4 potential cap casualties Seahawks should sign in free agency
By Lee Vowell
![GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN - JANUARY 22: Outside linebacker Za'Darius Smith #55 of the Green Bay Packers celebrates after a sack during the 1st quarter of the NFC Divisional Playoff game against the San Francisco 49ersat Lambeau Field on January 22, 2022 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images) GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN - JANUARY 22: Outside linebacker Za'Darius Smith #55 of the Green Bay Packers celebrates after a sack during the 1st quarter of the NFC Divisional Playoff game against the San Francisco 49ersat Lambeau Field on January 22, 2022 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/https-3A-2F-2F12thmanrising-com-2Fwp-content-2Fuploads-2Fgetty-images-2F2017-2F07-2F1366342749-1-850x560-37edbc1b88c3837558d14329f28da948f1353bba11a9a9a4b4ce78924dfec8ea.jpg)
NFL free agency starts in March but several good veterans could be roster cuts to make cap space. The Seattle Seahawks could scoop these four potential cuts up.
Seattle has quite of bit of cap room this offseason and could make more if Bobby Wagner is either released or restructures his deal. Maybe Russell Wilson restructures his as well? Seattle has a lot of talent on their roster and is probably only a few impact players away from getting back to the postseason and making a splash once they get there.
This is the most important offseason, especially with free agency decisions, for general manager John Schneider and head coach Pete Carroll, in a decade. Grabbing some players who their own teams might be forced to release could be very productive for the Seahawks.
4 potential cap casualties the Seahawks should sign this offseason
Alejandro Villanueva, left tackle
Seattle has a decision to make: Bring back left tackle Duane Brown or not in 2022. Brown will be 37 years old in 2022, though, and in the first half of 2021 he wasn’t anywhere near his normal greatness. That said, Seattle has no obvious heir apparent on the roster. Bringing Brown might be a needed move unless the Seahawks can find his replacement elsewhere.
This is where Villanueva comes in. While he will turn 34 years old early in the 2022 season, Villanueva has only played 7 years in the NFL. This is because he went to Army and then served tours with the Army Rangers so his playing career started later than most. Then he didn’t become an NFL tackle until 2015.
Since then, however, Villanueva through his size (he’s 6’9″ and 320 pounds) and intelligence made himself one of the better left tackles in the league. He is a great pass blocker and a pretty good run blocker. If Russell Wilson wants to get hit less, Seattle should sign Villanueva. He is only owed a bit less than $10 million in 2022, but the Ravens have several tackles in their rotation and Villaneuva is likely the odd man out.