The Seahawks are releasing a number of veterans, including two of their best defensive backs, ahead of the NFL free agency period, which begins on March 13 and runs for just over a week. The Seahawks said on Tuesday that tight end Will Dissly and safeties Quandre Diggs and Jamal Adams will be released.
The news was initially broken by Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, who noted that the team will free up $27.5 million in cap space as a result of the Adams and Diggs moves. Pelissero continued, “We’ll save an additional $7 million by releasing Dissly.”
The #Seahawks are releasing three-time Pro Bowl safeties Jamal Adams and Quandre Diggs, per sources.
The moves save $27.5 million in cash and significant cap space for Seattle, which will look a lot different in the Mike Macdonald era. pic.twitter.com/uPPzGA9g81
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 5, 2024
Seahawks general manager John Schneider stated early this offseason that he was expecting a $249 million salary cap, according to ESPN’s Brady Henderson.
Seahawks new era underway
Following the league’s announcement of an unexpected $255.4 million spending cap for each team as well as a contract renegotiation for Seattle quarterback Geno Smith, the team’s cap space dropped to $12 million, the 11th lowest in the NFL.
The Seahawks, who are starting a new chapter under first-year head coach Mike Macdonald after he was chosen to replace Pete Carroll, received some much-needed comfort from Tuesday’s actions.
The Seahawks acquired Adams and Diggs through trades, and both have three Pro Bowl appearances under their belts. For Diggs in 2020, Seattle traded a fifth-round pick to the Detroit Lions; however, Adams was acquired at a significant cost to the franchise.
The Seahawks sent a package that included two first-round picks to the New York Jets in order to acquire Adams in 2020, in one of the more lopsided trades of the modern era. A year later, Seattle signed him to a four-year, $70 million agreement, making him the highest-paid safety in the league.
Unfortunately, Adams struggled to remain healthy in recent years, so the decision did not pay off on the field. In 2021, he was restricted to 12 games. He was forced to miss the remainder of 2022 due to a torn quad in the season’s opening game. Before being suspended in December of 2023, he participated in just nine games.
The Seahawks’ ex-players will search free agency for new residences.
