As of March 17, 2021, the Seahawks are expected to have $17,897,986 in cap space for 2021. Unfortunately, many of these signatures did not materialize for one reason or another. However, there are three exceptions that have been absolute thunderous successes for the Seahawks in the 2021 season. If Both Diggs and Brown get new contracts in addition to an extension for Adams and/or a new contract for Shell, the capping space will inevitably dry up quickly, depending on the caps associated with their respective contracts. But the good news is that Seattle doesn`t have any other big stars or major contributors entering the final year of their contracts. But compared to most teams, the Seahawks should be able to keep most, if not all, of their critical stars on expiring contracts. With the money remaining, they should also have enough financial flexibility to sign players like Metcalf for expansions and possibly pursue further upgrades via the free agency and trade market to bolster their roster. We are breaking down the available cap space expected in 2021 for the Seahawks and notable contract situations. In September, on the eve of the Week 3 game between the Seattle Seahawks and Minnesota Vikings, the Field Gulls took a quick look at the Hawks` salary cap situation in 2021. As the November 2 trade deadline approaches, John Schneider and Pete Carroll could use some of the $10.7 million in space available this season to expand training for the stretch race. This number will of course change. The Seahawks have several high-level players ready to become free agents in need of new contracts, with the safety of Stars Jamal Adams being the most notable. The fifth-year defenseman is entering the final year of his rookie contract and has announced that he intends to become the highest-paid player at his position.
As for the 2019 class, receiver DK Metcalf is entitled to start negotiations on a future contract after the end of the 2021 season. If he reaches or eclipses his All-Pro production a year ago, Seattle will have to open the checkbook to lock him in the long run, as he could be one of the highest-paid players at his position north of $20 million a year. A second, equally important factor, however, is that this $62.4 million figure is not a complete list, as it has only 32 players under contract. To fill the roster for the offseason, adding 19 players to minimum rookie contracts at $705,000 requires the use of an additional $13,395 cap space. That`s close enough to $13.4 million that it`s easier to round up easily, bringing the space available for the team during the offseason to $49.4 million. (Author`s note: Looking at OverTheCap.com, this will show that the Seahawks have 37 players under contract for 2022. Of those 37, however, Duane Brown, Gerald Everett, Quandre Diggs, Ethan Pocic and Cedric Ogbuehi all have contracts for 2022 that will expire after the 2021 season. Thus, the actual number of players under contract with Seattle for 2022 is currently 32.) As such, Schneider has done something he has always been reluctant to do in the past: pull out his proverbial “credit card” and sacrifice future dollars for the present, thanks to the use of questionable years for several of the contracts he distributed in the spring.
Seattle has had one of its busiest free agency periods in recent times, signing 14 UFA before the start of training camp — some of which have returned. So far, there don`t seem to be any concerns about the main offensive weapons in Seattle. Russell Wilson, DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett have all recently signed contract extensions that should keep them on board for the 2021-22 season. One piece of the puzzle to become a free agent is Chris Carson. While the Seahawks rusher has been integral to the team`s success this season, we`ve seen second contracts for the RBs turn completely against one team. If Carson is looking for a deal worth more than $10 million a year, the front office could choose to part ways. After retiring from the 2020 season due to concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic, Woods triumphantly returned to the NFL in 2021. He has been a monster in the running game all year, finishing fourth among all defensive tackles in ESPN`s win rate (42 percent) with 30 saves. His presence at the heart of the Seahawks` defensive line, along with that of Rep. Poona Ford, is the reason they are tied to the Saints for the league`s lead on rushed defense (3.7 yards per pass allowed). Assuming Woods wants to keep playing, the re-signing must be of paramount importance to Seattle`s front office. However, with the uncertainty surrounding quarterback Russell Wilson`s recovery from surgery, it`s unclear how much draft capital and cap space a team that could go 2-6 in its Week 9 bye will spend for the 2021 season.
