Seahawks Make Key Roster Cuts to Clear Cap Space Ahead of Free Agency

Seahawks Salary Cap Moves

Seattle — The Seahawks announced Tuesday the release of outside linebacker Dre’Mont Jones, defensive tackle Roy Robertson-Harris, safety Rayshawn Jenkins and offensive tackle George Fant — moves that will help the team save approximately $27 million in cap space.

And this could be the beginning of their pre-free-agency salary purge, with indications that wide receiver Tyler Lockett could be released this weekend, provided there are no unexpected changes to his contract.

Jones is the most significant of four cuts Seattle announced Tuesday.

The Seahawks, not known for being big spenders in free agency, made a big spending move out of character to sign Jones in March of 2023, but it did not pan out. He did not miss a game in two seasons, but with only 8.5 sacks and 12 tackles for loss in that span, he did not have the impact that was expected when Seattle made him the most expensive free agent in franchise history with a three-year, $51.53 million deal.

In 2023, Jones showcased his versatility by playing both defensive tackle and defensive end. Heading into the following season, the 28-year-old slimmed down to transition into an outside linebacker role under Mike McDonald’s defense. The Seahawks believed McDonald’s ability to maximize player speed would help Jones thrive in his new position. However, he spent most of the season on the edge, managing to record 4.0 sacks while pushing through a lingering shoulder injury.

Jones was scheduled to receive $16.51 million in 2025, none of which was guaranteed. If the Seahawks are making him a standard release, the move would save $11.57 million in cap space and incur a dead cap charge of $14.1 million.

The Seahawks brought in 31-year-old Robertson-Harris last October through a trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars, giving up a 2026 sixth-round pick to bolster their defensive line depth. However, his role diminished as the season progressed, with limited playing time in November and December. As a result, he wrapped up his 11-game stint in Seattle without recording a sack and managing just one tackle for loss.

Robertson-Harris was scheduled to receive a non-guaranteed $6.6 million in 2025. The Seahawks will save that amount of cap space with his release, leaving no dead money.

The Seahawks signed Jenkins last March on a two-year, $12 million contract, expecting him to line up as a starter alongside Julian Love. Midway through the season, Jenkins suffered a left hand injury that sidelined him for four games. In his absence, Kobe Bryant stepped in and made a strong impression, which led to Jenkins taking on the No. 3 safety role when he returned from injured reserve.

The Seahawks gave the 31-year-old Jenkins permission to seek a trade, but nothing came of it. He was scheduled to receive a non-guaranteed $5.4 million in 2025. His release saved Seattle $5.28 million in cap space, while leaving $2.5 million in dead money.

The Seahawks got only 30 snaps from Fant after he signed a two-year, $9.1 million deal as the starting right tackle last March as Abe Lucas was recovering from knee surgery. The 32-year-old Fant suffered a knee injury in the opener and aggravated the injury upon his return in November, ruling him out for the rest of the season.

Fant was due to receive a non-guaranteed $3.8 million in 2025. With his release, the Seahawks will save that amount against the cap, while taking on $1.85 million in dead money.

Before Tuesday’s cut, the Seahawks were about $6.8 million over the 2025 spending limit, according to OvertheCap. More moves are likely before the start of free agency next week.

There is apparently a split between Lockett and the Seahawks, with the team discussing a new deal with Uchenna Nwosu that would reduce the outside linebacker’s $21.17 million cap charge.

At the combine, the Seahawks had early conversations with Geno Smith’s agent about the possibility of working out a new deal. General manager John Schneider told reporters in Indianapolis that he hopes to move the veteran quarterback — which would reduce his $44.5 million cap charge — though it’s unclear whether that will happen before the start of free agency.

Conclusion:
Wrap-up The Seahawks are shaking up their roster to get more money to spend in free agency. They’ve cut Jones, Robertson-Harris, Jenkins, and Fant to save cash, but they’re not done yet. They’re still not sure about Tyler Lockett’s future and are talking about changing Geno Smith’s and Uchenna Nwosu’s contracts. We might see more changes soon. Seattle wants to build a better more balanced team. The next few weeks will play a big part in setting the team up for the 2025 season.