Seahawks should target these potential AFC North cap casualties

As June 1 rapidly approaches, let’s continue on our journey through the league that we need to finish up with the final 3 divisions.  Like I mentioned yesterday, the Seahawks don’t have a ton of cap room to work with trying to bring more players in, but they would have an extra 10 or more million dollars to spend should they decide to restructure Wilson’s contract.

I’m not sure that’s what the team will wind up doing, but if they see a target they just have to have, it’s easy enough to do.  Bringing in another one or two veterans may be what this team needs to get more competitive in 2021.

Let’s see if any of this help could come from potential cap cuts from the AFC North.

Seahawks cap casualty targets:  AFC North

Baltimore Ravens

DeShon Elliott, FS:  Cutting Elliott would save the Ravens over $2.1 million for 2021, and I would like him as a Jamal Adams-like backup for the secondary.  He’s never given up more than a 59% completion rate, but he did give up a 113 passer rating in 2020.  He had some success on blitzes though, with 2.5 sacks.  He would be a decent fill-in if Adams goes out hurt.

Cincinnati Bengals

Trey Hopkins, C:  The Bengals literally have extra money on hand, so they will only need to make cuts if they bring in another expensive veteran.  If so, they would save $4.7 million by moving on from Hopkins, a 6’3″, 316-pound starting center.  He would likely have what it takes to beat out Pocic for the Seahawks’ starting job, so I’m down to bring him in if he hits the open market.

Cleveland Browns

Chris Hubbard, LT:  Now that the Browns can rely on Jedrick Wills to start at left tackle, they could move on from Hubbard and save $3.8 million by doing so.  I would like to see more depth at left tackle than Duane Brown and Stone Forsythe because I’m not convinced Forsythe will be able to step into a starting role should Brown go down with a season-ending injury.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Terrell Edmunds, SS:  Edmunds only allowed a 70.8 passer rating when targeted, allowed only a 55.6% completion rate, and had 2 picks in 2020.  The Steelers are over the cap by a pretty big margin, and cutting Edmunds after June 1 saves them $1.9 million, which they could certainly use.  If the Seahawks brought Edmunds in, he would be a solid backup to a position that’s excellent as far as starters go, but is weak in terms of backups.

Out of this group, I think Trey Hopkins has got to be my favorite.  He would offer real starting potential for the Seahawks at one of their weakest positions, and I think he wouldn’t command as much money as he’s getting paid now if he was floating on the open market.  However, I would enjoy having the other 3 guys come in solely as backups at positions the Seahawks aren’t entirely deep at.