Four Seattle Seahawks who should not return in 2024

Some of these roster decisions might not be easy, but they still should be made.
Michael Owens/GettyImages
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
4 of 4
Next

Seattle should cut their losses with defensive tackle Dre'Mont Jones

General manager John Schneider does not usually make splash signings during free agency but he did this past offseason when he signed Jones to the most expensive free agent contract the Seahawks have offered since Schneider and Pete Carroll started running the on-field product of Seattle football in 2010. Unfortunately, Jones might be a good example of why Schneider doesn't offer such contracts.

Jones is currently trending toward having his lowest sack total since 2019 and his fewest run stuffs since 2020. He is not a bad player, but he is also graded as number 71 among interior defensive linemen in 2023, according to Pro Football Focus. He is the worst-graded IDL among all Seahawks.

His cap hit jumps from $10,056,666 in 2023 to $18,176,666 in 2024 and up to $23,176,668 in 2025. Seattle could save almost $5 million next year by releasing Jones, and would save $16.5 million by cutting Jones ahead of 2025. The savings from releasing Jones next offseason could go toward re-signing Leonard Williams who has been excellent since coming over in a trade from the New York Giants in midseason.

The issue Seattle has, though, is they do not appear to have a true young replacement for Jones. Mike Morris might be fine, but he has also been hurt in 2023 and experience-wise would be a rookie again in 2024. Still, Jones has not yet earned his contract and there is no indication he would somehow be better next year.

Read more from 12th Man Rising

manual