4 Seattle Seahawks who could get released after the 2024 NFL Draft

The Seattle Seahawks probably know who is going to make up 40 of their 53-man active roster spots for 2024. Those last 13 can cause a heated battle for a spot, of course. That is especially true if many of those players are still to be taken in the 2024 NFL draft.

Seattle is currently tight against the salary cap. That does not go for this year, but for the 2025 offseason as well, relatively speaking. But Seattle could create cap room this offseason if the four players that follow are released.

Instead of simply being cut out of hand, though, the reason to move on from these players could be because their replacements were found in the draft. This should mean Seattle finds upgrades in talent and savings in money. That's the hope anyway.

Four Seahawks who could be in danger of being released after the 2024 NFL draft

Edge rusher Darrell Taylor

Cap savings: $3,116,000

Seattle did choose to bring Taylor back as a restricted free agent this offseason, but that certainly does not guarantee him a roster spot. Likely, new head coach Mike Macdonald wanted to take a closer look at Taylor and see if he could turn the edge rusher into a solid run-stopper as well. Three playing seasons into his career, Taylor has been awful against the run.

As with each of these players, their job security may come down to who falls to Seattle in the draft or not. Maybe there is no edge rusher available at the correct time for the Seahawks. However, Macdonald may general manager John Schneider to find a well-rounded pass-rusher and Taylor is certainly not that. Plus, that $3 million savings would likely help the team closer to the beginning of the season.

Linebacker Jon Rhattigan

Cap savings: $2,985,000

No offense to Rhattigan, but has he really done enough to earn nearly $3 million in 2024? He has mostly played special teams and does not seem capable of playing a lot of reps at linebacker at a high level. Seattle released Nick Bellore this offseason and Bellore has been a special teams ace for years and was a captain in 2023. Re-signing Bellore and releasing Rhattigan makes sense as well.

Plus, Seattle will probably choose a linebacker or two in the 2024 draft. As Seattle signed Tyrel Dodson and Jerome Baker this offseason, that means Rhattigan is only around for depth currently. The Seahawks could take a linebacker in the first three rounds of the draft which makes Rhattigan expendable, especially as he carries zero dollars in dead money and his salary next season would all be cap savings immediately.

Wide receiver D'Wayne Eskridge

Cap savings: $1,025,000

Some were surprised that Eskridge was not released this offseason as he has not shown he can stay healthy or productive in his three. Schneider likely had something larger in mind in the potential of keeping Eskridge on the team and that was that Eskridge flashed he could be a decent kick returner in 2023. With the new kickoff rules, having a couple of good kick returners could prove fruitful.

The problem for Eskridge, however, is that returning kicks is all he can do so far. Taking a good returner in college late in the 2024 draft replaces Eskridge but at a slightly cheaper option. Plus, there are chances that the late-round choice could develop into a player who remains healthier and can catch a pass or three. This is more than Eskridge has proven he can do in three years.

Center Nick Harris

Cap savings: $1,510,000

Harris has not yet played a game for Seattle as he was signed as a free agent this offseason. He is mostly a center at this point. Maybe he was brought in to be competition for Olu Oluwatimi as Oluwatimi is entering his second season and did not sparkle in his rookie year. But had Harris been signed for $1 million or so, that would be fine. Instead, Seattle could save $1.5 million by removing him from the team.

The issue is not Harris. He is maybe a decent backup. But the Seahawks need to draft a couple of interior linemen and that might include one who can play center. A player like this is not going to go to Seattle in the first three rounds, most likely, so a cheap late-round choice might be Harris' replacement. A savings of $1.5 million is nothing to sneeze at for a team with cap issues.

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