3 players Seahawks could cut in 2022 to create cap room
By Lee Vowell
Bobby Wagner
Potential cap savings: $16.6 million
OK, hate me here if you want. But I will start with this: I do not want Bobby Wagner to go to another team. I want Bobby Wagner to stay a Seahawk. He is one of the best players to ever play for the franchise and one of the best linebackers in NFL history and is still one of the best players on the current team. Wagner is a future Hall of Famer. I do not want Bobby Wagner to stop being a linebacker for the Seahawks.
That said, he is massively expensive in 2022 earning $20.35 million. In fact, he is so expensive that his cap saving by releasing him this offseason is $16.6 million. That is simply far too much money to not either release Wagner or re-work his contract. I am hoping he and the team can re-work his contract. Seattle has greater needs than to pay a linebacker $20 million.
For a cap savings of $16.6 million, you could sign a really good offensive lineman. Seattle could bring Terron Armstead in to replace Duane Brown and sign Armstead for several seasons (he is just 30 years old) and Armstead would probably still cost less than $16 million a year. He only makes $13 million this year.
Next. 5 defensive-minded coaches who could replace Pete Carroll. dark
No, I don’t want Wagner to leave but I want the Seahawks to be better overall more. And saving so much money on a linebacker that will be 32 years old next year might be needed. Wagner leads the NFL in tackles again in 2021 but his tackles-for-loss are down and his quarterback hits are way down. Heck, even his passes defended are down. Jordyn Brooks can slide over to Wagner’s spot while Wagner’s cap saving allows Seattle to fix its offensive line.