Four Seahawks who might not return in 2019

Attrition always happens on NFL in the offseason, of course. But the Seahawks have four key players who might not return in 2019.

We love our Seahawks, right? No matter who puts on the uniform, they become a part of our favorite team and we want them to succeed. Sadly, every favorite Seahawk leaves at some point. Some retire and some get cut or traded.

Of course, no one really can truly predict what general manager John Schneider will do every offseason. He keeps us guessing when it comes to drafts and signing and releasing players. Seattle did a huge overhaul last offseason when Michael Bennett and Richard Sherman were traded and released, respectively. Kam Chancellor more or less retired due to a neck injury but still stuck around the team.

Bennett and Sherman left Seattle not because of on-field issues but simply because the organization tired of their outspokenness and perceived negativity in the locker room. Whether this was true or not will probably come out in a book one day but no one can say for sure currently.

For the same reason that Bennett and Sherman left I am assuming Earl Thomas will not be re-signed either. In fact, it seems such a certainty that the Seahawks will let Thomas leave that I am not including him among the four players that I can see leaving as well. Thomas left the field in week four after being injured by flipping off the Seattle sideline; I see Seattle metaphorically returning the finger to Thomas by not spending any time trying to re-sign him.

So here are four guesses at who else might not return to Seattle in 2019.

Doug Baldwin

First, I am not saying Baldwin shouldn’t return in 2019 because Baldwin is one of Seattle’s best players when healthy. He is a smart person and well-spoken. And though Baldwin might be outspoken about an off the field issue or two, I don’t think anyone has ever accused Baldwin of being an issue inside the locker room.

Secondly, the issue with Baldwin is he is an aging receiver who is signed for the next two seasons and his cap hit in each of 2019 and 2020 is $13 million-plus. Baldwin will be 31 years old on September 21st of 2019. If Seattle were to release him this offseason, they would save nearly $7 million in 2019 and $11 million in 2020. One could argue that money could be better used to invest in another defensive end or offensive lineman.

Baldwin is the type of receiver who uses his quickness to get open. As opposed to bigger and stronger receivers, smaller and quicker receivers tend not to be as productive well into their 30s. Even bigger receivers, like Brandon Marshall, are not as productive as they age. Plus, Baldwin had several injuries this season which limited how much he played.

And while we are all thankful that Tyler Lockett has a great 2018, his excellence may have made Baldwin more expendable. There is no mistake that Russell Wilson is a better quarterback with Baldwin on the field because he is. But Wilson and Lockett also had a perfect passer rating when Wilson targeted Lockett this year. Wilson to Lockett might be a better pairing for the next two seasons than Wilson to Baldwin. And less expensive.

K.J. Wright

Wright has the same problem as Baldwin. He isn’t getting younger and missed a lot of the year with an injury. Wright hurt his knee in preseason and wasn’t really himself until very late in the year. He was very good against the Cowboys in the Wild Card game but that was the first game 12s saw Wright play as well as in previous years.

Seattle signed Mychal Kendricks early in the year to replace Wright. Prior to being suspended for insider trading, Kendricks was very good. Kendricks also did something Wright doesn’t normally do but that the Seahawks badly needed: He put pressure on the opposing quarterback.

Like Wright, Kendricks is a free agent too. Most likely, Kendricks will be cheaper than Wright and could be just as productive. Kendricks has a hearing for a possible jail sentence on January 24th. If he serves no jail time for insider trading, he would be an enticing player for lots of teams. He may feel that Seattle is a good place for him as the Seahawks took a chance on him when other teams didn’t.

Wright, though, is a good guy in the locker room and in the community. The question becomes whether Seattle thinks they have a better chance of winning with Wright or Kendricks. And if Kendricks comes at a cheaper price, it might give the Seahawks some wiggle room to sign another needed player.

Ed Dickson

The Seahawks may have shown their hand with Dickson when they set him out for the first six weeks of 2018. Maybe even after signing Dickson after the 2017 season, they didn’t truly believe Dickson could contribute.

But Dickson was pretty good in the 10 games he appeared in in the regular season for Seattle. But Russell Wilson trusted him enough to target him five times in the Wild Card playoff game against the Cowboys. That might be important.

But just like Baldwin and Wright and every other player that played a down in the NFL, Dickson sticking with Seattle might be a business decision. The tight end, if cut. would save the Seahawks $2.8 million in 2019 and $3.4 million in 2020.

Seattle has Nick Vannett still under contract. Plus, Will Dissly will be returning from injury next season and was pretty good in four games in his rookie year. Vannett and Dissly combined will be nearly half of Dickson’s cap hit in 2019. Dickson is expendable.

Still, Dickson is more proven than Vannett and could be more valuable in 2019. Possibly Vannett gets cut early. But I think when the final roster comes out for next year, Dissly and Vannett are on it and Dickson is not.

Barkevious Mingo

Mingo was actually pretty good overall for Seattle in 2018. He was a key member of special teams and in limited time he put pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Seattle didn’t have enough players supply consistent pressure and Mingo showed he might do more with more playing time.

I think there is a good chance he doesn’t get that with the Seahawks, though. In 2017, Seattle had a bunch of linebackers on one year contracts like Michael Wilhoite and Terance Garvin. John Schneider appears to think he can get production while saving some money at linebacker.

And maybe he is right. Linebacker used to be a bigger deal in the NFL because most teams played with three on the field during basic schemes and then also have plenty of linebackers on coverage on special teams. Now a lot of teams play with just two linebackers and five defensive backs. Plus, the way the NFL has restructured kickoff rules, smaller and quicker players are needed to cover kicks rather than bigger linebackers.

Mingo will save the Seahawks $3 million if they cut him from the 2019 roster. Seattle can probably find a cheaper and just as productive linebacker for next year. And if Shaquem Griffin can take a step forward, Seattle may already have Mingo’s replacement on the team.