level at 35 years old, the Seattle Seahawks cut ties with Al Woods to open up much-needed cap space.

In the latest step overhauling their defensive line, the Seattle Seahawks parted ways with veteran Al Woods, officially announcing his release on Monday,

A popular player on the field and in the locker room, Woods was named a team captain for the Seahawks last season and while the front line didn't play to expectations, the 35-year old continued to perform at a high level. Starting 14 games, he produced 39 tackles, two sacks, and five tackles for loss, holding serve in the trenches at nose tackle.

In three separate stints in Seattle, including returning in 2019 for a single season, Woods amassed 123 tackles, 4.5 sacks, four pass deflections, and 12 tackles for loss. His finest season came in 2021 when he bounced back from sitting out a year due to COVID-19 pandemic and set a career high with 50 tackles and three swatted passes, earning himself a new two-year contract.

Unfortunately, with the Seahawks up against the cap after signing five outside free agents and bringing back backup quarterback Drew Lock, Woods became expendable heading into his age 36 season. By releasing him, the team instantly opens up $3.67 million in cap relief.

While that extra financial flexibility will be valuable midway through the offseason, Woods' departure also creates a giant hole to fill in the middle of Seattle's defense. Without him, the team only has one other nose tackle currently on the roster in Bryan Mone and his status for next season remains cloudy at best after tearing his ACL late in the 2022 season.

Along with having to replace Woods in coming weeks, the Seahawks also cut Shelby Harris and Quinton Jefferson in cost saving moves last week. In corresponding signings, they shelled out big bucks to sign Broncos defensive tackle Dre'Mont Jones and re-sign veteran Jarran Reed, a former second round pick who played his first five seasons with the organization.

Aiming to build a more dynamic front seven, it's clear Seattle wasn't satisfied with play up front last season, particularly defending the run. While Woods could come back on a more team-friendly deal, he became the latest casualty in pursuit of that mission for now and more moves could be coming down the pipe in the near future.

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