No matter what the team chooses at the trade deadline, here`s a look at the 2022 salary cap situation. However, at least between the cost of replacing injuries and increasing the practice squad, it`s likely that the Hawks will use about $1.7 million more in cap space, whether or not they take action at the close of trades. Using that as a starting point, Seattle would have about $9 million in cap space to carry in next season. Overall, the Seahawks` active payroll stands at $194.7 million — a total cap of $202.2 million — which should give the club an estimated capping space of $5 million after reviewing the top 51 contracts. And just to make the cap situation even more complicated, in addition to the fact that he has already qualified for the proven performance escalator, wide receiver DK Metcalf will be eligible for renewal, so the team may need cap space to accommodate a very expensive contract for the pass catcher who is not yet 24 years old, which in all likelihood still has its best years ahead of it. That`s not really a problem for Adams either. He`s one of the best defensemen in the league, and the Seahawks make up for him as such. The 25-year-old would have already joined his teammates in training with a helmet and would have finished his endurance once and for all. Assuming Adams gets the deal he wants from the Seahawks — the expected influx of revenue across the league and a growing cap would help their cause — his new contract would consume a significant portion of the team`s remaining room for maneuver. But Schneider should still have a lot of money to play with to fulfill other contractual obligations to build the team. Another sign that the NFL is heading toward pre-2020 normality is that the league and the NFL Players` Association agreed Wednesday on a $208.2 million salary cap for the 2022 season.
In terms of salary cap space, Seattle is positioned to be in a decent position. While they don`t have much leeway to re-sign and add players at will, they make no effort to find ways to keep most of their key types. The 2019 All-Pro and three-time Pro Bowler cashed the check he was looking for. Now it`s regular season time, when the Seahawks are preparing to compete again in the NFC West. Bringing back Bellore, who had his first Pro Bowl selection of his career behind him, was a breeze for Schneider and Co. The 32-year-old fan favorite, who accepted two years and $4.45 million in March, had another brilliant season, collecting 15 combined tackles and a forced fumble in 272 special team snaps. With one of the most dazzling personalities you`ll find in today`s game, Bellore is having a lot of fun on the grid and his colleagues noticed him and chose him as an alternative to the Pro Bowl for his efforts this season. Jamal Adams received the desired salary this week when the Seattle Seahawks agreed to a four-year, $70 million contract that includes a $20 million signing bonus and a $38 million guarantee, according to NFL Network`s Ian Rapoport. The Hawks` payroll ranks 24th in the league and nearly $30 million less than the Dallas Cowboys with the highest expenses in the league ($233.6 million in total).
From there, the next step is to see what it might cost the Seahawks to keep free agents restricted on the list. For Seattle, there are currently three players on the 53-player roster who are scheduled as restricted free agents: Plus, the Seahawks will have to decide whether or not longtime starting left tackle Duane Brown will remain in future plans beyond next season. Although the 14-year-old veteran has recovered with an outstanding 2020 campaign and received a top five rating from Pro Football Focus, he will turn 36 in August and has battled injuries in recent seasons. Starter Brandon Shell will also be a free agent, raising important questions in the offensive line. After a solid first season in Seattle in which he broke Adrian Wilson`s record for the most sacks by a defensive back in just 12 games, Adams sees himself more as a defensive “weapon” than a security. With great influence on the draft now in the past, he is likely to order more than $18 million a year over a multi-year extension, which would blow cardinal Budda Bakers` security by $14.75 million a year. According to Spotrac, Adams will have a cap of $9.86 million this season. This is the fourth highest value among Seahawks players, behind Russell Wilson ($32 million), linebacker Bobby Wagner ($17.2 million) and left tackle Duane Brown ($13.4 million). Overall, quartets account for 39.3% of the team`s total salary cap. Until then, punter Michael Dickson was the only player in the Seahawks` 2018 draft class who always played at a high level and stayed healthy, and he should be affordable to sign again.
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