Report: DE Red Bryant to be released by Seahawks

Cutting Red Bryant gives the Seahawks more room to re-sign Michael Bennett. (Elsa/Getty Images) The Seattle Seahawks are expected to release defensive end Red

Cutting Red Bryant gives the Seahawks more room to re-sign Michael Bennett. (Elsa/Getty Images)

The Seattle Seahawks are expected to release defensive end Red Bryant, Fox Sports' Alex Marvez reported Sunday.

The move, Marvez reported, is designed for the Seahawks to use the cap savings toward a new contract for pending unrestricted free agent defensive end Michael Bennett. The move will save about $5.5 million in cap room.

The 29-year-old Bryant grew into a defensive force in Seattle under head coach Pete Carroll. He has played in at least 15 games in each of the past three seasons, after only playing in 17 games total throughout his first three seasons in the league.

But Bennett was Seattle's best defensive lineman in its Super Bowl-winning season, posting 8.5 sacks. And earlier this month, he suggested that he wouldn't take a discount to stay with the Seahawks.

"This isn't Costco. This isn't Wal-Mart. This is real life," he told the NFL Network.

Source tells @FOXSports1 @Seahawks expected 2 release DE Red Bryant & hope 2 use cap space toward new contract 4 pending UFA Michael Bennett

— Alex Marvez (@alexmarvez) February 24, 2014