The Seattle Seahawks, like every team in the NFL, is going to see some monumental changes around the league next week. This is when free agency begins, and lots of moves will occur. For Seattle in its current financial state, that might not be much.
That is the key, though. As the Seahawks are currently over the projected salary cap, the team is forced to make moves it might not want to. This means ridding itself of expensive contracts of some veterans.
There are other ways of making cap room, too, of course. If those happen, it will be this week. 12s could see some massive changes the week ahead of free agency.
Four moves that could happen with the Seattle Seahawks ahead of 2025 free agency
Release Tyler Lockett
Some kind of decision is going to have to be made about Lockett ahead of free agency. Releasing him saves the team $17 million, but that does little good for the team if the choose to move on from the second-most productive receiver in Seahawks history in two weeks. Free agency will mostly be done, and Seattle will have wasted a chance to sign other players.
In fact, if the team has chosen to move on from Lockett but decides to postpone the move until later in March, John Schneider's job should be at risk. The issue is that Lockett is going to be 33 years old for most of the 2025 season so signing him to an extension makes little sense. He either needs to have a restructured contract or released. It will be sad to see him go, though.
Sign Geno Smith to an extension
Schneider said last week at the NFL Combine that the team was meeting with Smith's agents last week. Let's hope that didn't go poorly. While some 12s might not want Smith to be the Seahawks quarterback for several more seasons, there is also no reason for Seattle to have a Smith contract issue hanging over the 2025 season.
The assumption should be that Seattle announces that Smith has agreed to an extension before free agency starts. Completing that deal would save the team more than $23 million. That will be needed when free agency begins.
Release Dre'Mont Jones
Last year, Seattle released Quandre Diggs and Jamal Adams on March 4. This was on the Tuesday before the week that free agency started. Jones is almost certain to be released because he hasn't played well enough to earn a cap hit of $25,645,418, which is what he has in 2025. His release would save the team $11,572,500.
In other words, expect an announcement on Jones to be made relatively early in the week. This is good for the team and the player, as Jones's being released earlier in the week allows him to prepare for free agency better. If Jones is not released, then John Schneider is not doing his job well.
Trade DK Metcalf
Unlike the other three bits on this list, Metcalf is probably not going to be traded. There were rumors late last week that the Seahawks were listening to offers from other teams, however, so a move of Metcalf cannot be completely ruled out. If a team offers a first-round choice for the wide receiver, Seattle has to entertain the offer.
Trading Metcalf would save the team $10,875,471. It might cost the team on the field, however, as it is unlikely any receiver replacing Metcalf would have the same kind of production. Let's just hope this is a move that does not happen.